"Why Shohei Ohtani catching Strays?"; "Shut up, Juan Soto is an overpay" - Fans slam Fat Joe after rapper's bold claim involving duo's deal amount

Fans reacted as New York rapper Fat Joe claimed that Juan Soto deserved to be paid higher than Shohei Ohtani after the outfielder's historic contract with the New York Mets.

While Ohtani's record $700 million contract with the Dodgers seemed set to stay for years, it has been eclipsed in a year by Soto's $765 miliion deal with the Mets. While fans and analysts continue to compare the blockbuster deals, Fat Joe said that there's a reason the Dominican attracted such a contract, which didn't sit well with some MLB fans:

"Why Shohei Ohtani catching strays!?," questioned one fan on X.

"Shut up gosh we all know Juan Soto is an overpay," wrote another.

Some fans jumped to Ohtani's defence in terms his value on and off the field, while others slammed Fat Joe's comments as uninformed and biased:

"Clearly Joe is not good at math," wrote @THATSHAPESHIFTER on X.

"FJ doesn’t seem to know much about baseball," added @michaelroot21.

"That beard paint must have gotten to his brain," said @DerekErquhart.

When Shohei Ohtani became a free agent last year, there was a general expectation that he will become the highest paid player due to his two-way capabilities. Hence, when he signed a 10-year, $700 milllion contract with most of the amount deferred, it looked like a shrewd deal for both parties.

Meanwhile, with Juan Soto's 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets eclipsing Ohtani's average annual value (AAV), many see it as a overpay. Soto hasn't deferred any of the amount, which makes it more valuable that what Ohtani's contract value is projected at.

However, there's no doubt of the Japanese star's revenue potential off the field, reportedly earning $60 million a year on endorsements alone. As a result, many view Ohtani as more valuable, with his contract looking like a bargain.

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Shohei Ohtani leads Juan Soto in 2025 NL MVP odds

Juan Soto's move to the New York Mets means that he will compete with Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani for the NL MVP award next year.

While Ohtani won the award by unanimous decision in his first season in the National League this year, Soto finished third in the AL MVP voting, behind Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr.

BETMGM has released the odds for next year's NL MVP award amidst the highly anticipated showdown between the two highest paid players in the MLB. Ohtani is the favorite to retain his crown with +175 odds, while Soto comes in at second place with +550.