Latest Juan Soto rumors make Steve Cohen and the Mets look downright pathetic

The New York Mets have the richest owner in baseball at their disposal, and one of the more savvy general managers in David Stearns. Their top priority this winter is signing Juan Soto, the former Yankees superstar outfielder who could ink the richest contract in MLB history.

The first round of Soto meetings were rather predictable. Scott Boras and Co. did not want offers on the table early in the process, but rather asked teams to make their best pitch to Soto. The Mets, Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays emerged as the most likely suitors, with the Dodgers and Phillies a distant fifth and sixth. While the Red Sox have made plenty of noise lately, it would still be a surprise if Soto signed anywhere but New York – the question is which team.

What's the latest in Juan Soto negotiations?

Yankees fans have been in full-on scramble mode of late as the powers that be continue to link Soto to Boston. The Mets have leaked little-to-no information about their meetings with Soto. A report by SNY's Andy Martino paints a different picture entirely.

Soto has not agreed to sign anywhere as of yet, and there's little reason any pundit would know which way he is leaning.

"At the outset of the offseason, SNY reported that the incumbent Yanks had a slight advantage, if the offers were close. That reporting was an accurate reflection of what the few people who truly know Soto heard from him, but we don’t claim that it’s anything more than that. We can also see advantages for the Mets, whose strong leadership team is beginning what will likely be a long run of stability and growth," Martino wrote. "What we don’t know — what virtually no one can honestly claim to know — is how Soto is weighing these factors."

The Mets could struggle to land Juan Soto if rumors are true

Martino continued by suggesting the action has been slow over Thanksgiving weekend, which is when rumors tend to spread like wildfire. Hence the heavy Red Sox connections.

However, the most important bit of information comes at the end of the Martino column, in which he states industry sources don't believe the Mets will make the highest offer. Rather, they expect the Blue Jays to try and blow Soto's camp away.

If true, the Mets are playing the wrong game. While it's unlikly Soto signs in Toronto, the likelihood of him playing for the Mets drops dramatically if the money isn't right. Soto and Boras have all the leverage – as they should – and at the end of the day it will be up to Cohen to pony up some of his millions like Scrooge McDuck if he wants free agency's biggest prize.

Let's call a spade a spade.