To lure Soto, Mets created video of his future statue

NEW YORK — The New York Mets wanted Juan Soto to know his future with them could be set in stone.

When the free agent outfielder traveled to owner Steve Cohen’s house in Beverly Hills, California, for a presentation last month, the team unveiled a video that included an image of a future Soto statue outside Citi Field, next to the one erected of franchise great Tom Seaver.

“Everything that they showed me, what they have, what they want to do, it was incredible,” Soto said. “But my favorite part was the video.”

Soto was introduced at Citi Field on Thursday, a day after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, he was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and agent Scott Boras. Security men in gray suits wearing earpieces were off to the side.

The slugger walked in led by Boras, wearing a dark suit, black turtle neck shirt and gold chain with his No. 22. Soto picked the Mets over the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.

His deal includes a luxury suite and four premium tickets for home games, all for free, and personal team security for the four-time All-Star and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games.

“My family is really important for me. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have been here,” Soto said. “It’s one of the biggest things.”

Boras had asked for those sweeteners.

“We included it at the beginning,” Cohen said. “He made a request and we were happy to provide.”

The crosstown Yankees, who reached the World Series for the first time since 2009 in part because of Soto, refused to consider the concept.

“Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them,” general manager Brian Cashman said.

Cohen purchased the Mets ahead of the 2021 season and has boosted them to baseball’s highest payroll in search of the team’s first title since 1986 — when the World Series MVP, like Soto, wore No. 22 — Ray Knight. The owner thanked his son, Josh, for helping create the video and commended his 93-year-old father-in-law Ralph for attending the first get-together with Soto.