Juan Soto incident and request which helped MLB star make decision to quit Yankees for Mets in $765m move

The New York Mets signed MLB standout Juan Soto, whose free agency choice might have depended on a single fact.

After making an unexpected move, Juan Soto left the New York Yankees for their crosstown rivals, the Mets.

The minor things seem to have been what convinced Soto to sign with the Mets, even though he received a huge deal from them.

Providing a suite for his family to watch games from at no cost was one of those small touches.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Steve Cohen, the owner of the Mets, readily incorporated that benefit into his $765 million offer to Soto.

The Yankees, meanwhile, wanted Soto to have his own suite, just like other athletes.

At Yankee Stadium, Hall of Famer Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge must pay for their suites.

According to Suite Experience Group, suites at Citi Field may cost anywhere from $3,250 to $13,000 for a single game, making them very costly in New York City.

Depending on the day and the opponent club, those costs could possibly rise significantly.

For instance, the cheapest suite for the Los Angeles Dodgers game on Sunday, May 25 costs $5,050, while the lowest suite for the Washington Nationals game on Tuesday, June 10 costs $7,500.

For a single game, some suites can cost well over $15,000.

The Yankees didn’t want to give Soto a special treatment, but they were prepared to give him a suite at a reduced price.

Nevertheless, they made a significant offer to the superstar, offering him a 16-year, $760 million contract.

That offer was $5 million and one year less than the $765 million, 15-year deal from the Mets that Soto accepted.

In order to try to cover the gap that Soto will leave in their lineup, the Yankees will have to turn to one of the many other free agents.

As the Winter Meetings drag on, the Bronx Bombers are already being linked to a number of pitching and hitting stars.

After losing Anthony Rizzo to free agency, they are now linked to Christian Walker, a first baseman.

Walker, 34, was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks during the previous season.

Max Fried, a 31-year-old pitcher who has played for the Atlanta Braves for his entire eight-year career, is also linked to the Yankees.

The Yankees are also considering trade candidates including Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs and Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros.

Alongside Soto, the Mets are anticipated to make more moves during free agency.

They want to keep some of their top players, such starting pitcher Sean Manaea and first baseman Pete Alonso.

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