"Aaron Judge got 9 years, $360M to cover his age" - Juan Soto's 'out of hand' $700M bidding draws interesting reaction from MLB insider

For anyone who has paid even marginal attention to the MLB offseason, Juan Soto is likely a name they are sick of hearing. The hottest free agent of the season, rumor has it that the 26-year-old is on the cusp of the biggest deal in MLB history.

After it was reported that several clubs had put up offers of $600 million, talk has subsequently revealed that the deal could be in the realm of $700 to $750 million. Naturally, this has sparked discussion, with some observers disputing that Soto is worth such an astronomical amount.

On Saturday, MLB analyst and hardcore Red Sox fan Jared Carrabis took to X to weigh in. While many have criticized Soto's potential deal, Carrabis made an argument in favor.

"Folks think the Soto bidding is getting out of hand, but think about it this way — Judge got 9 years, $360M to cover his age 32-40 seasons. Let’s say you give Soto the same deal for those seasons. Now you can go $60M/year for his age 26-31 seasons and you’re at 15 years, $720M." - Jared Carrabis

Carrabis drew a comparison between Soto's prospective offer and Aaron Judge's 2022 deal with the New York Yankees. To date the largest deal ever signed by a position player, the contract pays the superstar outfielder $40 million per season.

According to Carrabis, the fact that Soto is four years younger than Judge was when he signed that deal is a very significant detail. Although Carrabis gave Soto an additional $20 million per season, his supposition that a player in their twenties is objectively more valuable than one in their 30s definitely holds water.

"The "feeling around the industry" is that Juan Soto could make his decision prior to the Winter Meetings, which begin December 9th in Dallas, per @Feinsand. #MLBNHotStove reacts to reports that Soto is expected to meet with the Dodgers on Tuesday."

With the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings set to kick off on Monday, many feel as though a Juan Soto deal could be just around the corner. Already, the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets are two clubs who are understood to have tabled offers.

Juan Soto sweepstakes are reaching a fever pitch

Although a deal may be close, the speculation surrounding Juan Soto's destination is becoming deafening, with predictions being made daily. As analyst Anthony DiComo recently wrote for MLB.com:

"I, for one, find it hard to believe [Mets owner] Steve Cohen is going to allow himself to get outbid by the Blue Jays. Or by anyone, really."

Historic or not, waiting will be the only way to find out for sure.