Carolina Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks tore the ACL in his right knee — for the second time in 13 months — in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, coach Dave Canales announced Monday.
Brooks suffered the injury on a noncontact play in the first quarter at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.
Brooks tore the ACL on Nov. 11, 2023, in a 29-26 Longhorns victory over TCU. The Panthers, who fell to 3-10 with their third straight close loss Sunday, still felt good enough about Brooks to select him in the
Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, making Soto the highest-paid athlete in sports history. Craig Carton, Danny Parkins, and Mark Schlereth react to the news and ask if it’s a good signing by the Mets.
Hard-throwing Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki was posted to Major League Baseball teams and will be available to sign as a free agent from Tuesday through 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 23.
The Chiba Lotte Marines said on Nov. 9 that they planned to make the 23-year-old Sasaki available but waited until less than a week before the end of the posting period.
Because he is 23, Sasaki is considered an international amateur by MLB and is limited to a minor league contract subject to the international signing bonus pools usually allocated for 16-year-old Latin American prospects. The 2024 signing period ends Sunday and the 2025 period opens on Jan. 15, with team pools ranging from $7,555,500 to $5,146,200.
Teams may trade for additional pool allotment in $250,000 increments starting Jan. 15 but are limited to adding 60% of their initial amount.
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Chiba will receive a posting fee from the acquiring MLB team equal to 25% of the signing bonus.
When Shohei Ohtani agreed to join the Los Angeles Angels in December 2016 at age 23, he received a $2,315,000 signing bonus. Ohtani had salaries of $545,000, $650,000 and $259,259 (in pandemic-shortened 2020) during his first three seasons, earned $3 million, $5.5 million and $30 million in his three years of arbitration eligibility and then agreed to a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season.
Sasaki is represented by Joel Wolfe of Wasserman Media Group and is expected to become one of the most sought-after pitchers on the market. He went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games this year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings.
Sasaki helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His fastball has been clocked at 102.5 mph, and he has a 29-15 career record with a 2.10 ERA over four injury-shortened seasons with the Marines. He pitched a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes in April 2022 — racking up 13 straight strikeouts and finishing with 19.
“Since I joined the team, the team has been listening to my thoughts about my future MLB challenge, and I am very grateful to the team for officially allowing me to post,” Sasaki said in a Nov. 9 statement posted by the Marines on the social platform X.
“There were many things that did not go well during my five years with the Marines, but I was able to get to this point by concentrating only on baseball, with the support of my teammates, staff, front office, and fans. I will do my best to work my way up from my minor contract to become the best player in the world, so that I will have no regrets in my one and only baseball career and live up to the expectations of everyone who has supported me.”
The Athletics, Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Seattle and Tampa Bay enter the international signing period with $7,555,500 available for each.
Arizona, Baltimore, Cleveland, Colorado, Kansas City and Pittsburgh have $6,908,600 apiece, followed by Atlanta, Boston, the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels, New York Mets and Yankees, Philadelphia, San Diego, Texas, Toronto and Washington at $6,261,600.
Houston and St. Louis each have $5,646,200, and the Dodgers and San Francisco have $5,146,200.
From the moment Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets, the accompanying tagline has been that he’s the richest owner in baseball. That manifested more than ever on the eve of the 2024 winter meetings, as the Mets and superstar outfielder Juan Soto on Sunday night reportedly agreed to a 15-year, $765 million deal. It is the largest (and longest) deal in MLB history, topping Shohei Ohtani‘s $700 million pact with the Dodgers from last year.
Here’s a look at the top 10 deals ever doled out in MLB, and how those players performed after signing their historic contracts.
(Note: these values are based on data from Spotrac.com)
1. Juan Soto, New York Mets: $765 million over 15 years (reported)
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Soto’s 15-year deal topped Fernando Tatis Jr’s. 14-year extension as the longest in MLB history. He will be 40 years old when the deal is complete.
Led MLB in walks three times, on-base percentage twice, slugging once, OPS once
2. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers: $700 million over 10 years
After spending the first six seasons of his MLB career with the Angels, Ohtani signed a record-breaking contract in 2023 to remain in Southern California and play for the Dodgers. The deal, which includes $680 million deferred, will end after Ohtani turns 39 years old.
Stat line after deal (2024): .310/.390/.646/, 54 HRs, 130 RBIs, 99 XBH, 59 SBs
Career pitching line (did not pitch in 2024): 38-19, 481.2 IP, 3.01 ERA, 608 K, 1.082 WHIP
One of just nine players in MLB history with multiple 40-HR and 20-SB seasons
Three-time unanimous MVP (only player to win unanimously multiple times)
Prior to Ohtani, the most homers hit by a player with 10 or more wins as a pitcher was 11 by Babe Ruth in 1918. Ohtani hit 46 in 2021, 34 in 2022 and 44 in 2023.
Ohtani was the only American League pitcher in 2022 with at least 130 innings pitched to hold opponents to a batting average under .200.
After being traded from the Red Sox in 2020, Betts signed a 12-year extension with an MLB-record $65 million signing bonus. Betts helped deliver a World Series title that very year.
