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On a Friday in December, baseball agent Scott Boras and his client Juan Soto paid a visit to New York Mets owner <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/steven-a-cohen/" data-terminal="BIO 2458983" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Steve Cohen</a> at his home in Delray Beach
was the most sought-after free agent in baseball
It was the second meeting of the offseason between Cohen and Soto
who was also considering offers from the New York Yankees
The 72-year-old has been making owners squirm since he began representing players four decades ago
“I don’t want a canned answer,” he says during an hourlong interview in March
“Sometimes you need to know how they react and what they say they’re going to do when they’re challenged.”
Soto decided to join the Mets on a 15-year
the largest in the history of professional sports
It was the showpiece in a blockbuster offseason for Boras
who also secured $210 million over six years for Corbin Burnes in Arizona; $182 million over five years for Blake Snell with the Dodgers; and $120 million over three years for Alex Bregman in Boston
Boras had negotiated more than a dozen contracts with a combined lifetime value of nearly $1.7 billion
the largest haul for a single agent in one offseason
according to data from Baseball Prospectus
It also pushed Boras past the $10 billion mark in total free-agent deals for his clients since the publication began tracking
making him easily the most successful and influential agent in baseball
If you include every contract in his more than 40 years in the business
he’s an emblem of the creeping influence of money in the sport
a scapegoat for everything from the rising cost of hot dogs to ads on jerseys
“I’m sympathetic to fans in smaller markets who go into the season feeling they don’t have a chance in the world to win,” league Commissioner Rob Manfred <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/06/briefing/rob-manfred-interview-baseball.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">told</a> the New York Times earlier this month
“If people don’t believe there’s competition
an existential problem for your business.”
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/business-of-sports?utm_medium=deeplink&amp;sref=14Z55afH" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-terminal="NSUB ID 64DE11FC00D40002">Sign up for Bloomberg's Business of Sports newsletter</a>
a move the players’ union has successfully resisted for decades
The brewing conflict threatens to bring baseball to a halt
with many in the industry expecting owners to lock players out ahead of the 2027 season
The last big fight between players and owners over a salary cap
led to the longest work stoppage in the game’s history
the cancellation of that year’s World Series and damage to the league’s reputation that took decades to mend
Boras settles into his seat at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles about 40 minutes before first pitch for a game against the Atlanta Braves
he’s already been at the ballpark for hours
watching the East Coast games in a private suite along with a few staffers from his agency
the stadium serves as a makeshift office for the company
whose headquarters are about 50 miles south
Boras carries a 24-ounce Starbucks iced tea to his front-row seat
10 down from home plate on the third-base side
Former Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak leans over to say hello from a few seats over
Boras has been a regular at Dodger Stadium for nearly three decades
As the officials huddle before the players take the field
It’s his second start after signing the $182 million deal Boras negotiated in November
has just hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to bring the Mets level in Miami
Boras says he and Cohen keep in touch regularly – despite a tortured back-and-forth over Alonso’s two-year
“This has been an exhausting conversation,” Cohen told the crowd at an event for Mets fans as the negotiations dragged on
Cohen later told longtime Mets radio announcer Howie Rose
he and Alonso hashed out their differences as Boras sat by wordlessly
(Boras says he stayed quiet deliberately to allow the two to have an open dialogue.)
“Steve is an owner that calls all the time to ask questions,” says Boras
Their chumminess is a knock-on effect of MLB’s lopsided economics. With a net worth of $17.3 billion, according to the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloomberg Billionaires Index</a>
Cohen is the richest owner in the league by a wide margin
he paid $2.4 billion for the team in 2020 and has shown a willingness to spend whatever it takes to bring the franchise its first title since 1986
Cohen set a new standard not only for pay but for perks
a luxury suite at Citi Field for home games
and a guarantee that Soto could keep his uniform number (22)
The deal brought joy in Queens and shock and dismay in the Bronx
where Soto helped the Yankees to the World Series last season
Even the Yankees, long one of the league’s top spenders, are beginning to feel left behind. “It’s difficult for most of us owners to be able to do the kind of things that they’re doing,” Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43610514/yankees-hal-steinbrenner-spending-dodgers-difficult-most-owners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said of the Dodgers</a> in January
a couple of months after they defeated his team in the Series
In an effort to cool the free agent market, the league has tried increasing luxury taxes for teams that exceed payroll thresholds. In 2022, the league added a tier for repeat offenders, nicknamed the “Cohen tax,” that taxes teams at a marginal rate of 110%. So far it hasn’t worked. Last season, according to a <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43082037/dodgers-mets-yankees-top-mlb-record-9-luxury-tax-offenders" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">memo obtained by ESPN</a>
Mets and Yankees all hitting the maximum rate
“Owners are doing a lot of scheming right now about how to get a salary cap,” says Andrew Zimbalist
“They’re thinking that the only way that they could possibly get it is by doing a lockout that lasts really long
the uproar over pay is a convenient way for league management to distract from its own unforced errors in failing to maximize revenue
We’re offering you content that is unbelievable,” he says
“So why are you not optimizing it like other sports executives are?”
making this season its last and leaving the league to look elsewhere for $550 million in annual revenue
which used the growing appetite for streaming content to lock in high-value
Boras says MLB both undersold its product and fumbled away hundreds of millions by granting ESPN the option to leave early
“Why did you allow an opt-out in that?” he asks
noting that he might be MLB’s foremost expert on such clauses: he practically invented them
A spokesperson for the league declined to comment
Boras has little patience for the complaints of small-market owners
shouldn’t expect a level playing field after paying small-market prices for their teams
If the league wants more competitive balance
it should set up a system to starve the owners of underperforming teams of revenue-sharing payments
have poor attendance or fail to invest in facilities
shouldn’t be subsidized by the rest of the league
“We have got a number of franchises that need to be reviewed,” he says
self-serving proposition with a miniscule shot at becoming reality
it demonstrates both Boras’ aggressive negotiating style and his abiding passion for the game
as becomes clear over the course of spending a few hours with him
are that baseball is great and its best players always deserve more
Growing up on a dairy farm in California’s Central Valley
Boras used to hand-wire a transistor radio into an oversized ballcap so he could listen to Giants and Athletics broadcasts while driving the tractor
He played four seasons of minor league baseball
before knee injuries cut his career short in 1977
“I made the Florida State League All-Star team and was hitting .290 and life was going good,” he says
He takes a standard 5% of all free agent deals
meaning his agency has taken in at least $400 million in pre-tax commissions since 1991
and is guaranteed another $130 million over the next 15 years on top of that
including a global network of scouts and a sports psychologist
and his Newport Beach training facility for players
And although he’s been approached about selling his business
Boras says he’s not interested in giving up control
And the way I do it is through the players I represent.”
After the bottom of the second inning at Dodger Stadium
“I bet you six or seven runs will win this game,” he says
Boras has propped an iPad against the netting to keep an eye on the Yankees
who are playing at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks
his analysts are tracking Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen
In Boras’ lap is a blue folder filled with custom score sheets he uses to track his clients’ pitches by hand
When Boras watches one of his clients on the mound
Boras’ attention to detail is legendary: He gets an auto-generated email every half-hour with live stats for every one of his clients currently on the field
and has at least one employee watching every single game all season long to alert him in case he needs to tune in
he reviews a condensed file of every single pitch
Boras sends multi-paragraph texts to his players after many of their games
giving them feedback on their performance and offering advice
he uses a translation app to text Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz in Spanish; Elly texts him back – “Thx big dog,” plus fire emojis
Boras maintains his best years are ahead of him
“I got another 30 years or so of this and I’m going to keep operating,” he says
He’s turned down offers to become a general manager at a team or take a stake in ownership: “I would never represent someone one day and turn around and negotiate against them the next,” he says
“I’ve built a company that will go beyond me,” he says
By the ninth inning, the Dodgers have pulled even at 5-5, and Shohei Ohtani comes to the plate.  Prior to Soto’s Mets deal, the Japanese superstar held the record for largest in baseball history with a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-09/shohei-ohtani-signs-with-dodgers-breaks-mlb-free-agent-contract-record?sref=LolSQBW2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">10-year, $700 million contract</a> signed in 2023 that included $680 million in deferred payments
that structure made the deal worth $460 million in present value
Boras flew to Japan five times and met his parents in an effort to land him
team owners set Ohtani’s deal with the Dodgers as a benchmark
If Ohtani – an elite pitcher and a Soto-level slugger
as well as a household name in Japan and the US – got $460 million
A few yards away from Boras, Ohtani, the one that got away, connects on an 89-mile per hour changeup from Braves closer Raisel Iglesias and sends it sailing toward centerfield. “There’s your sixth run,” says Boras, already standing to leave as the ball clears the fence, giving the Dodgers a walk-off win.
(Updates with additional details about the Cohen-Alonso negotiation.)
2025Save this storySaveSave this storySaveNew UN Tour Guide uniforms designed by students at the Swedish School of Textiles
It was a history making moment in that it was the first time students were tapped as designers
Swedish School of Textiles student designers
The project started with a call to Sofia Hedström de Leo
former head of sustainability at the Swedish consulate and an advisory board member of the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network
“The UN wanted me to pick a partner that could deliver a collection tied to the SDGs [sustainability goals]
They also wanted to involve a younger designer
I decided to pick the Swedish School of Textiles based on their history with sustainability; I thought a school would be an interesting option,” she said
“For me it was important to pick a Swedish partner… For me
it is a way to talk about sustainability through a clothing collection
Working closely with SST professors Susanne Nejderås
and Karin Landahl and artistic directors Stephanie Malmgren de Oliveira
the 20 students who took on this task in addition to their course work
the second Secretary-General of the United Nations
The trip produced the patterns that appear on silk scarves and the choice of gray for the suiting
“We wanted to go lighter because they had dark suits for a very long time and we wanted to insert some hope; and then we selected the blues from the sky,” explained de Oliveira
Asymmetric collars and the V-cut of the neckline are references to architectural elements found at the United Nations itself
The uniforms are made of deadstock fabric (Italian wool for the suits)
and were manufactured in the EU with the help of Swedish businesses
stand-collar T-shirts were produced in Borås
The guides’ inaugural uniforms—neat tailored get-ups—were
“inspired by what flight attendants wore in the 1940s and 1950s
It was a look befitting a world that had concluded a global military conflict less than a decade before.” Evan Picone’s Frank Smith
who designed stewardess uniforms for Pan Am Airlines
was responsible for bringing a more casual touch to UN tours in the form of vests
which was when legendary Hollywood costume designer Edith Head cleaned things up with Chanel-esque suits
The first male guides were outfitted by Brooks Brothers
1977 uniforms by Edith Head and Brooks Brothers
1983 uniforms by Thibaut Bouet of Christian Dior
2025 Uniforms by students of the Swedish School of Textiles
The SST students have come up with a suit jacket
and a cotton dress with a triple waist for adaptability
The sizing is in line with new EU regulations and the pieces are adjustable
On hand to witness the uniform reveal was <a href="https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/designer/hodakova" target="_blank">Ellen Hodakova Larsson</a>
winner of the 2024 LVMH Prize and a 2019 SST graduate
Main support for the project came from Paul Frankenius
with an additional contribution from the Swedish government
“At Swedish School of Textile the quality of the research and education is world class,” Frankenius said
“What we need to do better is to communicate and expose our excellence in a global context,” he said
“The new UN tour guide collection is a perfect example of this
We are giving our young talents a platform to come together to create something that is intentional
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<a class="c-overline" href="/sections/media">Media</a>Boras: MLB ‘a decade behind’ in media rights negotiationsBy <a class="c-link" href="/author/Mike-Mazzeo">Mike Mazzeo</a>02.21.2025 Scott Boras negotiated Soto’s deal with the Mets and represents several of the biggest names in this year’s free agent class. getty images The day before MLB and ESPN mutually agreed to opt-out of the remainder of their national TV rights deal, agent Scott Boras provided his take on baseball’s media landscape. 
