One Surprising MLB Team Has Reportedly Called Juan Soto Early in Free Agency

As Juan Soto tests the waters of MLB free agency this fall, the teams expected to be in the running to offer him a lucrative long-term contract reportedly have reached out already.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Wednesday that the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants have contacted Soto’s camp about a potential deal that could wind up being worth near $700 million.

All six of those teams are expected answers, as all play in big markets and the Blue Jays were among the finalists to sign Shohei Ohtani last year. But one other member of the AL East also have contacted Soto in rather surprising fashion.

Heyman reported that the Tampa Bay Rays recently reached out to Soto—a big surprise considering the organization had the third-lowest payroll in 2024 at $88 million. Soto is expected to receive at least $50 million—if not $60 million—per season for at least 10 years on his next contract, which would take up a significant chunk of the team’s payroll.

The Rays are probably a distant seventh on the list. But they’re on the list, which is more than 23 other MLB teams can say in the early days of free agency.