Mets? Yankees? Red Sox? Blue Jays? Mystery team?

While many free agents have yet to come off the board, nearly all of the attention is on 26-year-old outfielder Juan Soto, who by this time next week might have signed a new contract.

Baseball¡¯s Winter Meetings begin on Monday, Dec. 9, in Dallas and conclude on Wednesday, Dec. 11. With the entire baseball industry in one place for three days, will Soto make a splash and sign a deal? Who will be the last team standing? MLB.com reporters gathered to discuss.

Alyson Footer, editor/moderator: A new report tells us there is ¡°widespread belief¡± that the Blue Jays will be the highest bidder for Juan Soto. Which doesn¡¯t mean that Soto will end up signing there. But if he¡¯s focused solely on taking the highest bid no matter what, then ¡­ done deal?

Anthony DiComo, Mets beat reporter: I, for one, find it hard to believe [Mets owner] Steve Cohen is going to allow himself to get outbid by the Blue Jays. Or by anyone, really.

Ian Browne, Red Sox beat reporter: I don't believe so. I feel like there is always some player the Blue Jays are willing to go the distance with. Last year, it was Shohei Ohtani. Let's face it, they aren't as desirable a market to play in as the others on the list, especially with Vlad Guerrero Jr.¡¯s uncertain future. I can't see him going there, even for the highest bid.

Mark Feinsand, senior national reporter: I think the ¡°He¡¯s going to go to the highest bidder¡± thing is silly. What if that bid is $1 million per year higher than the Yankees or Mets? Is he going to leave New York for Toronto over that money? I don¡¯t think so.

We have no reason to believe that the Blue Jays aren¡¯t preparing to top any offer. They were super aggressive with Shohei Ohtani last year but still came up short. To get a player to move to another country, they almost HAVE to be the highest bidder. But I spoke with four people around the league today, none of whom believe Soto will wind up in Toronto, even if the Jays are the highest bidder. Their bid would have to be significantly higher, and like Tony said, I don¡¯t see Steve Cohen getting significantly outbid if he really wants Soto.

• What does Soto's future hold? Let's look to the past to find out

Bryan Hoch, Yankees beat reporter: Even if hypothetically the Blue Jays did outbid everyone from a dollars and years perspective, there are tax/exchange rate and logistics considerations at play. Look, Toronto checks a lot of boxes in terms of what we think Soto might be looking for -- major metro market, East Coast. But every time he was asked about his priorities, he said: ¡°Winning.¡± Are the Blue Jays his best opportunity to do that long term?

Feinsand: Not if signing Soto means Vlad and Bo Bichette leave after this year. And there¡¯s no guarantee that the Jays will be able to lure more free agents in the future, either.

DiComo: Plus, if the Blue Jays were truly planning to blow everyone out of the water, why would they advertise that in advance? This reeks of misdirection.

Feinsand: Ah, the misdirection. This feels like a big smokescreen. Get the Blue Jays (and Red Sox?) involved to scare the Yankees about having to face him in the AL East for the next decade-plus. Get the Mets involved because they have the most money -- and because the Yankees won¡¯t want to lose him to the Mets and see him on the back pages for the next decade-plus.

Footer: Another report tells us the Yankees are destined to finish fourth of four in the Soto sweepstakes. This seems ¡­ unlikely.

• If Soto goes elsewhere, there is a backup plan for the Yanks

Feinsand: To me, there¡¯s the winner of the sweepstakes, and a three- or four-way tie for second. It¡¯s like Ricky Bobby said, ¡°If you ain¡¯t first, you¡¯re last."

Browne: I don't know what place the Yankees are going to finish. But I am increasingly skeptical he winds up there. If he was enamored that much with his time in the Bronx, why drag this out unless the Yankees aren't extending past $600 million? There's a chance he wants to be the man -- the player a team is branded around. That's not happening with the Yankees.

DiComo: Once again, this feels like an attempt to stoke a little fear in the Yankees. I believe the Yankees will finish fourth of four just as much as I believe that early-offseason rumor about the Rays being in the mix for Soto.

Hoch: Since these teams are blind bidding against each other, there is no way any of us know who will finish fourth -- and besides, we¡¯re all trying to figure out who will finish first. That said, I don¡¯t expect the Yankees will have the highest bid ¡­ but I do think they will be competitive. If Soto wants to set a record and grab every dollar on the table, and that¡¯s all it¡¯s about, then he¡¯s probably not in pinstripes next year. But I suspect the equation is more complicated than that.

Feinsand: Will he be ¡°The Man¡± with the Mets? That¡¯s Francisco Lindor¡¯s team. Maybe he would be the man in Boston. I think the Yankees believe they will have a final crack to match or beat whatever the best offer they have is, so why throw out your final number now? Soto and [agent] Scott Boras aren¡¯t signing without taking that final deal back to the Yankees.

• Inside the Soto sweepstakes: December decision? And a mystery club?

Feinsand: I won¡¯t count the Yankees out of this race until I see Soto put on another jersey at a press conference next week in Dallas.

Hoch: He just went to the World Series with the Yankees, and not once did I think, ¡°Man, he really is struggling in Aaron Judge¡¯s shadow. He wants to be ¡®the man¡¯ here.¡± It was a terrific fit for him.

DiComo: Do we really think Juan Soto cares about being "the man" more than he cares about winning a bunch of titles? (Which is why, much like the Yankees, I'm never going to count out the Dodgers until this thing is signed, sealed, delivered elsewhere.)

Browne: I think he has no interest in being on the West Coast. Been there, done that. He wasn't happy.