Stat line after extension (2021): .288/.373/.527/, 116 HRs, 322 RBIs, 145 OPS+
Notables since extension:Three-time All-StarFinished top-five in MVP voting twice2022 Gold GloveTwo-time Silver Slugger
Before 2022, Judge bet on himself. Then the slugger made history and slugged an AL-record 62 homers and secured his $360 million deal. The deal will take him through the 2031 MLB season, at which point he will be 39 years old.
Stat line after deal (2023): .300/.438/.666/, 95 HRs, 219 RBIs, 204 OPS+
Notables since extension:2024 AL MVPTwo-time All-Star223 OPS+ in 2024 was highest by a right-handed hitter in MLB history
2024 AL MVP
Two-time All-Star
223 OPS+ in 2024 was highest by a right-handed hitter in MLB history
After signing a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres in 2019 free agency, Machado re-upped with San Diego for a jaw-dropping $350 million. Machado will be 43 years old by the time the last year of the deal arrives.
Stat line after extension (2023): .267/.322/.467/, 59 HRs, 196 RBIs, 116 OPS+
Lindor was the face of the Cleveland franchise but was traded to the Mets and agreed to an extension with the team in 2021. The deal is through the 2031 season, but his contract is set up with $50 million in deferred money due to him in $5 million annual payments from 2032 to 2041.
Stat line after extension (2021): .259/.336/.461/, 110 HRs, 359 RBIs, 86 SBs 122 OPS+
Notables since extension:2024 MVP runner-upTwo-time Silver Slugger
Tatis Jr. inked his contract when he was just 22 years old in 2021. The deal, which is far from the only long-term commitment on the San Diego books, will take him through the 2034 season, at which point he will be 35.
Stat line after extension (2021): .271/.341/.514/, 88 HRs, 224 RBIs, 65 SBs 134 OPS+
Suspended for 80 games for use of performance-enhancing drugs in August 2022
Notables since extension:Two-time All-StarOne-time Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
After playing with the Nationals for his whole career, Harper left for the division-rival Phillies in 2019. His 13-year deal is the longest given to a free agent, and at the time it was signed, the contract was the largest in MLB history.
Stat line after deal (2019): .285/.391/.533/, 152 HRs, 455 RBIs, 149 OPS+
Notables since extension:2021 NL MVP2022 NLCS MVPTwo-time All-StarThree-time Silver Slugger
In 2014, Stanton capitalized on his stardom by signing the then-richest deal in MLB history. That deal expires after the 2027 season. Stanton was traded to the Yankees just three seasons after he signed the monster extension.
Stat line after extension (2015): .249/.334/.516/, 275 HRs, 704 RBIs, 131 OPS+
Notables since extension:Three-time All-Star2017 MVP2022 All-Star Game MVP2017 Silver Slugger
Seager had become a playoff hero even before signing with the Rangers prior to the 2022 season. The shortstop’s deal, which now looks very much worth it, ends in 2031 when he will be 37.
Stat line after deal (2022): .280/.350/.524, 96 HRs, 253 RBIs, 143 OPS+
Notables since extension:Three-time All-Star2023 World Series MVP2023 MVP runner-up2023 Silver Slugger
Three-time All-Star
2023 World Series MVP
2023 MVP runner-up
2023 Silver Slugger
T-10. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers: $325 million over 12 years
Yamamoto signed the largest contract of any pitcher in MLB history, narrowly eclipsing Gerrit Cole’s nine-year, $324 million pact with the Yankees.Â
At 25 years old, he was posted by the Orix Buffaloes last winter following one of the most dominant stretches in Japanese baseball history. He was a three-time Pacific League Most Valuable Player and has a lifetime ERA of 1.82.
Stat line after deal (2024): 7-2, 90 IP, 3.00 ERA, 105 K, 1.111 WHIP
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Juan Soto’s new contract has set a record, but there are some complexities to it.Â
The newest New York Mets star agreed to a 15-year, $765 million deal with his former team’s crosstown rival late Sunday night. Not only does the contract surpass the $700 million deal that Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason, but it’s also the largest deal in North American sports history.
Here’s what else we know.
No deferred money
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Unlike Ohtani’s contract, Soto will receive zero deferred money, according to ESPN.Ohtani memorably had $680 million of his $700 million contract deferred, which brought the average annual value of the contract for Competitive Balance Tax purposes down to $46 million, as estimated by MLB. So, the $51 million average annual value of Soto’s contract would be the richest in MLB history, at least as it relates to the luxury tax.Â
It could end up being worth more than $800 million
As part of the deal, Soto received a $75 million signing bonus, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.Â
But the deal has the potential to become even richer. It includes escalators that would bring its value to more than $800 million, according to ESPN.
There’s an opt-out clause
The deal also allows Soto to potentially become a free agent again in his prime. Soto, 26, will have an opt-out following the fifth season of the deal in 2028 when he’s 31, according to multiple reports.Â
However, the Mets can void Soto’s opt-out if he were to exercise that option. In that event, New York would escalate the average annual value of his contract from $51 million to $55 million over the final 10 seasons of the deal, according to Rosenthal.
