Nick Castellanos gets brutally honest on Juan Soto's $800,000,000 plus Mets deal; claims Shohei Ohtani's $700,000,000 Dodgers contract made sense

Juan Soto's record-breaking 15-year $765 million deal, as per MLB.com, with the New York Mets, which could rise to $805 million by the end of the contract, has brought out reactions of various kinds. While some have accepted that the Dominican is worth that amount, others have questioned whether the Mets have overplayed their hand.

Speaking on JM Baseball's Chris Rose Rotation podcast, Phillies star Nick Castellanos made his feelings known about the deal. The outfielder and 3B relayed his surprise and then stated that Shohei Ohtani's record-setting $700 million ten-year deal in the previous winter was understandable, considering the Japanese was bringing a whole new market for the Dodgers.

"I was a little bit surprised. Was I amazed? Like, with Shohei, I get it, you know, especially going over and being in Japan. With one player, you captured the whole country of Japan. The Dodgers are fans now, right?

"You see Dodgers stuff everywhere. I don't know the ins and outs of the finances and how much, but I bet you that if TV deals and stuff like that, I know that Shohei going there is making a lot of money outside of the United States. So, like, I understand. He's an international world player," Castellanos said. [19:26]

He also stated that Soto's contract worth increased because he had a smart agent like Scott Boras representing him and Mets owner Steven Cohen's fearlessness to spend money.

"And then I also know Scott [Boras] is unbelievable at comps and being able to do this and that, using another person's number to say that this is where we’re at in this new realm. And you know Steve Cohen, apparently, is somebody who's not afraid to spend money. So I think that if you just add all of those things together, there's an opportunity where somebody like Juan Soto at the age of 26 could get a 15-year, $800 million deal," Castellanos added. [20:09]

For Steve Cohen Juan Soto's contract is much more than just money spent

From what the world of baseball has seen from someone like Steve Cohen and his current management at Queens, the franchise likes to go all-out for any player they target and are willing to splurge cash if it means beating their competitors.

That was the case with Soto and the Mets. But Steve Cohen also made it clear during Soto's introduction ceremony that adding him to the roster meant creating a star-like atmosphere around the Metsies.

"I said it in the locker room after one of our playoff victories, that my goal was to change how the Mets were viewed. And I think we're really on the path of changing that ... My goal is that the Mets are going to be a premier, one of the elite teams in Major League Baseball," Cohen had said.

Juan Soto adds star power to the Mets team by partnering up with Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, and other mainstays. He is expected to bring the crowds to Citi Field in his inaugural season as New York continue to push for the World Series title.