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⚾ Good morning to all, however particularly to …

JUAN SOTO AND THE NEW YORK METS

Juan Soto is a really, very wealthy man, and the Mets are a really, very blissful franchise. Soto and the Mets agreed on a 15-year, $765 million deal late Sunday evening, marking the largest contract in MLB historical past.

• Soto simply cleared Shohei Ohtani‘s $700 million deal from final offseason. Earlier than Ohtani, the biggest contract within the sport’s historical past was Mike Trout‘s $426.5 million extension.
• Soto’s contract reportedly contains an choose out after 5 seasons, a $75 million signing bonus and no deferrals. Listed here are the important thing particulars.
• The Mets beat out the Yankees most notably, but in addition the Purple Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers. The Yankees reportedly provided 16 years and $760 million, however as Matt Snyder writes, it is extra difficult than that.

It is not laborious to see why Soto was so costly and so wanted. Even at 26, he is already thought of a future Corridor of Famer.

• He is coming off his greatest season of his profession, slashing .288/.419/.569 with a career-high 41 dwelling runs and a career-high 7.9 WAR for the Yankees.
• He walked greater than he struck out for the fifth straight season.
• Soto has 5 top-10 MVP finishes, 5 Silver Sluggers, 4 All-Star Video games and a World Collection title to his identify. Reminder: He is 26.
• Here is R.J. Anderson’s full scouting report.

R.J. additionally has winners and losers from this deal, and the way might Soto, the Mets and workforce proprietor Steve Cohen be something however winners?

• Anderson: “Soto’s presence close to the highest of the Mets order will create extra run-scoring possibilities in a number of respects. Foremost, he is fairly able to plating himself by launching 30-plus dwelling runs a season. There’s additionally the cascading results that include having a continuing on-base risk in tow — not solely by giving his teammates extra alternatives to bat with a runner on base, but in addition by sporting down pitchers with prolonged, disciplined at-bats that may reveal extra a couple of pitcher’s method. You needn’t look additional than Soto’s affect on the Yankees lineup final season to see how an elite bat can alter fortunes.”

Here is extra:

👍 Honorable mentions

• In additional free company information, Willy Adames agreed to a seven-year, $182 million deal with the Giants, Tyler O’Neill received three years and $49.5 million from the Orioles, and Blake Treinen returned to the Dodgers on a two-year, $22 million settlement.
• The 76ers‘ Massive Three lastly performed a whole recreation collectively. They usually received!
• Ja Morant just isn’t finished dunking, as he proved in emphatic vogue.
• Cooper Flagg had one other large recreation.
• The school teaching teaching carousel spins: Marshall coach Charles Huff is leaving for Southern Miss, and Marshall employed NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. Additionally, Purdue employed UNLV‘s Barry Odom, and Scott Frost is returning to UCF.
• The carousel is not spinning at Utah (Kyle Whittingham — returning) and Oklahoma State (Mike Gundy — amended contract).
• He is ba-ack! Scottie Scheffler received the Hero World Problem, his ninth win of 2024.
• Rick Pitino honored the late Lou Carnesecca as St. John’s beat Kansas State.
• Missouri beat No. 1 Kansas, 76-67, within the Border Battle. It is the Tigers’ first win over a No. 1 workforce since 1997.
• No. 2 UConn star Paige Buckers debuted her Nike GT Hustle 3 PE because the Huskies blew out No. 22 Louisville.
• Here is the Valkyries‘ preliminary roster by way of the WNBA growth draft, and listed here are winners and losers from the draft.
• It was a busy weekend for the Rangers, who signed Igor Shesterkin to an eight-year, $92 million extension and traded Jacob Trouba to the Geese.
• Amber Glenn is the primary American to win the Grand Prix Remaining since 2010.
• The Galaxy beat the Purple Bulls, 2-1, to win the MLS Cup. What a outstanding turnaround — and reinvention — from LA, Pardeep Cattry writes.

😬 And never such a superb morning for …

THE NEW YORK YANKEES

Yankees followers are in all probability a mixture of incredulous, offended and distraught. And they need to be. Mike Axisa says Soto selecting their Subway Collection rival is a damning indictment of MLB’s foremost group.

• Axisa: “The Yankees have regularly whittled away at their picture and have gone from baseball’s largest and hottest franchise to only a common outdated big-market workforce. They spend some huge cash, certain, and I am sure they will signal just a few free brokers in response to letting Soto stroll, however the Yankees do not dominate baseball anymore. They’re superb, occasionally elite, and often a runner-up. ... The Yankees will signal different gamers and speak about constructing a extra balanced workforce, however that will not substitute Soto. They valued him at 16 years and $760 million. They clearly know he is a franchise participant. Now he is the Mets’ franchise participant.”

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 School Soccer Playoff set after convention championship weekend

Convention championship Saturday supplied loads of drama for faculty soccer’s model of Choice Sunday, and after months of debating, questioning and questioning what the primary 12-team School Soccer Playoff would appear to be, we’ve our reply.

The primary spherical appears to be like like this:

• BYES: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Boise State, No. 4 Arizona State
• (12) Clemson at (5) Texas
• (9) Tennessee at (8) Ohio State
• (11) SMU at (6) Penn State
• (10) Indiana at (7) Notre Dame

Here is the full CFP schedule.

How did we get right here? Properly, that is an entire ‘nother story. I do know everybody needs to speak Playoff, however convention titles matter, too.

