As the Dodgers push closer to victory over the Yankees, rumors swirl about their interest in signing Juan Soto, sparking buzz in MLB free agency.
The Dodgers’ main focus on Juan Soto right now is figuring out how to keep the slugger off the base paths as the World Series wraps up. But, as soon as the offseason kicks in, they might start looking into adding him to their own roster.
According to The New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the Dodgers are interested in Soto and could launch a more intense pursuit of him “if he’s interested” in heading to Los Angeles.
As Heyman mentions, the Dodgers’ deep pockets have enabled them to at least consider every top-tier free agent in recent years.
So, if anything, it would actually be surprising if they didn’t have Soto on their radar. Not many teams can match what Soto is likely to ask, with his next contract expected to break records for guaranteed upfront money in baseball.
The “upfront” part is key, since Shohei Ohtani’s massive $700 million deal is so spread out that it’s worth around $437.8 million in present-day value. Soto’s contract, by contrast, is expected to easily clear $500 million.
With 2025 projections from RosterResource, the Dodgers already have about $257.2 million committed to payroll and an estimated $253.1 million toward their luxury tax number. (h2 header)
This pushes them above next season’s tax threshold ($241 million), and adding Soto, likely at around $50 million per year, would place the Dodgers beyond the highest tax penalty level of $301 million.
Since the team has already paid luxury tax for the past four seasons, crossing the $301 million mark would more than double their tax on anything exceeding $241 million.
However, the luxury tax hasn’t really deterred the Dodgers from chasing elite talent. With Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Will Smith on contracts lasting the decade and Freeman and Tyler Glasnow secured through at least 2027, the Dodgers won’t be under the tax line anytime soon.
Financial penalties seem trivial when the team remains a revenue powerhouse.
Soto and Aaron Judge together was already intimidating for most teams. But Soto landing with the Dodgers? That would be outrageous. How could any team effectively pitch to a lineup that includes Shohei Ohtani, Soto, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman at the top? They couldn’t.
Remarkably, the Dodgers are just two wins away from a World Series victory, even with a bullpen packed with injuries, Freeman limping through the postseason, and usually reliable players like Will Smith and Gavin Lux struggling this October.
Next season, they’re likely to improve with or without Soto. Adding him would just elevate them to a whole new level.
While it’s been thrilling to watch Soto on this grand stage, seeing him face the Dodgers is far more exciting than him joining their ranks. A mega-deal bringing him to Los Angeles would feel similar to Kevin Durant’s game-changing move to the Golden State Warriors.
Soto joining the Dodgers would make them nearly unbeatable in the annual race for World Series titles—a prospect most MLB fans might not want to see.
The Dodgers should absolutely pursue Soto, but for the sake of competitive balance, fans might hope it doesn’t happen.
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