Part 4/8:
Soto's decision to reject the contract came as part of a larger strategy orchestrated by his agent, Scott Boras, an infamous figure in baseball known for his high-stakes negotiations. Boras had a bold vision: he wanted Soto to hit free agency at just 26 years old, wherein a superstar could command a staggering contract potentially worth a billion dollars.
While it initially seemed ludicrous that any MLB franchise could offer a billion-dollar deal, the subsequent events validated Boras's decision-making. Despite not reaching that billion-dollar mark, Soto did manage to secure a monumental contract, signing with the New York Mets for 15 years and $765 million—the largest contract in MLB history at that point.