Juan Soto for $765 million? Scott Boras has once again made headlines in Major League Baseball.
After a winter where he was criticized for slow-playing his top clients in the free-agent market, Boras has reportedly secured the largest contract in MLB history: Soto’s stunning 15-year deal with the New York Mets. This monumental agreement not only sets a new benchmark but also highlights Boras’s unique ability to negotiate high-stakes contracts.
This latest deal is just one of many nine-figure contracts Boras has orchestrated throughout his illustrious career. In fact, just weeks prior, he successfully brokered a five-year, $182 million contract for Blake Snell with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His expertise in navigating the complexities of player contracts continues to set him apart in the industry.
Over his four decades as an agent, Boras has transformed the financial landscape for countless players. His career took off 24 years ago when he negotiated the groundbreaking 10-year, $252 million deal for Alex Rodriguez with the Texas Rangers. This contract was a game-changer and set the stage for future negotiations, but until now, Boras hadn’t secured a place among the top seven contracts in baseball history.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the ten most lucrative contracts Boras has negotiated, starting with the record-breaking deal for Soto.
1. Juan Soto: 15 years, $765 million, New York Mets (2025)
With this historic contract, Boras reclaims his title as the negotiator of the most significant deal in baseball history. Soto’s contract dwarfs the previous record held by Shohei Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers last offseason. This remarkable leap in value illustrates the increasing financial stakes in Major League Baseball.
Soto’s market value was anticipated to reach at least $600 million, but the final offers exceeded expectations as negotiations heated up. Reports indicated that several teams were vying for Soto’s services, with four of the five finalists presenting offers in the $700 million range.
This contract also validates Boras and Soto’s decision to decline a previous 15-year, $440 million extension from the Washington Nationals in 2022. That choice ultimately led to Soto’s trade to the San Diego Padres, and subsequently to the New York Yankees prior to the 2024 season.
Despite Boras’s impressive track record, he had recently seen his share of the richest contracts dwindle. Now, with Soto’s groundbreaking agreement, he has reclaimed the spotlight, and it appears this record may stand for quite some time.
2. Bryce Harper: 13 years, $330 million, Philadelphia Phillies (2020)
In March 2019, Boras negotiated another historic deal, helping Harper secure a massive contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. At just 26 years old, Harper was already a superstar, having won the MVP award and establishing himself as a perennial All-Star.
However, Harper’s record was short-lived, as Mike Trout soon surpassed it with a 12-year, $426 million extension with the Los Angeles Angels.
After several months of free agency, Scott Boras helped Bryce Harper land a contract that was the richest in MLB history at the time. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB via Getty Images)
3. Corey Seager: 10 years, $325 million, Texas Rangers (2022)
Just before the MLB lockout in 2021, Boras secured another lucrative deal, this time for shortstop Corey Seager. The contract marked the largest in Texas Rangers history and came after Seager’s impressive performance, including a World Series MVP title with the Dodgers.
4. Gerrit Cole: 9 years, $324 million, New York Yankees (2020)
Following the Houston Astros’ loss in the 2019 World Series, Cole demonstrated his loyalty to Boras by donning a Boras Corp. cap during a press conference. Boras rewarded this loyalty by negotiating the first $300 million contract for a pitcher in MLB history, with the Yankees—a team Cole had long supported as a child.
At the time, this deal was also the largest ever in terms of average annual value, a record that has since been surpassed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers. Cole has excelled in New York, consistently performing at a high level and earning a Cy Young award in 2023.
5. Xander Bogaerts: 11 years, $280 million, San Diego Padres (2023)
Boras capitalized on the Padres’ eagerness to spend following their 2022 NLCS run, securing a surprising deal for Bogaerts. While many questioned the contract given Bogaerts’s age and perceived talent level, it still represented a significant investment by the Padres. Unfortunately, Bogaerts’s performance has not met expectations, leading to concerns about the contract’s viability.
6. Álex Rodríguez: 10 years, $275 million, New York Yankees (2008)
Boras has negotiated record-setting contracts for Rodriguez on two occasions. The 10-year, $275 million deal was signed after Rodriguez opted out of his previous contract, making headlines during the Red Sox’s World Series victory. This contract allowed Rodriguez to remain with the Yankees for the remainder of his career, culminating in a World Series title.
7. Álex Rodríguez: 10 years, $252 million, Texas Rangers (2000)
Seven years before his record-breaking extension, Rodriguez signed his first mega-deal with Boras’s guidance. The Texas Rangers made a bold move, offering the largest contract in MLB history at that time, banking on Rodriguez’s potential to become one of the game’s greats. Rodriguez lived up to the hype, winning multiple MVP awards, but the Rangers struggled to reach the postseason during his tenure.
Alex Rodriguez signed the richest contract in MLB history at the time when he joined the Rangers in 2000. (Gary Barber/ALLSPORT)
8. Anthony Rendon: 7 years, $245 million, Los Angeles Angels (2020)
In the wake of the Nationals’ 2019 World Series victory, Boras negotiated significant contracts for several players, including Rendon. However, Rendon’s time with the Angels has been marred by injuries and underperformance, raising questions about the long-term impact of this deal.
9. Stephen Strasburg: 7 years, $245 million, Washington Nationals (2020)
Strasburg’s contract was a reward for his performance, including a World Series MVP title. However, injuries plagued his career following this deal, limiting his contributions and leading to an early retirement.
10. Robinson Canó: 10 years, $240 million, Seattle Mariners (2014)
Boras also facilitated Canó’s move from the Yankees to the Mariners, where he signed a substantial contract. While Canó’s performance remained strong initially, he struggled to meet the expectations set by such a hefty deal, leading to a trade to the Mets five years later.
