Chris “Mad Dog” Russo sees the Mets landing the big fish of free agency.
In a guest appearance on The Post’s podcast “The Show,” Russo filled in for reporter Joel Sherman and gave his two cents on who will land Juan Soto this offseason.
“I think [Steve Cohen] felt that he set the table well with his team talking to Soto,” Russo said to Post reporter Jon Heyman. “So I think maybe right now the Mets are the leading clubhouse contender and that, as you said, we’ll find out about everybody else.”
“I thought he’d be signed with the Yankees. But I got a funny feeling he might go to the Mets,” Russo said.
Soto is about to start taking offers and the Mets and Yankees are considered the favorites, with the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Blue Jays also in the mix.
Heyman previously reported that Soto had an extremely productive meeting with Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner.
Heyman also reported that the Mets owner Cohen had a “very detailed meeting” with Soto in California earlier this month.
Russo gives the Mets the advantage but admitted that Soto choosing to leave the Bronx for Queens could be hazardous to his relationship with New York fans.
“I’ll give the Mets the edge right now, sort of halfway through the process, I’ll give the Mets the edge, Russo said. “If I was Soto, I’d be a little concerned about playing those four games at Yankee Stadium when he signed with the Mets because he’s going to get booed for leaving the Yankees to go to the Mets.”
Russo added that he’s throwing out the Blue Jays and Dodgers as major contenders for now.
“I don’t think he’s going to the Dodgers. I don’t think he’s going to Toronto. Why would you go to Canada?” Russo said.
Heyman predicted Soto’s hefty price tag.
“The reason I think that Soto’s going to get that money,” Heyman said. “Over 600 million. Twofold: One, he is younger. He’s over four years younger as a free agent than [Shohei] Ohtani and that’s huge, right? You’re getting four great years. And two, he’s willing to go for the high bidder as far as we know, right? We think now, in retrospect, Ohtani was limiting it probably to the Angels and the Dodgers.”