• The largest affect got here from the ACC Championship Sport. Clemson blew a large lead, solely to get better simply in time, with Nolan Hauser nailing a 56-yard area aim for a 34-31 win. The Tigers had been outdoors the Playoff image coming in however assured themselves a berth by profitable the ACC.
• The SEC Championship Sport did not lack drama, both. After Carson Beck suffered a proper arm harm on the ultimate play of the primary half, backup Gunnar Stockton rallied the troops and rallied Georgia to a 22-19 time beyond regulation win over Texas. Stockton was removed from excellent, however he certain was gutsy, and the choice committee ought to thank him, John Talty writes.
• Oregon beat Penn State, 45-37, within the Massive Ten Championship Sport, a fully pleasant recreation. Dillon Gabriel and Drew Allar staged an epic quarterback battle with Tez Johnson, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen in supporting roles. The Geese’ Massive Ten debut has been wonderful, and it isn’t finished, Dennis Dodd writes.
• Arizona State walloped Iowa State, 45-19, within the Massive 12 Championship Sport. What an increase its been for the Solar Devils. coach Kenny Dillingham and FCS backup-turned-star working again Cam Skattebo, Shehan Jeyarajah writes.
• Boise State beat UNLV, 21-7, within the Mountain West Championship Sport. Let the Ashton Jeanty-vs.-Travis Hunter Heisman Trophy debates rage, and learn Shehan’s case for Jeanty.

Now that we’re caught up, let’s assess:

Regardless of if it is two groups, 4 groups or 12 groups competing for a championship, there’ll at all times be groups feeling the burn of being so shut but up to now. And this 12 months, that distinction belongs to Alabama and Miami. The Crimson Tide and Hurricanes had been the primary two groups out, ranked Eleventh and thirteenth, respectively. (Bear in mind, the highest five-ranked convention champions get automated bids, that means Twelfth-ranked Arizona State and Sixteenth-ranked Clemson received in as convention champs regardless of being ranked decrease.)

Alabama vs. SMU appeared to be the essential choice, particularly after committee chair Warde Manuel stated final week that it was “potential” the Mustangs can be overlooked in the event that they misplaced the ACC Championship Sport.

Sure, it is a laborious tablet to swallow for the Eleventh-ranked workforce to not make a 12-team playoff, and Will says Alabama feels essentially the most ache of all.

🏈 Rams prime Payments regardless of Josh Allen’s record-setting outing

He had three touchdowns passing, three touchdowns dashing, turned certainly one of two gamers to ever do it … and misplaced.

Josh Allen‘s historic recreation wasn’t sufficient because the Payments fell to the Rams 44-42 in top-of-the-line video games of the season. Allen joined Corridor of Famer Otto Graham because the solely gamers with three touchdowns via the air and three on the bottom. However Graham did it within the 1954 NFL Championship, a dozen years earlier than the Tremendous Bowl even began.

Allen legitimately appears to be like superhuman on the market. He glides previous linemen and linebackers, blasts via defensive backs and fires laser beams throughout. I simply sat and smiled watching this recreation. Typically you must merely respect the absurd issues these individuals do.

In fact, the Rams are those smiling most after this consequence. It is a marvelous win for a workforce that is now 7-6 and really a lot in playoff competition. Matthew Stafford threw for 320 yards and two scores, and Kyren Williams scored two touchdowns dashing. Puka Nacua had 162 yards receiving, a landing catch, a landing run and a number of catches that did not look humanly potential. It was going to take one thing unbelievable to beat Allen, and the Rams produced simply that.

🏈 Soccer 5

1. No matter spells the Chiefs have placed on the NFL, it is working. Matthew Wright doinked in a 35-yard area aim as time expired to elevate Kansas Metropolis to a 19-17 win over the Chargers and clinch the franchise’s ninth straight AFC West title, the second-longest division title streak in NFL historical past. It is the Chiefs’ sixth walk-off win this season. They’re 10-0 in one-score video games.
2. In his return to Minnesota, Kirk Cousins was booed, picked off twice and defeated, 42-21, by his former workforce. Sam Darnold threw 5 touchdowns — three to Jordan Addison and two to Justin Jefferson — and was certainly one of Week 14’s largest winners. The Vikings‘ protection had an superb celebration after intercepting Cousins, too, and Bryant McFadden says it is time for the Falcons to bench Cousins.
3. The Steelers thumped the Browns, 27-14, thanks to a few Cleveland turnovers and a robust second half from Russell Wilson. Pittsburgh earned an “A-” in John Breech’s Week 14 grades.
4. Scorigami!!! The Dolphins beat the Jets, 32-26, in time beyond regulation, a rating that had by no means been seen earlier than. New York blew one more late lead, this time largely on account of Davante Adams going out of bounds, which stopped the clock and gave the Dolphins one final probability to power time beyond regulation. After they did, they received the ball first, and Tua Tagovailoa threw the game-winning landing to Jonnu Smith. The Jets had been formally eradicated from playoff competition.
5. The Eagles held on for a 22-16 win over the Panthers, with the protection getting a late cease. Saquon Barkley set Philadelphia’s new single-season dashing report, and Jeff Kerr says worries about Jalen Hurts are overblown. This bettor who gambled $3.1 million to win $442,800 is definitely blissful Philadelphia received.

📺 What we’re watching Monday

🏀 Raptors at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. on NBA TV
🏈 Bengals at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. on ABC/ESPN