Steve Cohen handed out the biggest contract in sports history this winter, and now the New York Mets owner is explaining why.In December, Cohen and the Mets won the free agency bidding war for Juan Soto.

After the meeting ended and Soto departed, Cohen told Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns that Soto was “going back to the Yankees.” But to his surprise, Cohen got a call from Soto’s agent Scott Boras the next morning that stunned the Mets owner.

When Steve Cohen fully purchased the New York Mets in October 2020, he had a long-term vision of success as the owner. Many Mets fans had complained that the Wilpon family never spent enough in free agency or made big moves.