Speaking to SBJ on Wednesday, Boras said MLB’s biggest problem is that its media rights deals are “a decade behind” those of the NBA. 
Before the 2022 season, MLB agreed to a series of seven-year deals with Apple, Disney, Fox and Turner that paid just under $13 billion combined. Last year, the NBA agreed to an 11-year, $77 billion deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon that begins next season.
ESPN’s opt out of the remaining three years of the deal, which paid MLB $550 million annually, leaves the door ajar for another network or steaming platform to enter the fray. Commissioner Rob Manfred has made clear his desire to sell a potentially lucrative national baseball streaming package for 2028. 
“The most important thing that we need to talk about is revenues,” said Boras. “Because revenues make everybody happy. It increases franchise values. And the NBA TV contract tells you that we are a decade behind in our negotiation for media rights in baseball.”
Boras also sounded off on streaming. MLB was the first league to stream one of its games, doing so for a Yankees-Rangers contest in August 2002. MLB Advanced Media founded BAMTech in 2015, but sold a controlling stake in that company to Disney for $1.58B two years later. At the time that deal was lauded for delivering each MLB team owner $50 million.
“We invented streaming, which is a huge component to the NBA contract,” said Boras. “And what did we do with it? We didn’t license it, we sold it. We gave it away. And then we entered into cable contracts knowing that streaming was the cancer of cable.
“Other leagues didn’t do that,” he continued. “And so when we talk about why our revenue streams are where they are, look at the TV contract and it says that we have got to better with our negotiation of the media rights.”
Therefore, Boras believes, MLB needs better representation at the bargaining table. He did not mention exactly who should take the job. 
“The solution is a negotiator. This is about appropriate representation. And a rights structure. I think that’s why players hire me. So why wouldn’t MLB hire someone appropriately that knows how to handle that negotiation for them when they look at the NBA?” Boras said. “We have double the content and higher ratings, and we’re getting half of what the NBA gets? Does that not tell you that it’s not the product, it’s the representation. 
“So that’s our biggest problem in baseball. Numero uno.”
Description: The Boras Corporation has an immediate opening for a creative, well-organized team player with a genuine interest in a career in baseball. You will be working in an office-based setting with others responsible for handling a variety of research, statistical and analytical needs. The ideal candidate will have personal experience in a team-sports environment combined with ability to present complex information in a visual presentation.
Emails should include a PDF of your resume. Please, no cover letters. Additionally, the body of the email should contain the following, in this order:
Emails that do not contain all of this information will not be considered.
The content in this posting was created and provided solely by The Boras Corporation. The salary range and the information requested in the application email have been updated since initial publication.
unwritten rules this offseason when they signed Blake Snell to a five-year
The line in the sand had nothing to do with Snell
Of course, Boras&#39; tactics don&#39;t always work. Snell, along with Matt Chapman, Jordan Montgomery, and Cody Bellinger, <a href="https://dodgersway.com/posts/jordan-montgomery-contract-delivers-fatal-blow-to-dodgers-enemy-scott-boras-01ht03n2hn8c">suffered botched free agencies under Boras&#39; watch</a> after the 2023 season
and Montgomery even ended up dropping Boras in favor of Wasserman&#39;s Joel Wolfe (who also represents Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki) after he&#39;d signed with the Diamondbacks
Boras is missing a couple of baseball&#39;s biggest stars, though, and one of them is Shohei Ohtani. In an interview with Bloomberg, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-scott-boras-mlb-contracts/" target="_blank">Boras said he traveled to Japan five times</a> and even met Ohtani&#39;s parents trying to land him as a client
but Ohtani ended up signing with CAA&#39;s Nez Balelo instead (subscription required)
It&#39;s fair to wonder if the Dodgers&#39; deal with Ohtani would&#39;ve worked out the way it did if Boras had ended up landing him. Ohtani certainly seemed like he was in the driver&#39;s seat when it came to negotiating the deal that eventually got signed  — <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-dodgers-deal-deferrals-explained" target="_blank">famously including those mammoth deferrals</a>
which were reportedly Ohtani&#39;s idea — and based on Boras&#39; track record
it doesn&#39;t seem like he likes to cede control to his clients
The Dodgers were always going to target Ohtani no matter who his agent was
but if they&#39;d never deferred the money
they certainly wouldn&#39;t have been able to build around him in quite the way that they have
Boras can&#39;t be that upset about losing Ohtani anymore anyway
having broken his and Balelo&#39;s record for the highest-paying contract in sports history with Soto&#39;s $765 million deal with the Mets
The Dodgers got their guy on a deal that put the club before the player
and Boras probably got a massive commission out of that Soto contract
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Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands
after spending a year and a half as a video editor at the MLB Network
with a particular fondness for opinionated takedowns
placeholders);",{"attributes":"ef","loadingType":"e4","name":"eg","source":"eh","type":"e7"},{"type":"e2","value":"ei"},{},"commercial-api","(function () {\n    mmClientApi.push('getPageData'
Of course, Boras&#39; tactics don&#39;t always work. Snell, along with Matt Chapman, Jordan Montgomery, and Cody Bellinger, <a href=\"https://dodgersway.com/posts/jordan-montgomery-contract-delivers-fatal-blow-to-dodgers-enemy-scott-boras-01ht03n2hn8c\">suffered botched free agencies under Boras&#39; watch</a> after the 2023 season
Boras is missing a couple of baseball&#39;s biggest stars, though, and one of them is Shohei Ohtani. In an interview with Bloomberg, <a href=\"https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-scott-boras-mlb-contracts/\" target=\"_blank\">Boras said he traveled to Japan five times</a> and even met Ohtani&#39;s parents trying to land him as a client
It&#39;s fair to wonder if the Dodgers&#39; deal with Ohtani would&#39;ve worked out the way it did if Boras had ended up landing him. Ohtani certainly seemed like he was in the driver&#39;s seat when it came to negotiating the deal that eventually got signed  — <a href=\"https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-dodgers-deal-deferrals-explained\" target=\"_blank\">famously including those mammoth deferrals</a>
playCashman on Yanks retaining Soto: 'We'll put our best foot forward' (1:31)Yankees general manager Brian Cashman discusses the team's effort to keep Juan Soto and says he has already been in touch with his agent
SAN ANTONIO -- <a data-player-guid="c0225b71-161d-fe89-5c62-d27fa64259fd" href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/36969/juan-soto">Juan Soto</a> will take his time surveying the free agent market before signing with a team
Speaking at the general manager's meetings Wednesday
Boras indicated that Soto desires a "thorough" vetting before making a decision
"Due to the volume of interest and Juan's desire to hear [from teams]
but it's going to be a very thorough process for him," Boras said
That includes ownership, even for the <a data-clubhouse-guid="2b9cedf3-ce60-0bcf-fafe-8cd055255685" href="/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankees">New York Yankees</a>
for whom he played in 2024 and hit 41 home runs with a league-leading 128 runs scored
Soto helped New York to a World Series appearance
but that doesn't necessarily give the Yankees a leg up on the competition to sign him
"He wants ownership that's going to support that they are going win annually," Boras said
"Owners want to meet with Juan and sit down and talk with him about what they're going to provide for their franchise short term and long term."
Soto's overall deal is likely to be at least the second largest in MLB history behind <a data-player-guid="04a76996-4a5c-456d-8022-a9d45e3ff933" href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/39832/shohei-ohtani">Shohei Ohtani</a>'s 10-year, $700 million contract with the <a data-clubhouse-guid="fb7cf413-5156-9fc2-abe0-2273b89f70db" href="/mlb/team/_/name/lad/los-angeles-dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>
but stressed Soto's age (26) as a distinctive factor in teams' pursuit of his client
"I don't think Ohtani has much to do with Juan Soto at all," Boras said
"It's not something we discuss or consider
He's in an age category that separates him."
Both New York teams have spoken to Boras already, though there are a handful of other big-market franchises that could be in play for his services, including the <a data-clubhouse-guid="e072b79c-4fa1-3a55-bdcd-4d7d9734d79b" href="/mlb/team/_/name/sf/san-francisco-giants">San Francisco Giants</a> and <a data-clubhouse-guid="0151aed9-9f11-ceae-195d-180ca603b64a" href="/mlb/team/_/name/tor/toronto-blue-jays">Toronto Blue Jays</a>
Boras was asked how the competitive balance tax on payrolls could impact Soto's free agency
"I don't think tax considerations are the focal point when you're talking about a business opportunity where you can make literally billions of dollars by acquiring somebody like this," Boras said
Boras and Soto are only at the beginning stages of what could be a drawn-out process
is that Soto is "pretty well known" considering he has already been on three teams and played in 43 playoff games
"They're [team executives] called upon to be championship magicians," Boras said
"Behind every great magician is the magic Juan."
all despite the game's ever-increasing revenue totals
"You're seeing so many teams that are actually not spending," Boras said, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2025/01/15/pete-alonso-alex-bregman-scott-boras-corbin-burnes/77725450007/" rel="nofollow">according to USA Today</a>
They're spending far less than they did two
There's a quadrant as many as 10 to 12 teams that are in that position
"The graduation of being an owner has a different definition that it did 10
ironically because of the appreciation of the franchise value."
<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/alex-bregman-free-agency-wheres-the-market-for-all-star-third-baseman-red-flags-cheap-teams-dont-help/">To Boras' point, CBS Sports observed the following as of late December</a>: "At the time there were six teams that had given out at least $100 million in combined free-agent contracts
nine teams had spent fewer than $5 million all winter
Another six teams had handed out fewer than $30 million in contracts -- mind you
that's not just in 2025 dollars; that's for the contract's lifetime."
Of course, some teams do have a more valid excuse than others when it comes to penny-pinching. Several clubs, including the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/MIN/minnesota-twins/">Minnesota Twins</a>
have been dealing with uncertain local broadcast situations
has impacted their revenue projections and explains their unwillingness to spend
LOS ANGELES — High-powered agent Scott Boras stands near his front-row seat at Dodger Stadium
looks at his client – soon-to-be one of the wealthiest athletes in the world – and can’t stop but think about how history could have been dramatically altered
He wouldn’t be watching the Yankees vying for their first World Series since 2009
ending their longest drought in three decades
Boras believes he’d still be watching All-Star right fielder Juan Soto in the World Series
but he’d be wearing a San Diego Padres uniform
“If (Padres owner) <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2023/11/19/san-diego-padres-owner-peter-seidler-dies-mlb-peers/71642106007/ target=_blank rel="noreferrer noopener">Peter Seidler</a> were still alive," Boras told USA TODAY Sports
He never would have been traded to the Yankees
“Peter and I were knee-deep in Juan Soto (contract) discussions," Boras reveals
His illness really stopped the process because we knew the organization would be different
He wanted to push it through even though he was ill."
