"Fielding liability is funny" - Jon Hamm gives take on Juan Soto's Mets deal, believes Edgar Martinez would've bagged a $1,000,000,000 deal at present
Juan Soto's record 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets has everyone talking, including Landman star Jon Hamm, who joined "The Rich Eisen Show" on Monday to promote his new TV series.
Hamm wasn't so bought into Soto's defensive abilities but referenced Edgar Martinez, giving a bold take in praise of the seven-time All-Star. The actor said that had the Mariners Hall of Famers was born in this generation, he would have earned a billion-dollar contract.
"You know, I was listening to you guys talk about it, and it's a funny thing when you spend that much money on one guy, on a team that by law has to field nine guys," Hamm said (21:34 onwards). "It's an interesting dynamic. You know, you go, 'Okay, cool.' I think the fielding liability is funny, and it's going to be a bit of a wild card, but that's why they have the DH.
"If I were Edgar Martinez, I’d really wish I lived in a different generation. Can you imagine? You know what I mean? He is one of the greatest DHs I've ever seen, of all time. Anybody who works in professional baseball would say that too. He’s just the guy who raked. But yeah, he could’ve been a billion-dollar guy."
Yankees had the chance to match Mets' offer for Juan Soto: Report
Shortly after Juan Soto's record-breaking deal with the Mets was reported, Yankees fans, including actor Nick Turturro, went on a full-blown rant to criticize Soto for not choosing to stay in Bronz and win championships alongside Aaron Judge.
However, the criticism is hard done, especially after reports from Joel Sherman and Andy Martino suggested that Soto's agent Scott Boras went back to the Yankees to match the Mets' offer.
The Yankees, whose last reported offer was a 16-year, $760 million deal, decided not to match the Mets' bid, resulting in Juan Soto joining the Queens. It means while the outfielder was open to re-sign with the Yankees, the team didn't add a few extra millions to his check.
This is an interesting saga, one that will be talked about for months. And it remains to be seen if fans turn their back on the Yankees, especially after knowing that they were the ones who felt short on signing the outfielder.