MLB insider claims Shohei Ohtani's $700,000,000 and Juan Soto's $765,000,000 deals are advantageous for Steve Cohen’s Mets

The MLB offseason has seen a major shift in terms of spending after the LA Dodgers inked Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million deal last offseason and the New York Mets signed Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal this offseason.

As MLB contracts continue to shatter financial records, insider Buster Olney finds Steve Cohen's Mets among the few teams capable of absorbing such staggering figures.

"One general manager had a great observation a couple of weeks ago to me," Olney said on The Michael Kay Show (9:30 onwards). "He said, you know, with Ohtani last winter and with Soto this winter, we have normalized $400 million contracts. Like, that's becoming, 'Oh yeah, you can get $400 million.' And this general manager said to me, 'There are not a lot of teams out there that could actually entertain that type of contract.'"

"Well, guess which team could? The New York Mets are probably in the position where they could pay one guy whatever the total value, including the perks for Soto, would be—$55 million maybe, it's evaluated at some point. They could be the one team that could pay two players $100 million and not blink."

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. thanks Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani to boost his potential contract

The sentiment shared by GMs, as noted by Buster Olney, has also resonated with the players. Even they know now what the new norm is in terms of pay, and a good free agent could invite a handsome contract unprecedented before.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who recently settled on a $28.5 million salary, will become a highly sought after free agent next year. He could potentially sign a contract in the vicinity of over $400 million, thanks to previous benchmarking contracts of Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto.

"My numbers changed thanks to Juan Soto. Shohei Ohtani changed the system for Soto, and Soto changed the system for me," Guerrero said on Abriendo El podcast.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has put a deadline on his contract extension negotiation talks with the Blue Jays. The first baseman will entertain offers until the first day of spring training, thus, the Blue Jays are on the clock if they want to avoid their star first baseman to avoid testing the market next offseason.