<a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/padres/2023/11/14/peter-seidler-padres-owner-dies/71582854007/ target=_blank rel="noreferrer noopener">Seidler died of cancer</a> on Nov
“I have a text message from him four days before he died," Boras said
“That doesn’t happen if Peter is alive," Boras said
would Seidler have permitted Soto to be traded to the Yankees – or anywhere else
“Peter was not trading Juan Soto," Boras said
I’m not giving him up.' He couldn’t believe they [the Nationals] traded Juan Soto
the Yankees aren’t the benefactors of his spectacular season
he perhaps doesn’t become one of the greatest young stars to hit the free-agent market in baseball history – posting a 8.1 WAR this season and at least a 6.0 WAR in three of the last four seasons
and then the rest of the players," Boras said
“An elite player has an evaluation that is so extreme because he brings in market
he brings in fans and he brings in broadcasting [revenue] which adds to the valuation of the player in addition to what he does on the field."
could soon become the highest-paid player in history
earning a contract in excess of $500 million
which would eclipse the present-day value of Shohei Ohtani’s contract deal with the Dodgers
$680 million is deferred without interest for 10 years
“The story of how he got to free agency is remarkable," Boras said. “A <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/nationals/2019/05/09/juan-soto-mastering-english/3655580002/ target=_blank rel="noreferrer noopener">young Dominican kid</a> who had to go through all of the [crap] to get to free agency
Soto was ultimately <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2022/07/16/juan-soto-rejects-440-million-offer-nationals/10077507002/ target=_blank rel="noreferrer noopener">offered a 15-year, $440 million contract</a> by the Washington Nationals in 2022
making him the highest-paid player in history at the time
fearing that Soto was committed to testing the free agent market in 2 ½ years
traded Soto to the San Diego Padres in July 2022
Soto helped lead the Padres to the National League Championship Series
losing in six games to the Philadelphia Phillies
It only whet Seidler’s appetite to build a powerhouse that could challenge the Dodgers in the NL West
giving Manny Machado a $350 million contract extension – and even offered Aaron Judge more than $400 million
didn’t reach the postseason with a 82-80 record and let manager Bob Melvin depart for San Francisco
immediately began to slash their payroll by $90 million
and to make sure they stayed below the luxury tax
began openly shopping Soto before eventually trading him in a seven-player package
who became part of the most dynamic 1-2 punches in history with Judge
led the Yankees to their first American League pennant since 2009 after missing the postseason last year
and is doing everything in his power in October to make sure they win a 28th title
Soto, who celebrated his 26th birthday Friday, has homered four times this postseason, and in three of the Yankees’ past four games, including his three-run homer in the 10th inning of the <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/playoffs/2024/10/19/yankees-vs-guardians-score-alcs-game-5-time-lineups-and-tv-channel/75753124007/ target=_blank rel="noreferrer noopener">Yankees’ ALCS-clinching win in Cleveland</a>
He’s hitting .350 (14-for-40) with a 1.160 OPS in the Yankees' 11 games
people remember you if you win a World Series and what you did for that team.”
The Yankees haven’t hidden their desire to have him return
with the richest owner in baseball in Steve Cohen
The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to strongly pursue him to team up with Boras client Bryce Harper
The Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants
who were left at the altar in the Ohtani bidding war last winter
Soto’s value has soared to such levels that Boras
who usually has his company produce a glossy binder that he presents to clubs to illuminate an individual star’s value
“He has more elite years to offer," Boras said
“and a ceiling that is even higher than what he’s already done."
Teams believe that Soto could be worth the record investment
there’s no need for algorithms to valuate his popularity among Yankee fans
Those sentiments were expressed_loud and clear_with fans chanting
Re-Sign Soto!" during their pennant-clinching victory in Cleveland
with Soto running over to the stands and raising his arms
“He’s been a great Yankee because he’s a generational player,” Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton said
The Yankees are the mecca of baseball and he’s right where he needs to be
The Yankees can sweet-talk him all they want
the fans can chant his name from their morning coffee to their evening cocktail
“He’s had a hell of a run,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said
So all those type of discussions will happen [after the World Series.]."
Soto has reiterated that he’d love to stay with the Yankees
of course there will be no hometown discount
the deciding factor will be if the team plans to be a perennial World Series contender
“Definitely every player wants to be happy with where they’re at,” Soto said
wherever you are that you have a chance to win a championship
you’re going to be excited to play for them
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Scott Boras maintains the base of his agenting empire in an office complex in Newport Beach, Calif., but in the afternoons during the baseball season the headquarters shifts location. Sometimes Boras holds court in a suite before games at Angel Stadium. When the <a class="ath_autolink" data-id="106" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/mlb/team/dodgers/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> are in town
he stands behind the backstop as a procession of current and future clients
The rules of Major League Baseball forbid Boras
can Boras still make the industry come to him
“It’s the talent that runs the sport,” Boras said last week at the General Managers meetings in San Antonio
No agency has more available talent than he does this winter. He will take the group to the market facing a gale of headwinds not dissimilar to the challenges he faced last winter, according to interviews with <a class="ath_autolink" data-id="4" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/mlb/">MLB</a> executives and rival agents
Some teams continue to grapple with the uncertainty about television deals
Some owners are wary of spending when the expanded postseason offers easier access to a championship
And some executives are increasingly skeptical about the value of long-term contracts for pitchers
This winter will test the ability of Boras
still spinning out linguistic gems and advocating for his clients at 72
to sell the commodity around which he has built his business — and his influence
Boras clients tend to pursue their perceived value on the open market
The Strasburg contract set a record for the largest sum ever awarded a pitcher — a deal smashed by Cole days later
The $814 million trio formed the core of Boras’s $1 billion winter
Boras found himself trying to sell clients to owners ready with excuses and executives jaded about the value of long-term contracts for aging players
Strasburg made only eight appearances during his new Nationals contract
which triggered worries about his long-term health
“There’s definitely a recognition in the industry that these type of deals don’t always work,” one executive said
Because it took so long for the players to sign
and because none received a nine-figure contract
the perception among team officials and other agents was that Boras had overplayed his hand
Several executives suggested Boras underestimated the severity of the television collapse
which affected 14 teams as Diamond Sports Group
The situation has not been totally rectified a year later
but Boras remained dismissive about its effect on spending
“I think that’s last year’s news,” Boras said at the GM Meetings
I think it’s something that they are aware of what the next generation of distribution for their product is.”
Boras has defended the quartet’s contracts by citing the elevated average annual value of each deal and the ease with which each player could return to the market
But only Snell will test free agency this winter
Montgomery left Boras after a wretched season that ended with Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick calling the acquisition a “horrible decision.” Bellinger decided to stay with the Cubs
“What stands out to me is how much he cares,” Bellinger said
Giants new president of baseball operations <a class="ath_autolink" data-id="IDx3JcwGKz23XXia" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/mlb/player/buster-posey-IDx3JcwGKz23XXia/">Buster Posey</a>, who is also a member of the Giants’ ownership group, had <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5770168/2024/09/15/sf-giants-matt-chapman-buster-posey-negotiations/">negotiated directly with Chapman</a> to finalize a six-year
The contract demonstrated that owners were still willing to pay a premium for elite players
Yet Boras had less success with his first gambit of the 2024 offseason
Three days after the World Series concluded
Cole informed the Yankees he was opting out of the final four years and $144 million of his contract
The Yankees could void the opt-out by triggering an additional fifth season at $36 million
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman relayed the team’s disinterest in adding another year
The team banked on Cole’s zeal to remain with the Yankees and the market’s concern about a 34-year-old pitcher with an elbow injury
Rival executives did not believe Cole could find a new club willing to beat his current deal
the two sides agreed that Cole could remain on his original contract and take a mulligan on the opt-out
“The Yankees didn’t blink,” one rival agent said
Cashman declined to puff out his chest when asked about the unusual outcome
He framed the situation as mutually beneficial
and he certainly didn’t want to go,” Cashman said
when only two of his clients inked multiyear deals
He responded with the bonanza built around Cole
Which is why another executive described Boras’ lack of success last winter as “a one-off shooting star.”
“He’s also got millions of people paid,” the executive said
(Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations) Andrew Friedman doesn’t win the World Series every year
and he’s one of the best at what he does.”
as a crowd of reporters gathered outside conference rooms at the J.W
Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa
He is the only agent to schedule regular media briefings at both the GM Meetings and the Winter Meetings
The performance even includes a Boras Corporation backdrop
During events often mired by procedural tedium
with Boras riffing out metaphors to groans and guffaws
returning after last year’s dry winter: “There’s no doubt that the Snelling salts have created a lot of whiffs
The market has definitely awakened to Blake Snell.”
a veteran of seven postseason teams: “He’s provided the Astros with that infusion of championship blood
I’d say everything about him is AB-positive.”
nicknamed after a certain ursine mammal: “We hear a lot about the bear market for power-hitting first basemen
And then, of course, there is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5935858/2024/11/21/mlb-juan-soto-free-agency-teams-suitors/">Soto</a>
they’re called upon to be championship magicians,” he said
to put together that magic of a championship run
sending across the carpeted hallway a parade of men in quarter-zip pullovers and athleisure chinos
able to learn about Boras’ latest attempts at whimsy on social media
drove in 109 runs and led the American League with 128 runs scored
Soto was projected by The Athletic’s Tim Britton to secure a 13-year, $611 million contract. Given Soto’s importance to the Yankees and Cohen’s endless trunks of money, that estimate may prove low. And the market may not be limited to New York. The Dodgers intend to move <a class="ath_autolink" data-id="40qIanIFo3PVjfGr" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/mlb/player/mookie-betts-40qIanIFo3PVjfGr/">Mookie Betts</a> back to the infield
which creates a convenient opening in the corner outfield
Even if the Dodgers only linger around the proceedings
their presence could drive up Soto’s price
Boras explained Soto intended to meet personally with interested owners as part of a “very thorough process.” Some bystanders pronounced themselves curious about how quickly Boras would act
“He’s got to get Soto off the board,” one rival agent said
“You can’t have Corbin Burnes and all these other guys waiting around in January.” Others indicated Soto’s perceived price tag will only tie up a handful of big-market teams
“I don’t think it matters,” one executive said
Boras was guarded when asked if Soto needed to sign ahead of the other clients
was that Boras would approach a resolution when the industry reconvened in Dallas on Dec
The Soto sweepstakes will be the most ravenously followed storyline of the offseason
But the results for the other clients may be a better gauge of Boras’s effectiveness
saw his on-base percentage dip more than 50 points below his career average of .366 this past season
He just underwent surgery to remove a bone chip from his elbow
He has not made an All-Star team since 2019
also experienced a significant power outage in 2024
with his slugging percentage falling to a career-worst .469
the market tends to be cautious about first basemen whose production shows evidence of decline
The shorter-term deal with a higher average annual salary has become closer to the norm
Snell experienced that fate last winter despite winning a Cy Young Award in 2023
Burnes, though, may be good enough to buck that trend. He has surpassed 190 innings in each of the past three seasons and thrived in 2024 while transitioning to the American League East after the <a class="ath_autolink" data-id="95" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/mlb/team/orioles/">Baltimore Orioles</a> acquired him from Milwaukee
He continues to generate outs despite a declining strikeout rate
“These are talents that don’t exist,” Boras said
“We haven’t had anyone on the market like him since Gerrit Cole.”
