With reports and rumors swirling that Juan Soto could be eyeing a $700 million contract on the free agent market this winter, all eyes are set on the future of the 26-year-old superstar. MLB Network confirmed late Monday night that five teams — the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers and Blue Jays — have already made offers to secure his services for years to come.
Soto had baseball fans in shambles on Tuesday when he teased an “announcement you’ve been waiting for” on his Instagram, which turned out to be a slick marketing ad for his new partnership with energy drink brand Celsius.
The video, which was liked over 60,000 times in its first hour, featured a staged press conference with Soto sitting down in front of the microphone to say, “This wasn’t an easy decision. But after meeting with the team, it became clear what I wanted to be. That being said: Team Celsius.”
After putting on a white ballcap with Celsius branding and cracking open an energy drink, Soto jokingly said into the camera, “What? You were expecting a different announcement?”
The well-timed promotional video had fans in disbelief in the comment section and across social media.
“I fell to my knees,” one fan commented.
“I’m telling my therapist about this,” another wrote.
“Man, you almost gave me a heart attack,” echoed another.
“The way my heart stopped when i read the caption 
,” a fan commented.
JUAN SOTO STOP PLAYING WITH US 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/dVl2q1XPZH
— Madyson (@Majorleaguemadd) November 26, 2024
“I don’t care what anyone says…This is UNPROFESSIONAL from Juan Soto. You are holding the entire MLB free agent market hostage. … This Instagram post and video are (expletive). Hate it,” a sports writer wrote on X.
“I will drink nothing but Celsius for the rest of my life if that’s what It takes for you to play in The Bronx the next decade,” someone else said.
Even New York-based entrepreneur extraordinaire Gary Vaynerchuk got in on the fun, writing, “love this.”
Soto is fresh off of his second World Series appearance, one the Yankees lost to the Dodgers in five games. The four-time All-Star finished third in MVP voting in 2024 after hitting .288 with 41 home runs, 109 RBI and a league-leading 128 runs scored across 713 plate appearances.
