Juan Soto, Yankees agree to $31M US deal, record for arbitration-eligible player: reports

Juan Soto and the New York Yankees agreed Thursday to a $31 million US, one-year contract, breaking Shohei Ohtani's record for an arbitration-eligible player, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.

The outfielder's agreement was reached on the day players and teams were set to exchange proposed arbitration salaries.

Star outfielder Juan Soto and the New York Yankees are in agreement on a one-year, $31M contract, sources tell ESPN. Soto sets a new record for an arbitration-eligible player, beating Shohei Ohtani's $30M last year. Soto will be a free agent after '24. <a href="https://twitter.com/Joelsherman1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Joelsherman1</a> was on it.

Soto had a $23 million salary last year in his only full season with the San Diego Padres and can become a free agent after this season, when he will be 26.

Soto hit .275 with 35 homers, 109 RBIs and a .930 OPS last year with the Padres, who obtained him from Washington on Aug. 2, 2022, after he turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from the Nationals. Soto was acquired by the Yankees from the Padres last month.

Ohtani played last season under a $30 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, a deal agreed to in October 2022. He became a free agent after last year's World Series and signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to one-year contracts Thursday with 11 of their 12 players who were eligible for salary arbitration, with the lone exception being three-time all-star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The Blue Jays agreed to deals with catchers Danny Jansen ($5.2 million) and