his clients often only exist in the context of his other clients
as executives scattered across the country
the New York Post reported that Boras and Soto would soon host a visitor in Newport Beach: Steve Cohen
was scheduled to pay his own visit soon after
The baseball world is still willing to come to Boras
The rest of the winter will determine the strength of his gravitational pull
(Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; Photo: Mike Stobe / Getty Images)
I pontificate about matters related to Major League Baseball on a weekly basis
Some of the topics will be pressing matters
some might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things
The good thing about this website is that it's free
Major League Baseball agent Scott Boras has been at or near the top of his game for a long time
he's been the most polarizing agent in the business
In light of some things that have transpired in recent years
there's been a lot of talk going both ways on Boras
"Boras has lost his touch and is costing his clients money" crowd
This type of response is always met with a group of people pointing out some of his biggest wins
but -- believe it or not -- it's much closer to Boras still being on top of his game
because the people who are saying he's not having the success he has in the past are talking about 2024-25 free agent classes
And there are certainly some contracts we have to file in the loss column for Boras
We'll start with those before getting to his wins
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2447476/pete-alonso/">Pete Alonso</a> - Alonso reportedly turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension offer from the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/NYM/new-york-mets/">Mets</a> during the 2023 season that would have covered 2024 with $20.5 million and left six years and $137.5 million moving forward
Reports indicated the Mets offered Alonso three years and something in the ballpark of $68 million-$70 million in early January
Alonso ended up signing with the Mets for two years and $54 million last week
The people who don't like Boras were all over this one
but keep in mind that the slugger didn't hire Boras until after turning down that seven-year extension offer
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2184351/alex-bregman/">Alex Bregman</a>? Bregman reportedly turned down a six-year, $156 million offer from the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/HOU/houston-astros/">Astros</a>
He's still a free agent and the market seems to be dwindling
Some of the teams rumored to still be involved in talks with Bregman would very likely prefer him to sign a one- or two-year deal
We still don't know how it's going to turn out
but it sure is starting to look like Bregman should've taken that initial offer from the Astros
but the Boras naysayers are already using Bregman's free agency as material for their arguments
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2135256/matt-chapman/">Matt Chapman</a>, Part I - There were reports that Chapman turned down an extension worth north of $100 million from the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/TOR/toronto-blue-jays/">Blue Jays</a> before hitting free agency
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2165919/cody-bellinger/">Cody Bellinger</a> - After betting on himself with a one-year deal for the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/CHC/chicago-cubs/">Cubs</a> in 2023
He was looking for a long-term deal last offseason
$80 million deal that included opt-out clauses after each year
He did not opt out after his 2024 campaign and the Cubs salary-dumped him to the Yankees shortly thereafter
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/1893753/gerrit-cole/">Gerrit Cole</a>
but it certainly looked like Boras and Cole made a mistake -- it was just that the Yankees allowed them to backtrack
Cole opted out of the remaining four years and $144 million remaining on his contract
the former Cy Young winner and the Yankees agreed to keep him around with the same contract instead of doing the whole opt-out thing
but to some it appeared that Boras drastically over-estimated the market for Cole and had to come crawling back to the Yankees and say something along the lines of
would it be OK if we just said 'never mind' and acted like this all never happened?" 
given that there was no real harm done to Cole
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2507367/juan-soto/">Juan Soto</a> - Shattering the previous record
Soto walked away from this offseason with a 15-year
Naysayers will say this was all Soto and, frankly, it's hard to argue that other agents could not have gotten a big win with Soto, under the circumstances. We're talking about a historically great talent hitting free agency at age 26 while two New York teams desperately wanted him and the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/LAD/los-angeles-dodgers/">Dodgers</a> were there to ratchet up the bidding
isn't it awfully convenient to dismiss Boras' biggest win ever
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2849889/corbin-burnes/">Corbin Burnes</a> - The 2021 Cy Young winner has seen his strikeout rate fall each of the last four years. Plus, the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/ARI/arizona-diamondbacks/">Diamondbacks</a> had been burned by Montgomery in the aforementioned deal
Matt Chapman, Part II - Hey, remember how Chapman had to settle for that Giants deal we listed above? Yeah, he got a <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/giants-matt-chapman-agree-to-six-year-151-million-contract-extension-all-star-third-baseman-avoids-fa/" target="_blank">six-year, $151 million extension in early September</a> that same year
You can take that Boras "L" above and flip it to a "W." 
Blake Snell, Part II - Here's another one you can flip to a win for Boras. Snell opted out of his Giants deal after one year and then <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/blake-snell-to-sign-with-dodgers-world-series-champs-add-cy-young-winner-on-five-year-182m-deal/" target="_blank">landed a five-year, $182 million pact</a> with the World Series champion Dodgers
so let's circle back to that deal he turned down last offseason that was six years and $150 million
Lump the Giants year with the Dodgers deal and that's $214 million over six years
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/3073522/yusei-kikuchi/">Yusei Kikuchi</a> - The lefty will be 34 years old next season and sports a career 4.57 ERA stateside. He closed the season with a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts for the Astros and then got a three-year, $63 million deal from the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/LAA/los-angeles-angels/">Angels</a>
slightly above what most projected he'd get
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2066704/sean-manaea/">Sean Manaea</a> - The left-hander had one year and $13.5 million left on his deal with the Mets and opted out
making himself a free agent heading into this offseason
He ended up getting three years and $75 million from the Mets to stay put
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2171342/tyler-oneill/">Tyler O'Neill</a> - The slugging outfielder also exceeded projections with a three-year, $49.5 million deal from the usually frugal <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/BAL/baltimore-orioles/">Orioles</a>' front office
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/2173411/matthew-boyd/">Matthew Boyd</a> - Now 34 years old with a pretty sizeable injury history and 4.85 career ERA
<a class="Annotation-link" href="/mlb/players/26608279/ha-seong-kim/">Ha-Seong Kim</a> - Coming off major shoulder surgery in October, most expected the shortstop would need to sign a one-year deal to rebuild his value. Instead, he got two years and $29 million from the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/TB/tampa-bay-rays/">Rays</a>
Has he lost his ability to come through for his clients or have there been just a few high-profile misses that might've happened to any agent
PHOENIX — <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2024/12/09/juan-soto-contract-details-mets-mlb-winter-meetings/76868384007/>Agent Scott Boras</a>
who represents the two biggest free-agent MLB stars who still are unsigned
had to look only a few feet to his right Wednesday afternoon to illuminate his position this winter
and All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman and All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso remain on the outside looking in
having no idea where they’ll be playing in 2025
no one has ever mistaken the Diamondbacks for a large-market club with massive TV rights
if the Diamondbacks can afford to sign Burnes
there should be absolutely no excuses for others not to strongly pursue and sign Bregman and Alonso to lucrative contracts
there’s plenty of interest in both players
but if anyone was actually offering a deal they believe is worth their true value
they would have been signed before the holidays
who has spent his entire career with the New York Mets and turned down a seven-year
was seeking a deal bigger than Freddie Freeman’s six-year
$162 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Matt Olson’s eight-year
he’s willing to take a three-year deal with opt-outs to stay with the Mets
Considering how the Mets have played hard-ball in these negotiations with Alonso
and are willing to let him walk if he doesn't meet their price
the question now is just how much damage has been done in their relationship
“I don’t want to address preemptive questions about it,’’ Boras said
“You’re going to have to ask Pete how he’s going to feel and what he’s going to do
He’s just in the marketplace listening right now
“Teams are now getting a little more definition about their teams so I think things will move.’’
While Alonso may be willing to accept a short-term deal with the ability to opt out after the 2025 season
He has no desire to accept a short-term contract
and remains engaged with several teams like the Toronto Blue Jays
“It’s really a matter of his decision-making and theirs
There’s substantial interest (in long-term) deals.’’
The qualifying offer attached to Bregman and Alonso is certainly having an adverse effect
but he also points out that teams haven’t spent this winter as they have in the past
“You’re seeing so many teams that are actually not spending,’’ Boras said
They’re spending far less than they did two
There’s a quadrant as many as 10 to 12 teams that are in that position
“The graduation of being an owner has a different definition that it did 10
ironically because of the appreciation of the franchise value.’’
There are only seven teams who have increased their payroll by more than $10 million from a year ago
And one of those teams happens to be the Diamondbacks
who have spent $22.5 million more than a year ago
with an estimated payroll of $193 million this season
“We have the potential to be a championship team," Diamondbacks managing partner Ken Kendrick said
“Our job is to try and do everything we can to put the best team on the field possible that we can afford
“But my view of investing money is you invest it when you have an opportunity to get a return
We’re making a significant investment in a great young player
and I’m hoping for our fans and me personally
I’d like to have some additional success before I go off into the sunset
The Diamondbacks had no real interest in Burnes
They simply believed the price-tag would be too high
and there were several teams willing to pay Burnes at least $245 million
Burnes asked Boras to make another call to the Diamondbacks the week before Christmas to convey how badly he wanted to pitch for them
enabling him to stay home in Phoenix where he has lived since 2018
He was willing to leave at least $35 million on the table to be home year-round with his wife
He still vividly remembers the angst last summer of taking a private plane home after a start in Baltimore to be with his wife for the birth of their twins
only for the plane to have mechanical difficulties
leaving him stranded in Colorado Springs at 2:30 in the morning
taking the first Southwest flight out of Denver to Phoenix
and had a car take him immediately from the airport to the hospital just 45 minutes before his wife gave birth
“It was a really difficult time for him last year,’’ Boras said
it was very clear to me how strongly he wanted to be with his children
“It’s kind of hard to go to a player and say
'Let me do the best to help you make less,' but the reality of it is that Corbin was going to do anything to be with his family."
who flew home to Phoenix six to eight times last summer to be with his family: “The family aspect was huge for us
When we heard that this was going to be an opportunity
the Diamondbacks are hoping to recreate the days when they had Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling atop their rotation leading them to the 2001 World Series championship — now with Burnes and Zac Gallen together
“Our fans in this community support winning teams,’’ Kendrick said
“They don’t necessarily operate like maybe the Chicago Cubs’ fans — no disrespect
We’re going to continue to try to build revenue and reinvest that in the quality that we put on the field.’’
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He is the author of five nonfiction books and nine graphic novels
His writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine
Weekly and dozens of other publications and he has received numerous awards and honors including three New England Press Association awards
Vankin has made numerous media appearances on such networks as CNN
the BBC and the CBC as well as hundreds of radio stations and podcasts
and served as a sportswriter and editor at The Daily Yomiuri
the English-language edition of Japan's largest newspaper
either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter
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Apart from remaining unsigned, those two have one thing in common: both are represented by agent Scott Boras. And that has <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-alex-bregman-and-scott-boras-blatantly-told-to-stop-bluffing-and-pick-one-of-the-offers-still-available-to-them/" target="_blank" class="multivariate">not been good</a> for them
certainly not for Alonso &mdash; at least not according to one New York baseball expert
Boras has "ruined" Alonso, wrote Robert Casey, the managing editor and head writer of the popular Bleeding Yankee Blue site, <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://bleedingyankeeblue.blogspot.com/2025/02/scott-boras-riuned-alonso.html" target="_blank" class="multivariate">in a piece posted on Tuesday</a>
Though the site is obviously Yankee-focused
Casey and BYB's writers cover the baseball landscape
"Alonso should be at the center of the baseball world right now
and someone any team looking for a big bat should be pursuing," Casey wrote
At the outset of the free agency period, Alonso was reported to be seeking a contract in <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10152562-mets-pete-alonso-is-paying-the-price-for-mlbs-new-home-run-reality" target="_blank" class="multivariate">the $200 million range</a> over six years
More MLB: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/pete-alonso-predicted-fire-agent-scott-boras-after-signing-new-mets-contract-2023641" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">Pete Alonso Predicted to Fire Agent Scott Boras After Signing New Mets Contract</a>
But Casey went beyond accusing Boras of making unreasonable contract demands. He wrote that the 72-year-old super-agent, who has been called "<a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Scott_Boras" target="_blank" class="multivariate">the most powerful man in baseball</a>," is more interested in "making himself the center of attention" than in securing the best deal for Alonso
"Alonso isn't the kind of player to make outrageous demands," Casey wrote
he's not being greedy &mdash; he simply wants a fair contract that reflects his value
fearing the circus that comes with dealing with the super-agent."
there is another side to him that the public never sees
When Skubal was considering switching agencies
Boras immediately flew to see the pitcher at his home
with a detailed presentation demonstrating why his agency was Skubal's better option
More MLB: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/yankees-finally-add-bullpen-lefty-285-million-free-agent-signing-2026194" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">Yankees Finally Add Bullpen Lefty With $2.85 Million Free Agent Signing</a>
"You just kind of hear the rumors of Boras
and you're naive to the what's what's actually truth," Skubal said on the podcast
he only values his superstars,' which couldn't be farther from the truth."