Soto rejected big-money offers from the Yankees and Red Sox
Soto also turned down multiple offers worth at least $700 million. His former team, the New York Yankees, made him a 16-year, $760 million offer, the New York Post reported. As the total value of the Yankees’ offer fell just short, it was believed that Soto’s old club was in the lead to land his services before Mets owner Steve Cohen “came in from the top rope,” to get the deal done, SNY reported.Â
The Boston Red Sox, who were also in on Soto, made an offer that was worth around $700 million over 15 years, per MassLive. It was reported earlier in the week that the Toronto Blue Jays had a bid that was competitive with what the other teams in the sweepstakes were pitching at the time, while the Dodgers were just a little bit behind.
Even though anyone would be happy to be in a position to juggle multiple $700 million offers, Soto seemed to be overjoyed by his decision on Sunday. His brother posted a video on social media of Soto getting sprayed by drinks, ending the priciest sweepstakes in the history of North American sports.Â
Juan Soto is remaining in New York, but he’s switching boroughs.Â
The superstar outfielder has agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, the New York Post reported Sunday. The contract is the largest in total value in MLB history, surpassing the 10-year, $700 million pact Shohei Ohtani signed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason.
With the deal, the Mets add one of the most talented young hitters in recent memory and will have him for several of his prime seasons. Soto, 26, posted a .288/.419/.569 slashline with 41 homers and 109 RBIs to help the Yankees reach the World Series in his first and only season in The Bronx.
Soto, a four-time All-Star, is already a well-decorated player for his age and has even drawn comparisons to all-time greats like Ted Williams. Although he’s yet to win an MVP award, he finished third in AL MVP voting this past season, marking his fourth top-six MVP finish over the last six seasons. Among active hitters, he ranks 20th in career batting average (.285), first in on-base percentage (.421), fourth in slugging percentage (.532), third in OPS (.953) and 11th in at-bats per home run (16.3). He’s also recorded 201 homers and 934 hits in 936 career games.
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Soto’s free agency has been highly anticipated in MLB circles over the last few years. He reportedly turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract extension from the Washington Nationals in 2022, just three seasons after he helped them win a World Series. That contract rejection led the Nationals to trade Soto to the San Diego Padres in July 2022. Soto and the Padres reached the NLCS later that season, but San Diego traded him to New York after the team had a disappointing year in 2023.
Even as the Yankees made their run to the World Series this past season, Soto’s free agency continued to dominate headlines. By the time the offseason began, only a handful of teams met and extended him an offer as he was projected to sign a contract worth at least $600 million.Â
The process to sign Soto moved relatively quickly after teams met with him and his agent, Scott Boras, at his agent’s office in Southern California in November. At that point, it was expected that Soto would sign a deal by the end of the winter meetings, serving as one of the first major dominoes to fall this offseason.Â
Dave Parker and Dick Allen were elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Sunday by the classic era committee.
Parker received 14 of 16 votes and Allen got 13. A vote of 75% or more was needed for election.
They will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27 along with players voted in by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose balloting will be announced on Jan. 21.
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Tommy John was third with seven votes on a committee that considered candidates whose primary impact was before 1980. Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Vic Harris and Luis Tiant each received less than five votes.
Parker, 73, hit .290 with 339 homers and 1,493 RBIs for Pittsburgh (1973-83), Cincinnati (1984-87), Oakland (1988-89), Milwaukee (1990), California (1991) and Toronto (1991).
He won World Series titles in 1979 and ’89, was the 1978 NL MVP, won the 1977 and ’78 NL batting titles and was a seven-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove right fielder.
Known as Richie Allen with the Phillies before asking to be referred to as Dick for the rest of his career, Allen was a seven-time All-Star who was voted the 1964 NL Rookie of the Year and the 1972 AL MVP.
Parker never got more 24.5% during 15 appearances on the BBWAA ballot from 1997-2011. He was on fewer than six ballots from the 2013 expansion era committee and was on seven from the 2019 modern era committee, which considered candidates from 1970-87.
Allen received a high of 18.9% on the BBWAA ballot from 1983-97, then fell short in a series of committee votes.
Brooks slipped to the ground after suffering the injury and limped to the medical tent. He was then carted to the Panthers’ locker room and ruled out after the first half.
The injury was to the same knee Brooks rehabbed for 12 months before being activated from injured reserve last month.
Brooks sat out the team’s first nine games while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered while playing for the University of
Despite his success replacing Kirk Cousins, quarterback Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings haven’t had any discussions regarding a long-term contract, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Darnold, who is scheduled to be a free agent after this season, is playing on a one-year, $10 million contract. He became the Vikings’ starter after rookie J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft, went on injured reserve in August because of a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Darnold, who was drafted third overall in 2018, has
The Atlanta Falcons plan to stick with Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback despite his struggles over the team’s three-game losing streak, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Cousins has accounted for zero touchdown throws and six interceptions over this stretch. But Atlanta is sticking with their original plan at quarterback and have not considered the idea of switching in rookie Michael Penix.
