Juan Soto deal expected to top $500M as early favorites emerge

The dynamic duo of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto has powered the New York Yankees to the top of the American League East and has them battling for the best record in all of baseball.

While Judge is under contract to be in pinstripes through 2031, Soto will be a free agent at the end of the year. He doesn't turn 26 until October and there no doubt will be multiple suitors lined up and willing to break the bank to sign Soto.

One sportsbook is placing the Over/Under on his next contract at $500.5 million. The Yankees are the -400 favorite to keep Soto, implying an 80 percent probability to return to the Bronx. However, several big-market teams are sure to come calling as well.

If Soto is open to leaving the Yankees, teams including the Phillies, Red Sox, Cubs and city rival Mets are among the favorites to land the slugger in his prime.

JUAN SOTO NEXT TEAM ODDS*

Philadelphia Phillies (+500)

Boston Red Sox (+600)

Chicago Cubs (+700)

Toronto Blue Jays (+800)

New York Mets (+900)

San Francisco Giants (+1000)

Seattle Mariners (+1000)

Baltimore Orioles (+1200)

Los Angeles Dodgers (+1200)

Atlanta Braves (+1400)

Kansas City Royals (+1800)

Houston Astros (+2000)

Washington Nationals (+2000)

Arizona Diamondbacks (+2500)

Detroit Tigers (+2500)

Miami Marlins (+2500)

St. Louis Cardinals (+2800)

Texas Rangers (+2800)

Milwaukee Brewers (+3300)

Minnesota Twins (+3300)

Pittsburgh Pirates (+4000)

Cincinnati Reds (+5000)

Cleveland Guardians (+5000)

Colorado Rockies (+5000)

Oakland Athletics (+5000)

San Diego Padres (+5000)

Tampa Bay Rays (+5000)

Chicago White Sox (+7500)

Los Angeles Angels (+7500)

*Odds provided by an online sportsbook for informational purposes only.

Soto, already in his seventh major league season, entered Friday batting .291 with 37 home runs and 95 RBIs in 130 games. He also has a 1.012 OPS, third-best in the majors.

He carries a .285 average with 197 home runs and 578 RBIs in 909 career games.

"Being in a place where we can win a couple of championships, and even if we don't, just being in the race every year. I think that's the biggest thing for me," Soto told The Athletic last month when asked about his priorities as a free agent.

While he is expected to be courted by several large-market teams, Soto also expressed a willingness to sign with a team prepared to build around him. Could that include a potential return to Washington, where he spent the first four-plus seasons of his career? The Nationals are in the middle of the pack at +2000 to lure him back to Washington.

Other teams who could be willing to open their pocketbooks include the Blue Jays, who held onto Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette at this year's trade deadline, along with the Rangers and Astros, who both offer the no-state-income-tax appeal of Texas.

"I'm telling you, you never know who's going to come next," Soto told The Athletic. "I'm going to try to build a beautiful team around me to win a championship. At the end of the day, you have to sit down, look at what these teams are offering and make a decision from there."

--Field Level Media