The 28-year-old southpaw went on to say that the visit from Boras was "was really cool
Skubal, however, has yet to experience free agency as a Boras client. With just five years of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb" data-sys="1" class="multivariate">MLB</a> experience under his belt, he has one more year of arbitration with the Tigers remaining before Skubal <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/player/_/id/26337/tarik-skubal" target="_blank" class="multivariate">hits his free agent eligibility</a> following the 2026 season
More MLB: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/nolan-arenado-boston-red-sox-linked-54-million-infielder-once-again-2026299" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">Nolan Arenado To Boston? Red Sox Linked To $54 Million Infielder Once Again</a>
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1 high school baseball team knifed through the Boras Classic with ease this past week
The Boras Classic is touted as one of the best prep baseball events on the West Coast
considering the top-level programs that compete in it each year
The Panthers put a bow on their dominate stretch with an 8-3 victory over La Mirada in the Boras Classic championship game Friday night at JSerra High School to stay unbeaten at 11-0
who is one of high school baseball&#39;s top-rated players and projected to be a 1st round selection in the 2025 MLB Draft this summer
belted a three-run homer in the first inning to get Corona going
Starting pitcher Jason Gerfers gave up just three hits in six innings of work and struck out three
Corona has now outscored its opponents 68-4 this season
including this week&#39;s victories over some of SoCal&#39;s top programs: 6-0 over Gahr; 5-0 over Santa Margarita; and 9-0 over JSerra
starting with the monster trio in the 2025 class: Seth Hernandez
Billy Carlson and Brady Ebel — all projected to be first-round draft picks
which would be the first time in MLB history a high school would have three players taken in the opening round
Juniors Anthony Murphy and Trey Ebel are standouts
Corona is the defending CIF Southern Section Division 1 champions
It also was crowned the 2024 mythical national champions by various outlets
the talent-laden roster made them the hunted last season
Corona High poses for a championship photo after winning the 2025 Boras Classic
/ Greg Stein&#34;We knew we had the talent
I challenged these guys to just be themselves every day
We didn&#39;t need anyone to be Superman or do anything extra
Just be themselves,&#34; Wise said after winning the CIF title last year
Corona will head to North Carolina in a week or so to play in the National High School Invitational where it will open up against Casteel High of Arizona on April 9
The Panthers are the defending NHSI champions
they beat Huntington Beach — another SoCal power — in the final
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<a data-mm-click-analytics="true" data-vars-action="click" data-vars-label="https://www.si.com/high-school/author/tarek-fattal" data-vars-category="default category" data-vars-type="click" href="https://www.si.com/high-school/author/tarek-fattal">TAREK FATTAL</a>Tarek Fattal has been covering high school sports since 2015 in Southern California and primarily in Los Angeles
covering notable athletes such as Bronny James
He was with the LA Daily News for eight years
which included being the beat reporter for the UCLA men&#x27;s basketball team
Tarek can be seen on TV regularly on CBS/KCAL as a sports analyst with Jim Hill
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Major League Baseball’ s offseason is truly an annual free-for-all, with more than <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2024/11/05/mlb-top-free-agent-tracker-2024-2025-rankings/76054405007/>100 free agent</a>s aiming for guaranteed contracts and 30 general managers ready to strike when the right deal comes around
Yet there’s typically one traffic cop orchestrating much of the mayhem: <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2025/01/15/pete-alonso-alex-bregman-scott-boras-corbin-burnes/77725450007/>Agent Scott Boras</a>
baseball’s silly season has been marked by a half-dozen of his clients festering on the market into – and in some cases
the struggling Boras client is a flexible creature
capable of playing their way back into financial good graces
we’ve learned that it’s never really over for clients of the uber agent
With <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2025/02/12/alex-bregman-red-sox-signing/76118833007/>Alex Bregman’s three-year, $120 million agreement</a> with the Boston Red Sox
all six lingering Boras clients have homes – some of them permanent
A look at Scott’s Six and how they ultimately fared
even as some may soon hit the market again:
$214 millionFirst time around: Signed two-year
$32 million deal with San Francisco Giants
but opted out after getting paid $32 million in 2024
Second shot: Signed <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2024/11/26/blake-snell-free-agent-contract/76113001007/>five-year, $182 million deal</a> with Los Angeles Dodgers
with $52 million signing bonus and $66 million deferred
Outlook: After Snell’s dynamite second half following a soft launch after his delayed spring training
it’s clear teams erred in the 2023-24 offseason when they did not lock down the two-time Cy Young Award winner when they had the chance
While deferrals reduce the present value of his per annum from $36.4 million to about $32 million
it certainly would have been easier for someone simply sign him to a $192 million deal a year ago
$169 millionFirst time around: Signed three-year
but opted out after earning $18 million in 2024
Second shot: Signed <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/giants/2024/09/05/giants-matt-chapman-extension/75082007007/>six-year, $151 million extension</a> in September 2024
Outlook: Snell’s late-spring running mate from a year ago shined in the field and at the plate in San Francisco
and by season’s end was identified as a franchise cornerstone
His adjusted OPS of 125 was his best since 2019
allaying fears that Chapman would be a glove-only value
First time around: Signed <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2024/11/26/blake-snell-free-agent-contract/76113001007/>three-year, $120 million deal</a> with Boston Red Sox
whose dashed hopes for a longer-term deal and cracking the $200 million mark are softened by his $40 million annual haul
It will be fascinating if Bregman opts out after this year
perhaps sacrificing that elite salary (albeit with deferred money) for a longer-term guarantee
Observers almost unanimously agree Bregman will crush Fenway Park’s Green Monster – he has a 1.240 career OPS there – and it’s not hard to imagine a Chapman-esque
longer-term relationshp with Boston as he perhaps take over third base from Rafael Devers in future years
Cody Bellinger: Three years, $80 millionFirst time around: Signed three-year, $80 million deal with Chicago Cubs, with two opt-out clauses. <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2024/12/17/cody-bellinger-traded-yankees-cubs/77055689007/>Traded to New York Yankees</a> this offseason
Outlook: Ever since the Dodgers non-tendered Bellinger in November 2022
he’s been in largely the same stratosphere: Good
A solid platform year with the Cubs (.881 OPS
though in 130 games) couldn’t convince suitors he’d  consistently maintain his four-win production and top the 150-game mark
So he opted in for a second year after his adjusted OPS dropped to 111; after a trade to the Bronx
perhaps depositing balls into Yankee Stadium’s right field porch will unlock an opt-out and further riches this winter
Pete Alonso: Two years, $54 millionFirst time around: Signed <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2025/02/05/pete-alonso-mets-contract-free-agent/76110762007/>two-year, $54 million deal</a> with Mets
Outlook: Nobody here has more at stake this year than the Polar Bear
he’s not quite a year younger than Bregman yet does not play a premium position
and famously turned down a $158 million extension with the Mets long before hitting the market
he must bang his way into an opt-out – he’d make $24 million in 2025 – to get back into the nine-figure rent district
First time around: Signed <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2024/08/24/jordan-montgomery-scott-boras-butchered-free-agency/74936810007/>one-year, $25 million deal</a> with Arizona Diamondbacks
with a player option that vested for $22.5 million
Outlook: The lone Boras Four client to fire his agent after his market experience turned sour
Montgomery’s 2024 campaign was nightmare fuel
signing late like Snell yet not turning around his fortunes and then having his owner publicly rip the contract he gave him
But a bullish 2025 after posting a 6.23 ERA a year ago could go a long way toward the riches the now-Wasserman client expected in the winter of ’23-24 – perhaps after Arizona trades him
Major League Baseball has been caught in a tidal wave of contract extensions for up-and-coming stars
Two signed long-term deals this week. <a class="tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_ekqfjr" href="https://www.si.com/mlb/team/san-diego-padres" target="_blank">San Diego Padres</a> star Jackson Merrill agreed to a $135 million contract over nine years. <a class="tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_ekqfjr" href="https://www.si.com/mlb/team/boston-red-sox" target="_blank">Boston Red Sox</a> rookie Kristian Campbell agreed to an eight-year deal worth $60 million
The deals are designed to pay those players well above what they would get during their six years of team control
It also represents a level of security for the team as it can control costs
In a wide-ranging piece in the <a class="tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_ekqfjr" href="https://x.com/afkostka/status/1908185767379173763" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Baltimore Banner</a>
three different agents talked about how and why these deals get made — or not made
Foremost among those agents was Scott Boras
who represents at least three of Baltimore’s young stars
Boras was interviewed and he noted that the Orioles have tried to engage with two of his clients — Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday — about long-term extensions
and (O’s general manager) Mike (Elias) and I talk a lot,” Boras continued
our job is to filter those phone calls and relay them to the player
and kind of discuss it and see if it’s something that the player himself is interested in.”
The interest in an extension in 2023 for Henderson would have come during his American League rookie of the year campaign
as he slashed .255/.325/.489 with 28 home runs and 82 RBI
He was also named a Silver Slugger and finished eighth in AL most valuable player voting
Henderson finished fourth in AL MVP voting and was an All-Star last year after a career season in which he slashed .281/.364/.529 with 37 home runs and 92 RBI
The discussion on Holliday would have been interesting because at that point Holliday was still in the minor leagues
and he didn’t make his MLB debut until last season
A deal like that probably would have resembled similar deals for players like Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio or Detroit’s Colt Keith
both of whom signed long-term deals before playing an MLB game
Both Holliday and Henderson are still pre-arbitration players
though Henderson will go through the process for the first time this offseason
<a data-mm-click-analytics="true" data-vars-action="click" data-vars-label="https://www.si.com/mlb/orioles/author/matthew-postins" data-vars-category="default category" data-vars-type="click" href="https://www.si.com/mlb/orioles/author/matthew-postins">MATTHEW POSTINS</a>Matthew Postins covers baseball for several SI/Fan Nation sites, including Inside the Orioles. He also covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com and Rodeo for Rodeodaily.com.
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           Print                          SANTA ANA&nbsp;—&nbsp;Benji Medure says this is the most talented group he’s fielded in 25 years in charge of Huntington Beach’s powerhouse baseball program
It’s likely to be determined, among other things, over the course of three tournaments: the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship come May, next month’s National High School Invitational in Cary, N.C., and this week’s 16-team <a class="link" href="https://borasclassic.com/locations/california-south-classic/" target="_blank" >Boras Classic</a>
2025This story has been updated with Huntington Beach’s tournament quarterfinal loss on Wednesday
boasting a booming lineup and unprecedented pitching depth
took an impressive first step along the path
riding Otto Espinoza’s arm and Trevor Goldenetz’s bat and glove to a 4-1 victory over Aquinas in Tuesday morning’s Boras opener at Mater Dei High School
                    Huntington Beach’s Trent Grindlinger (28) beats the throw at first base against Aquinas on Tuesday
  (James Carbone)       They hit a speed bump in the tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday
losing to La Mirada (9-1) by the same 4-1 score for their first loss of the season
Huntington Beach will play in a Boras Classic fifth-place semifinal game on Thursday
the Oilers have been encouraged by their fast start
“I think we’re the best team in the country,” said Goldenetz
two-run double in the fourth and crashing-into-the-wall catch in the sixth separated the sides on Tuesday
“I think we can do everything we want to do
as long as we keep going and stay as a team.”
                    Huntington Beach’s Trevor Goldenetz (27) catches a fly ball and crashes into the outfield wall against Aquinas on Tuesday
Sports Illustrated and MaxPreps agree — have it all written down
“We have it written in the white board,” said Espinoza
and they’re all boxed and waiting to be checked.”
Espinoza surrendered just two hits in five shutout innings against an Aquinas attack that had scored 67 runs in its first five outings
and limited Falcons stars Mason Greenhouse and Jacob Bitonti to a walk in a combined six plate appearances
“He was aggressive with his fastball,” Medure said
I love that he was throwing in to some guys that probably weren’t expecting the ball to come in
but then threw a good-enough changeup to keep the barrel off of [the ball].”
