"This is not about the Yankees vs. the Mets" - Steve Cohen denies any rift after securing Juan Soto in record $765M deal

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen opened up about the reported bidding war over superstar Juan Soto. In a Dec. 9 piece by Jon Heyman of the NY Post, Cohen addressed the secretive process that led to Soto signing with the Mets.

“This is not about the Yankees versus the Mets. It’s about competing for a player. We both can exist in New York. There’s plenty of room.”

The comments underscore how competitive the bidding truly was. The Yankees had reported offered Soto a 16-year, $760 million contract. The Post also stated the Toronto Blue Jays had made a pitch at $720 million.

In the end, Cohen and the Mets prevailed. However, Cohen expressed his respect for his crosstown rivals.

“The Yankees are the Yankees. I respect that.”

According to the Post, the Soto camp was interested in hitting the $50 million AAV mark. The Yankees’ offer placed Soto’s AAV at $47.5 million with the additional 16th year.

The added perks the Mets offered helped put their offer over the top. For instance, the Mets offered a free suite at the ballpark, one that the Yankees declined to include.

Cohen’s negotiations to land Juan Soto

The NY Post outlined the nature of Cohen’s negotiation process. In particular, the piece pointed out a meeting at one of Cohen’s homes in Boca Raton, Florida.

Cohen reportedly met there with Soto and his agent Scott Boras to discuss the latest offer. The meeting went well with both sides feeling positive vibes.

Nevertheless, Cohen wasn’t convinced he had reeled in the biggest fish in the pond.

“There was a lot of emotion and a lot of ups and downs, not knowing where you stood.”

While the Blue Jays made a good run at signing Soto, it was ultimately a race between the Yankees and Mets.

The Soto camp did well in keeping their side of the equation quiet. It wasn’t until Boras notified Cohen that Soto had chosen the Mets that trepidation turned into jubilation. Notably, Cohen believed Soto would remain in pinstripes. With the Yankees coming close to a 28th World Series championship, the Mets’ owner believed Soto would stay put with Aaron Judge.

With Soto shifting to the other New York ballclub, Cohen believes the Mets will be just as big a ticket as the Yankees.