                    Huntington Beach’s CJ Weinstein (3) gets the batter out at first against Aquinas on Tuesday
  (James Carbone)       The Oilers scored an unearned run in the third inning
as Ethan Porter doubled to the left-center gap with one out and came home on a two-out throwing error
two more runs on Goldenetz’s full-count double to right in the fourth
and another on Owen Bone’s safety-squeeze bunt in the fifth
It all happened with two out: Jared Grindlinger singled up the middle
and John Petrie ripped a pinch-hit double off the base of the wall in left-center
Porter worked a full-count walk to fill the bases
and Goldenetz poked a line drive over first baseman Trevor Busby’s head and down the right-field line
“That was huge [to] crack it open like that ...,” Medure said
back in to run for Petrie] from second on [Miami-bound Aquinas right fielder Mason] Greenhouse
“To be able to get to 3-2 and have the runners move
Bone’s bunt in brought home Trenton Ramirez
Medure said Bone wasn’t in the initial rotation of players when the Oilers began offseason preparations
but he’s worked hard to get into that group
                    The Huntington Beach High baseball team cheers for teammate John Petrie (47) against Aquinas on Tuesday
  (James Carbone)       Goldenetz’s big catch made sure the lead was enough
Estaban Orazaba was at second after his second single of the morning when Bitonti launched a fly ball to deep right-center with one out
Goldenetz raced 25 or 30 yards and — with Haidl guiding him — snagged it as he hit the wall
Medure called it “the biggest play of the game.”
Aquinas got its run in the seventh as Chase Davidson doubled and came home on Orlando Oakes’ two-out single
La Mirada, which <a class="link" href="https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/sports/story/2024-05-31/la-mirada-baseball-rallies-to-stun-huntington-beach-in-regional-semifinals">eliminated Huntington Beach 10-8 in last year’s regional semifinals</a>, again got the better of the Oilers on Wednesday. 
Kevin Jeon hit a two-run home run for the winners to open the scoring in the top of the third inning. Porter countered with a solo shot for Huntington Beach. 
— Reporter Matt Szabo contributed to this article.
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2025:   This story has been updated with Huntington Beach’s tournament quarterfinal loss on Wednesday
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Deep Dive: A gala at a Dubrovnik fortress featured in Game of Thrones.
winding saga that never really got off the ground
Pete Alonso&#39;s <a href="https://calltothepen.com/mlb-rumors-round-up-pete-alonso-drama-ryan-pressly-cubs-more">free agency saga is finally</a>
His offseason journey ended right where it began
as he&#39;ll be strapping up his cleats for New York Mets once again in 2025
Pete Alonso&#39;s deal will guarantee him $54 million over two years
$30 million for one season of work (he&#39;ll almost certainly exercise the opt-out as long as he doesn&#39;t get injured) isn&#39;t bad money if you can get it, but a two-year, $54 million contract is a <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/pete-alonso-contract-projections-predictions-free-agency" target="_blank">far cry </a>from what experts were projected Alonso to get on the market
while his attachment to a dreaded qualifying offer certainly dampened his market — and why he negotiated a contract that allows him to hit free agency again next year without one on his ledger — it doesn&#39;t solely explain why Alonso fell so short of the nine-figure deal he was seeking
that blame falls squarely on super agent Scott Boras&#39;s shoulders
Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this discussion, we can at least give Boras credit for securing the <a href="https://calltothepen.com/juan-soto-blows-ohtani-s-deal-out-of-the-water-remains-in-ny-with-mets">largest contract in baseball history for Juan Soto</a>
let&#39;s remember that Soto is a 26-year-old prodigy with some of the best hitting tools of all time
the agent probably drummed up an extra $50+ million for his client
but anyone could have gotten the Mets and Yankees in a bidding war over the outfielder
it&#39;s been mostly swings and misses for Boras
Blake Snell is probably the other big hit that he&#39;s had in the last couple years. The southpaw <a href="https://calltothepen.com/dodgers-create-juggernaut-rotation-with-massive-free-agent-signing">signed an above-market $182 million deal</a>, though that also comes with the caveat of this offseason heavily <a href="https://twinsdaily.com/forums/topic/69310-video-what-do-these-absurd-sp-prices-mean-for-the-twins/" target="_blank">leaning towards overpaying pitchers</a>
In that sense, Corbin Burnes&#39; <a href="https://calltothepen.com/corbin-burnes-signs-with-dark-horse-contender-creating-arms-race-in-nl-west">six-year, $210 million deal</a> looks rather tame, especially when compared to 31-year-old Max Fried&#39;s <a href="https://calltothepen.com/yankees-quickly-shift-to-juan-soto-plan-b-land-star-free-agent-pitcher">$218 million contract with the Yankees</a>
This all comes on the heels of last offseason
when the &#34;Four Borasmen&#34; — Cody Bellinger
and Snell — all settled for way-below-market deals deep into the winter
Montgomery fired Boras shortly after signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks
Now, Boras is <a href="https://calltothepen.com/mlb-rumors-dylan-cease-trade-chatter-ensues-bregman-has-offers-and-luka-doncic">still trying to find a deal for Alex Bregman</a>
another star position player who doesn&#39;t have the market a player of his stature normally dictates
Let&#39;s be clear: Alonso didn&#39;t get totally screwed by his arrangement with the Mets
He gets to spend 2025 with a familar franchise that also happens to be a World Series contender while raking in $30 million and the promise of another free agency tour if he has a strong season
sometimes the first free agency rodeo for these stars is their only chance at securing a big money deal
As a 30-year-old slugger with cascading power numbers
wishful thinking that Alonso will have a better chance at securing a long-term deal next winter than he did this offseason
It&#39;s very possible that the first baseman missed out on his best chance to cash in on his talents
When your agent simply has other players higher on his priority list
Boras may be one of the game&#39;s best agents for star players
$30 million for one season of work (he&#39;ll almost certainly exercise the opt-out as long as he doesn&#39;t get injured) isn&#39;t bad money if you can get it, but a two-year, $54 million contract is a <a href=\"https://www.mlb.com/news/pete-alonso-contract-projections-predictions-free-agency\" target=\"_blank\">far cry </a>from what experts were projected Alonso to get on the market
Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this discussion, we can at least give Boras credit for securing the <a href=\"https://calltothepen.com/juan-soto-blows-ohtani-s-deal-out-of-the-water-remains-in-ny-with-mets\">largest contract in baseball history for Juan Soto</a>
Blake Snell is probably the other big hit that he&#39;s had in the last couple years. The southpaw <a href=\"https://calltothepen.com/dodgers-create-juggernaut-rotation-with-massive-free-agent-signing\">signed an above-market $182 million deal</a>, though that also comes with the caveat of this offseason heavily <a href=\"https://twinsdaily.com/forums/topic/69310-video-what-do-these-absurd-sp-prices-mean-for-the-twins/\" target=\"_blank\">leaning towards overpaying pitchers</a>
In that sense, Corbin Burnes&#39; <a href=\"https://calltothepen.com/corbin-burnes-signs-with-dark-horse-contender-creating-arms-race-in-nl-west\">six-year, $210 million deal</a> looks rather tame, especially when compared to 31-year-old Max Fried&#39;s <a href=\"https://calltothepen.com/yankees-quickly-shift-to-juan-soto-plan-b-land-star-free-agent-pitcher\">$218 million contract with the Yankees</a>
Now, Boras is <a href=\"https://calltothepen.com/mlb-rumors-dylan-cease-trade-chatter-ensues-bregman-has-offers-and-luka-doncic\">still trying to find a deal for Alex Bregman</a>
As the first baseman was forced to crawl back to the Mets on a cheap two-year deal
his agent deserves to take much of the blame
Following the reported contract offer that was extended by the front office and put on the shelf by Bregman and his agent Scott Boras
things really were at a stalemate regarding how much money the franchise was willing to offer their superstar third baseman
the Astros didn&#39;t wait around to get into a negotiating war
While that deal seemed to signal Houston&#39;s willingness to let Bregman walk
it wasn&#39;t until they tried to acquire Nolan Arenado that things started to become more clear that this marriage might be over
the two-time World Series champion will likely be playing next year
Both the player and franchise are looking to make the best decisions for themselves in a financial and competitive aspect
and perhaps nobody has operated in that manner more than Boras
but when it came to how Houston handled things with his client Bregman
the super agent didn&#39;t seem to agree with how it went down
&#34;Over time, teams learn if you&#39;re running from leadership and talent, you&#39;re running from the ultimate goal,&#34; Boras said per <a class="tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_1fly2ec" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6016748/2024/12/23/astros-alex-bregman-negotiations-stalled/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chandler Rome of The Athletic</a>.
Based on how everything is about money when it comes to Boras and his negotiations, Astros general manager Dana Brown probably had a good laugh to himself and with the rest of the front office hearing those comments.
the owners state their desire for at least one of two proposed solutions: a salary cap and/or better revenue sharing
As it turns out, agent Scott Boras has an idea for a measurement of his own to combat what plague's <a href="https://cbssports.com/mlb/">MLB's</a> business: a metric tracking how much of each team's revenue is being used on their roster
Agent Scott Boras discusses how much of their revenue Major League teams are actually spending. <a href="https://t.co/BToP8ocbI5">pic.twitter.com/BToP8ocbI5</a>
"[We] look at the number of teams that spend 50% [of their revenue], you would guess how many? You would think a lot. No, it's a very small number," Boras said during a recent appearance on Foul Territory. "The <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/NYY/new-york-yankees/">Yankees</a> spend 40%
You've got a number of teams that are spending below $100 million
last year there were six teams spending below $100 million and the money they get from the general fund is above that
we really need to have a competitive commitment measure
how much of your revenues are you spending?'"
but it's still been a pitiful offseason for too many clubs
including a slew who receive bundles of money from the aforementioned general fund
The idea here seems to be to flip the salary cap proposal -- a mechanism that doesn't actually promote parity based on empirical research -- into a payroll-to-revenue framework
or that there are unintended consequences from linking the two
Let's just cut to the chase and say that it doesn't matter
This isn't going to be implemented anytime soon
The MLB Players Association and the franchise owners have been at odds over a salary cap for as long as there's been free agency and a Collective Bargaining Agreement
This whole deal usually plays out the same way: the players refuse to take the owner at their word about the miserable financial state of franchise stewardship
while the owners decline to open their books to prove what they're saying is true
All indications are that the cycle is unbroken
and it's fair to think that this won't be the time it ends with the owners airing their franchise's revenues
SAN ANTONIO -- <a href="/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankees">Yankees</a> general manager Brian Cashman has started talks with agent Scott Boras about keeping <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/36969/juan-soto">Juan Soto</a> with New York, and they also discussed power-hitting first baseman <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/37498/pete-alonso">Pete Alonso</a>
Cashman said he spoke Monday with Boras at the general managers meetings and revealed he had a conversation with Soto after the season, which ended with the Yankees losing the World Series to the <a data-clubhouse-guid="fb7cf413-5156-9fc2-abe0-2273b89f70db" href="/mlb/team/_/name/lad/los-angeles-dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> in five games
"I had a chance to thank him for everything and told him we'd be in touch," Cashman said Tuesday
"And then since that time I've talked to obviously Scott
and so he'll get a feel for the dance steps that Juan Soto wants and he'll keep us in the loop."
A free agent at age 26, Soto is expected to command a contract of $500 million or more. <a href="/mlb/story/_/id/39060328/sources-yankees-acquire-juan-soto-7-player-trade-padres">New York acquired him from San Diego in December</a>, and Soto hit .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks, combining with <a href="http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33192/aaron-judge">Aaron Judge</a> to form a powerful 1-2 punch at Nos
10th-inning homer in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Cleveland earned the Yankees their first pennant since 2009
Soto said: "I'm going to be available for all 30 teams" and "I don't want to say anybody has any advantage."
Cashman said New York was willing to meet with Soto as often as the player wanted
"We certainly have an interest in retaining him and we'll put our best foot forward there," Cashman said
"That will either lead to us retaining him and signing him back or we'll be forced to go to a different direction if we can't
there's a lot of different players in this marketplace that can positively impact this roster in different ways
"Clearly that pressure point's not on us today
but it does exist in the marketplace every winter
so those are the tough decisions you have to make."
Top free agents include Alonso and third baseman <a href="http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/34886/alex-bregman">Alex Bregman</a>
the Mets under billionaire owner Steve Cohen and the Dodgers are among the teams that could afford Soto
Cashman wouldn't express how much a rival the Mets are for Soto's signature
"They want to win. They're in a large market with us. They had a taste of success this year and they want to move the needle even more forward," Cashman said. "That's just the nature of the beast, and big-market owners with deep pockets aren't the only ones signing players to big deals. I mean, you've seen the <a href="/mlb/team/_/name/sd/san-diego-padres">San Diego Padres</a> sitting out in the West Coast
They've imported a lot of big-time players with big-time contracts."
Scott Boras wiggled his way through the crowd to his spot
stepping atop the camera box on the ground so he could have a good view of the hundreds of reporters surrounding him
Boras holds court — answering questions about his clients
pontificating about the state of free agency and delivering his corny puns
the mega-agent who has become more famous than most of his clients
He also represents outfielder Tyler O’Neill
the last remaining elite starting pitcher on the market
the Orioles would’ve had no chance to sign Burnes and they wouldn’t have been interested in giving O’Neill $49.5 million when John Angelos was the club’s CEO and Chairman
Boras said Wednesday that the Orioles have been more aggressive so far this offseason
Read the <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/12/11/scott-boras-orioles-agressive-under-david-rubenstein/" target="_blank" title="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/12/11/scott-boras-orioles-agressive-under-david-rubenstein/" class="themeColorForLinks">full story</a> on The Baltimore Sun&#x27;s website
he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for breaking news coverage
He once recorded a keyboard solo on the same album as two of the original Doors.&nbsp;
steering the negotiations for many of baseball's star free agents this offseason
many observers assumed it was time to settle in for another slow-paced winter
some of Boras' highest-profile clients were among the last players to sign contracts for the 2024 season
and Jordan Montgomery (March 29) all waited until spring training had already started to consummate new deals
All were widely predicted to sign for more years and more money than they ended up getting
More news: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/cubs-sign-free-agent-left-hander-29-million-contract-free-agency-1993963" class="multivariate">Cubs Sign Free Agent Left-Hander To $29 Million Contract</a>
and hired the Wasserman agency to represent him
Matthew Boyd and Nick Martinez &mdash; have agreed to new contracts for the 2025 season
who parlayed his 11-year playing career into three All-Star appearances
and more recently a job as the New York Yankees' hitting coach
More news: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/mets-focused-dodgers-free-agent-rather-top-end-starters-report-1994357" class="multivariate">Mets Focused on Dodgers' Free Agent Rather Than Top-End Starters: Report</a>
"I don't know if it's a Scott Boras revenge tour so much as it is a 'failure is information' tour," Casey said on the most recent episode of his podcast <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT8KORMg0is" target="_blank" class="multivariate">The Mayor's Office</a>
"I actually think Boras was taken aback last year at the guys that he signed late
(Jordan) Montgomery signed super late with the Diamondbacks
I think spring training had already started too when he signed
"I think it was more of an information thing
this is how it's going to work with some of my guys &ndash; if you wait too long
some teams will drag it out?' That's what they did with these guys
I think it's more of a 'failure is information' tour than anything."
More news: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/mlb-news-former-blue-jays-mets-veteran-surprisingly-changes-his-mind-about-retiring-1994265" class="multivariate">Former Blue Jays, Mets Veteran Surprisingly Changes Mind About Retiring</a>
each player signed a contract that was at least in line with &mdash; if not in excess of &mdash; the consensus expectation
More news: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/mlb-news-dodgers-deferred-money-contracts-stir-controversy-1993756" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">Dodgers' Deferred-Money Contracts Stir Controversy</a>
All of these deals went down in spite of Boras negotiating with five teams interested in the offseason's biggest free agent, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/red-soxs-contract-offer-juan-soto-625-million-13-years-reports-1993257" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">outfielder Juan Soto</a>
The 26-year-old superstar is expected to sign in the days and weeks to come
For fans disenchanted with baseball's typically slow-moving free-agent market
November has offered a nice change of pace
At least some of Boras' clients would likely agree
For more <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb" data-sys="1" class="multivariate">MLB</a> news, visit <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">Newsweek Sports</a>
If anything can be taken away from this week&#x27;s GM meetings, it&#x27;s that MLB&#x27;s most famous agent still has the gift of gab. Boras had a pun for every one of his foremost clients, and each was cringier than the last:
 @media (min-width:0px){.css-14f7lo0{min-height:250px;}}.css-1ucudpe{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;min-height:inherit;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;text-align:center;}.css-1sl8dhm{-webkit-box-flex:1;-webkit-flex-grow:1;-ms-flex-positive:1;flex-grow:1;width:100%;}Did Boras also have one for Juan Soto
.css-1xiyrl{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;aspect-ratio:unset;}Juanderful
Crafting fun and semi-creative ways to hype his clients is nothing new for Boras, who secured over <a class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-inherit MuiLink-root MuiLink-underlineAlways MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-bp_small__ui__link__medium_strong css-lu48cp" href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/zachary.rymer/viz/shared/M2TJ7YKWW" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">$1 billion in earnings</a> in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 offseasons
Yet the difference this time is that he&#x27;s on something of a revenge tour
Boras also entered last winter with a stacked deck
he ultimately found himself playing 52-card pickup
He undershot projections for his top guys by hundreds of millions of dollars
Now that he&#x27;s proved he&#x27;s still a good hype man
Boras must prove last winter was a one-off
The 2023-24 Offseason Was Boras&#x27; Low Point
Because one more pun never hurt anyone—Fact Check: Pants on Fire—here&#x27;s what Boras said about Cody Bellinger at the outset of the 2023-24 offseason:
all four languished on the market into the spring and ended up getting just nine years and $221 million
$150 million extension from the San Francisco Giants for Chapman in September
Boras has already taken a big step toward redemption
The only question now is how big the next ones will be
Boras Has a Much Better Hand to Play for 2024-25
While Boras hasn&#x27;t put a specific price tag on the four-time All-Star, he has indicated that Soto&#x27;s deal won&#x27;t be watered down by <a class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-inherit MuiLink-root MuiLink-underlineAlways MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-bp_small__ui__link__medium_strong css-lu48cp" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-dodgers-deal-deferrals-explained" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">deferrals</a> like Shohei Ohtani&#x27;s 10-year
$700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers:
As he&#x27;s comparable to some of the <a class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-inherit MuiLink-root MuiLink-underlineAlways MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-bp_small__ui__link__medium_strong css-lu48cp" href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10141411-6-historical-comps-for-yankees-juan-soto-ahead-of-600m-bidding-war-in-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">greatest hitters in history</a>
$700 million for Soto is not an unreasonable ask
Even a 10-year deal at Ohtani&#x27;s adjusted average value of $46 million gets Soto to $460 million
and Soto (26) is four years younger than Ohtani (30)
Hence the obligatory question: What could possibly go wrong
Though he didn&#x27;t technically hurt his client in the process
Another of his guys is New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who took a chance by <a class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-inherit MuiLink-root MuiLink-underlineAlways MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-bp_small__ui__link__medium_strong css-lu48cp" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/gerrit-cole-opts-out-of-contract-with-yankees-after-2024-season" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">opting out</a> of the four years and $144 million he had left on his contract
The Yankees could either keep him by granting him another year and $36 million or let him become a free agent
It was a game of chicken, and Cole and Boras flinched first. On Monday, the righty <a class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-inherit MuiLink-root MuiLink-underlineAlways MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-bp_small__ui__link__medium_strong css-lu48cp" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/gerrit-cole-staying-with-yankees-on-existing-contract" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">agreed to honor</a> the original four-year arrangement
&quot;I don&#x27;t think he would have gotten five years at $180 million on the open market,&quot; an American League executive told <a class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-inherit MuiLink-root MuiLink-underlineAlways MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-bp_small__ui__link__medium_strong css-lu48cp" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/gm-meetings-2024-executives-discuss-gerrit-cole" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mark Feinsand</a> of MLB.com
&quot;I don&#x27;t even know about four years and $144 million
I actually thought maybe the Yankees would just let him walk.&quot;
while traditional big-spenders like the Yankees
New York Mets and Boston Red Sox kept the free-agent market at arm&#x27;s length
very good omen that should work to his advantage
may be ready to get back in the spending game:
With Soto alone likely to outdo what Boras got for all his clients last winter
it is impossible to imagine this offseason being yet another disappointing outing for the 72-year-old
And if the teams that should spend pick up even two or three of his other guys
this should be his third $1 billion offseason out of the last four
Thus would Boras prove he&#x27;s still got it
as he might put it: Everyone turned to me and said
&quot;He&#x27;s got nothing for us.&quot; But I&#x27;ll tell you right now that the money will be there in plethoras
You&#x27;ll be blinded like you&#x27;re looking at a million auroras
And you will know I&#x27;m still Scott Boras
ShareSaveComment<a class="isDg-4PG" href="https://www.forbes.com/business/" data-ga-track="breadcrumb-L2">Business</a><a class="isDg-4PG _2XNbdi6I" href="https://www.forbes.com/sportsmoney/" data-ga-track="breadcrumb-L3">SportsMoney</a>Baltimore Orioles Add Sugano, Boras Challenges O’s On Corbin BurnesBy<a class="_4tin10wS YbfXuVMn" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackmagruder/" rel="noreferrer" target="_self">Jack Magruder</a>
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights
I primarily write about major league baseball
08:31pm ESTShareSaveCommentBaltimore signed free agent Tomoyuki Sugano
the MVP of the Japanese Central League after going 15-3 ..
but that does not mean the organization has turned away from free agent right-hander Corbin Burnes
The Orioles have spent about $71 million on the free agent market this season
but Burnes is expected to land a contract worth about three times that much on a long-term deal
Baltimore is attempting to keep up with free-spending division rival the New York Yankees while working through the disappointment of first-round playoff eliminations the last two seasons despite 192 regular-season victories at one AL East title
Free agent Corbin Burnes could command a $200 million contract this winter
It is unclear whether new owner David Rubenstein will step out on Burnes
who would command the largest deal in team history in terms of total outlay and average annual value
$161 million deal signed in 2016 is the team record
The free agent market has seen dramatical contract increases after a sluggish winter a year ago
when left-handers Snell and Jordan Montgomery did not sign until the final week of March and agreed to contracts that included buyouts after one season
Boras seemed to use the introductory press conference for new free agent Tyler O’Neill on Monday to place the ball squarely in Rubenstein’s court
Agent Scott Boras drew a crowd at the major league baseball winter meetings in Dallas last week
this boils down to ownership,” Boras told reporters in Baltimore
&quot;When you have competitiveness in a market
ownership has to respond to compete with these fellow owners for elite talents
It’s something that normally when you’re new to it
“But you hope the presence of all the information that surrounds the availability of elite players
they’re just not in free agent markets year-to-year
You’re fortunate when you have a need for one and there’s one in the market that can fulfill that
that player has performed well in your market.”
his only season in Baltimore after being acquired from Milwaukee
He had 181 strikeouts in 194 1/3 innings and finished with in the AL Cy Young Award balloting
His 3.4 WAR was 17th in the American League
Burnes gave up one run in eight innings in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series
but the Orioles were shut out in a 1-0 loss to Kansas City
The Royals won the second game 2-1 to advance
that player has given you in the postseason exactly what you’d expect from a No
“So all those unknowns that are coupled with free agency are known to Baltimore
and I would assume an aggression to continue to make this team more and more what it needs to be to be at a world championship level.”
O’Neill it to make $16.5 million in each of this three years and has an opt-out after the 2025 season
He is expected to slot into the hole left by free agent Anthony Santander
who remains on the market after hitting 44 homers in a career-year in 2024
<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/_/year/2024/sort/cap_total2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="color-link" title="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/_/year/2024/sort/cap_total2" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/_/year/2024/sort/cap_total2" aria-label="The Orioles’ payroll">The Orioles’ payroll </a>consistently has ranked among the lower third in the major leagues as its young — and under-control — players mature
The Orioles’ ranked 22nd in the majors with $109 million payroll in 2024
is expected to slot into the middle of the rotation and should be an upgrade to the existing staff after a resurgence in 29024
of the best seasons of his 12-year career with the Yomiuri Giants
He was the Central League MVP after going 15-3 with a 1.67 ERA and a 0.945 WHIP in 156 2/3 innings
Zach Eflin is a key piece of the Baltimore rotation
He is two-time winner of Eiji Sawamura Award
given annually to acknowledge the best pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball
and his 2024 numbers were similar to his award-winning 2017-18 seasons
when he was a combined 32-13 with an aggregate ERA of 1.88
He was posted in 2020 but opted to return to Japan
Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer are considered the top three in the Orioles’ rotation
who are likely to open the season on the injured list while recovering from elbow surgeries
Sugano appears to be a good fit for reconfigured Camden Yards
where the left field fence will be moved in from between 9 to 20 feet
got 51 percent of his outs on ground balls in 2024
But Alonso appears not to have received any offers close to those hoped-for deals. The best his former club could do, <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://sny.tv/articles/pete-alonso-free-agency-buzz-mets-2024-25?latest=25" target="_blank" class="multivariate">according to a report by</a> the Mets cable television outlet SNY
$70 million offer that would pay Alonso a portion of that money on a deferred basis
The Toronto Blue Jays have also been looking to sign Alonso
but are unlikely to match what the Mets have offered
according to SNY baseball reporter Andy Martino
Only Ralph Kiner with 257 and Albert Pujols at 250 hit more homers in their first six seasons &mdash; and each needed significantly more at-bats to do it
Kiner took 3,249 at-bats to collect those 257 home runs
A new report by <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/28/sports/francisco-lindor-needs-to-be-mets-next-captain/" target="_blank" class="multivariate">Jon Heyman of the New York Post</a> saying "But from my drama-free distance
it feels like Alonso desperately hopes to return" to the Mets has prompted New York radio commentator Evan Roberts of WFAN to predict that Alonso will
sign a deal with the Mets &mdash; and then fire his agent
More MLB: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/mlb-rumors-mets-showed-interest-ex-red-sox-closer-before-bullpen-move-2023577" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">MLB Rumors: Mets Showed Interest in Ex-Red Sox Closer Before Bullpen Move</a>
"Pete Alonso said to Scott, 'I want to go home, and you better make it happen,' and now Scott is trying the last tiny pit of power he has to say 'We've given you everything, Mets, now seal the deal,'" <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.audacy.com/wfan/sports/mets/evan-pete-alonso-told-scott-boras-he-wants-back-with-mets" target="_blank" class="multivariate">Roberts said on Wednesday</a>
He's going to get fired because he's failed Pete Alonso."
Roberts' prediction came on the same day as a report by Ben Nicholson-Smith of the Canadian TV network SportsNet that appeared to at least partly contradict Roberts' prediction
"<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb" data-sys="1" class="multivariate">MLB</a> agents have recently been informed they cannot contact Pete Alonso," <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://x.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/1884669053697978783" target="_blank" class="multivariate">Nicholson-Smith reported</a>
"This would have to be initiated by Alonso himself
Alonso wants to continue working with his agent Scott Boras without hearing from other agents looking to poach him."
What the Canadian baseball insider did not say
is whether Alonso wants to continue on with Boras once his current free agent process is over
or whether the slugger simply believes it would not benefit him to switch representation in the middle of ongoing negotiations
Nicholson-Smith's report also leaves the door open for Alonso to initiate contact with other agents besides Boras
More MLB: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/wild-that-yankees-not-alex-bregman-fill-infield-gap-says-jeff-passan-2023275" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">'Wild' That Yankees Not In On Alex Bregman to Fill Infield Gap, Says Jeff Passan</a>
$54 million deal with an opt-out after the 2025 campaign
$54 million of guaranteed money is nothing to scoff at
but the National League&#39;s leader in home runs since his debut in 2019 certainly expected more than that
When Pete Alonso did not receive the interest he thought he would in free agency, he wound up returning to the <a href="https://fansided.com/mlb/new-york-mets/">New York Mets</a> on a two-year
The deal Alonso signed to return to Flushing was essentially a &#34;prove-it&#34; contract
Alonso was coming off a down year by his standards
as he posted career lows (excluding the shortened 2020 season) in home runs (34)
but not the Alonso Mets fans had come to love
Alonso would potentially cash in that offseason
Alonso getting off to the start he has gotten off to has obviously benefited the Mets greatly
but it could end up working out well for his agent
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheBaseballInsiders/featured" target="_blank">The Baseball Insiders podcast</a>, subscribe to <a href="https://fansided.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b9bb472d0aa5e8abf01e2ced7&amp;id=fa28ec1e24" target="_blank">The Moonshot</a>
and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season
Alonso and Boras were taking a bit of a risk
Alonso would have another opportunity to cash in
$71 million offer that was reportedly on the table at the same time Alonso signed his eventual contract
Alonso could&#39;ve had more security and more guaranteed money
The odds of Alonso maintaining a 1.150 OPS throughout the entire 162-game regular season are incredibly slim
but he looks as well-rounded as a hitter and as an overall player as he ever has
He could very easily finish this season with the best numbers of his seven-year career
why can&#39;t Alonso cash in handsomely next winter
Alonso is going to look for a ton of money
and it&#39;s hard to say whether the Mets will be in the hunt for his services
They&#39;d obviously love to keep him around
but when is giving a first baseman on the wrong side of 30 coming off potentially a career year ever a good idea
Part of what makes David Stearns so good at his job is his ability to take emotion out of making decisions
If the Mets aren&#39;t willing to go big on an Alonso contract
another team will if Alonso has the year he seems poised to have
Passing on a mega-deal for Alonso might prove to be worthwhile in the long run
putting the Mets in a very uncomfortable position next winter if Alonso continues to rake
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@TheBaseballInsiders/featured\" target=\"_blank\">The Baseball Insiders podcast</a>, subscribe to <a href=\"https://fansided.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b9bb472d0aa5e8abf01e2ced7&amp;id=fa28ec1e24\" target=\"_blank\">The Moonshot</a>
Things are playing out perfectly for Scott Boras right now
winning two World Series titles along the way in the &#39;90s
getting to the Bronx has been high on Bellinger&#39;s priority list
Yankees GM Brian Cashman told the media Wednesday that Bellinger&#39;s agent, Scott Boras, told Cashman that Bellinger&#39;s desire to play for New York was so <a class="tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_aoxits" href="https://x.com/BryanHoch/status/1869474546908369273" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pervasive Boras said he was &#34;driving me crazy</a>&#34; with his attempts to get to the Bronx
Bellinger did not secure a large deal during free agency ahead of the 2024 season as was largely anticipated
he signed a three-year contract that contained opt-outs after each year of the deal
allowing him to re-enter free agency if he wanted to
Bellinger&#39;s play regressed (though he was still an above average batter in terms of OPS)
an unfortunate outcome for the Cubs who were then stuck with the contract for a player not playing up to expectations
At the time, the deal was viewed as savvy for the team, but his struggles at the plate last year created some tension. The Yankees hope that a short right field at Yankee Stadium (<a class="tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_aoxits" href="https://www.si.com/mlb/brian-cashman-sneaky-advantage-yankees-cody-bellinger-trade-rays">and on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays</a>
as Cashman pointed out) will be beneficial for him getting back in a groove similar to what he produced in 2023
Bellinger is a former MVP and has had an above-average OPS in six of his eight big-league seasons
In fact, it appears that only one team other than the Astros is currently extending a long-term offer to Bregman. According to Spanish-language <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://x.com/hgomez27/status/1887570355180740945" target="_blank" class="multivariate">radio reporter H&eacute;ctor G&oacute;mez</a>
While the dollar amount of Toronto's reported offer to Bregman has not been made public
according to G&oacute;mez the north-of-the-border franchise is willing to sign Bregman for six years
According to <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1887535503379210347" target="_blank" class="multivariate">a report by USA Today</a> <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb" data-sys="1" class="multivariate">MLB</a> insider journalist Bob Nightengale
Bregman is "not interested" in signing a contract with fewer than six years included
the Astros "improved their initial offer" to Bregman just this week
but that the improved offer was "unlikely to get the deal done."
More MLB: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/pete-alonso-aired-his-frustration-mets-before-agreeing-54-million-deal-2027625" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">Pete Alonso 'Aired His Frustration' To Mets Before Agreeing to $54 Million Deal</a>
The Astros were reported to offer Bregman a six-year, $156 million deal back in December, but the 2024 Gold Glove winner <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/3212326" target="_blank" class="multivariate">shunned that deal</a>
Whether the Blue Jays offer reached $200 million is not publicly known
But by his non-response to the Astros' "improved" offer
it would be reasonable to conclude Bregman and Boras are remaining firm on their demands not only for six years
With the opening of spring training for position players now <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/spring-training-2025-workout-dates-media-days" target="_blank" class="multivariate">just 10 or 11 days</a> away (depending on the team)
whether the Blue Jays' offer meets both the six-year and $200 million demands set by Bregman and Boras should soon become clear
More MLB: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/red-sox-star-predicted-cut-ties-15-million-deal-al-contender-2027637" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">Red Sox Star Predicted To Cut Ties For $15 Million Deal With AL Contender</a>
That, however, was in 2023 when the Mets reportedly offered the former National League Rookie of the Year a <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/pete-alonso-may-not-return-to-mets" target="_blank" class="multivariate">seven-year, $153 million</a> contract extension
only to be rebuffed by Alonso and his agent Scott Boras
the Yankees "never had interest in signing Pete Alonso."
Why not? Goldschmidt's career is winding down. Even though Alonso's 2024 was <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com//players/a/alonspe01.shtml?__hstc=205977932.5836571f481bdd987089bd5c7b589521.1738254522277.1738468730790.1738517627895.3&amp;__hssc=205977932.2.1738517627895&amp;__hsfp=3925481057" target="_blank" class="multivariate">his weakest season</a>
with career lows in OPS (.788) and home runs (34
excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season)
he still performed better than Goldschmidt
More MLB: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/former-red-sox-60-million-pitcher-linked-braves-max-scherzer-pivot-2024758" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="multivariate">Former Red Sox $60 Million Pitcher Linked To Braves In Max Scherzer Pivot</a>
Alonso's 2024 Wins Above Replacement number was 2.6, <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://stathead.com/baseball/versus-finder.cgi?player_id2=goldsc001pau&amp;year_min=2024&amp;player_id1=alonso000pet&amp;seasons_type=forall&amp;request=1&amp;utm_source=br&amp;utm_id=alonspe01&amp;utm_medium=sr_xsite&amp;utm_campaign=2023_01_wdgt_player_comparison" target="_blank" class="multivariate">compared to just</a> 1.3 for Goldschmidt
"Known for his aggressive negotiation tactics
Boras established ambitious market expectations for Alonso's services
Reports indicate he leveraged the Yankees' perceived interest to elevate his client's market value
initially projecting a contract exceeding $150 million
the actual market has failed to approach these lofty expectations," Molnick wrote
"This development suggests Brian Cashman and the Yankees' front office recognized the artificial inflation of Alonso's market value and deliberately avoided entering the negotiation process."
Molnick's report on Sunday came just three days after a public prediction by WFAN radio commentator Evan Roberts that Alonso <a rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.themirror.com/sport/baseball/pete-alonso-fires-agent-mets-946859" target="_blank" class="multivariate">plans to fire Boras</a> after he finally signs a contract