Feinsand: I agree with Ian. The Dodgers are in this to whatever extent they are, but I don¡¯t see it. Teoscar Hern¨¢ndez is a better bet to be in LA next season.

DiComo: But he wasn't happy on the West Coast why? Because he hates 73-degree days and sunshine? Or because that particular fit in San Diego wasn't a good one? Look, at the end of the day, I also think he's sticking around New York, I just think it's silly to count out MLB's most successful and aggressive big-market team.

• Making the case for (and against) each of Juan Soto's main suitors

Feinsand: Two reasons: 1) I don¡¯t think he would do a deal with massive amounts of deferred money. 2) L.A. is six hours further from the D.R., and I think that matters to Soto based on everything I¡¯ve heard. If the Dodgers came in with a monster offer and blew everyone out of the water, then yes, they would be in it. But I don¡¯t anticipate that happening.

Footer: The Red Sox/Soto rumors aren¡¯t going away and to be honest I never really bought into their interest in being the last team standing in this. Maybe I'm misreading things. Are they ready to pony up that kind of money?

Feinsand: My issue with the Red Sox thing is this: If they¡¯re really prepared to give Soto $600 million, why didn¡¯t they just keep Mookie Betts?

I think Boston is serious with its interest in Soto. But I can¡¯t see the Yankees allowing themselves to be outbid by the Red Sox, no matter how much financial restraint Hal Steinbrenner has. Letting him go to Boston over money would be a BAD look for the Yankees.

DiComo: Much like I'll believe the Yankees and Dodgers are out of it when I see it, I'll believe the Red Sox are going to be truly competitive in this thing ... when I see it. For the past decade or so, they've seemed content to try just hard enough to finish second or third on big free agents. Given everything the New York teams have to offer in terms of money, lifestyle and commitment to winning, it's hard for me to envision Soto signing in Boston unless the Red Sox blow away the field. And it's difficult for me to imagine that.

Hoch: There¡¯s a good argument to be made that, as friendly as Yankee Stadium¡¯s dimensions were for Soto, that he could be even more lethal playing 81 games at Fenway Park. Doubles galore off the Monster.

Feinsand: If they lose him to the Mets because Cohen makes a huge offer, so be it. But losing him to the Red Sox would be a whole different ballgame.

Browne: The Red Sox aren't in this for show. They realize they need to get their fans more invested in the team again after a down period in which they've prioritized rebuilding the farm system and developing a nice core of young players at the Major League level over winning now. They've said emphatically numerous times this winter that they are out of that stage and are in it to win it. They've never lacked money. They just chose to re-allocate it to different enterprises of Fenway Sports Group over the Red Sox. They have plenty of money. They realize they are losing traction in the market and haven't recovered from trading Mookie. They need to regain that traction and getting Soto is the quickest way to do it. From what I've heard, they've had everyone from David Ortiz to Rafael Devers to perhaps even Dustin Pedroia trying to sell Soto. I don't think they are pulling all that stuff just to drive the market up. They want this guy. Whether they get him or not, who knows.

Feinsand: The Red Sox have one advantage: Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz are legends in Boston and Soto knows that. Big Papi is surely trying to recruit him to Fenway.

Browne: Papi is for sure. He told me so. And they live in the same complex in the D.R.

DiComo: Sure, but New York has a thriving Dominican community with which Soto is already familiar. By all accounts, it's a comfortable home for him.

Hoch: I¡¯m glad you brought up the recruitment. Judge¡¯s tactic of giving him space and letting things play out is so interesting to me, the idea of, ¡°Well, he knows how we feel. He should go enjoy the process and have fun with it.¡± Now, maybe they¡¯ve been texting all this time or there is some other back-channel communication happening, but Judge told us they haven¡¯t spoken since the World Series. Seems odd.

Feinsand: I have yet to speak to one person in the industry -- executives, agents, etc. -- who believes Soto will wind up with any team other than the Yankees or Mets. If he signs with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Dodgers or any team outside of New York, there will be some very surprised people in the baseball world.

Browne: And Mark, I agree with the Papi/Dominican connection being their best advantage. Soto grew up a huge Sox fan because of Papi, Manny Ramirez and Pedro. Also, the Red Sox are also finally in a good place as an organization with young, controllable players and four stud prospects -- some who could be turned into trade chips to give Soto more winning veterans around him.

Footer: So if you had to rank the teams, would it be Yankees/Mets tied for first, then Red Sox, then Blue Jays, then Dodgers?

Browne: 1. Mets. 2. Red Sox. 3. Yankees. 4. Blue Jays. Dodgers, not even in his thinking.

DiComo: I do feel like the Mets have the simplest sales pitch for Soto: We can offer you the most money, and we can also tell you definitively that we are going to go all-in to try to win the World Series every year that you're here.

1. Mets. 2. Yankees. 3. Red Sox. 4. Dodgers. 5. Blue Jays

Browne: I agree that the Mets are the decided favorites in this.

Feinsand: 1. Mets. 2. Yankees. 3. Red Sox. 4. Blue Jays. 5. Dodgers

DiComo: In terms of where he realistically might land, I think there's a gap between the New York teams and the Red Sox, and an even bigger gap between the Red Sox and the Dodgers/Blue Jays.

Hoch: Again, this is going to come down to fit. The Mets probably will have the high bid, but if the Yankees¡¯ offer is at all competitive, I think there¡¯s a decent chance he stays in the Bronx. Hal Steinbrenner understands the assignment and what the fallout will be if they let Soto get away. They¡¯re prepared to do what they need to keep him. At some point, maybe Judge and Gerrit Cole pick up the phone and help out in this thing, too. Their sales pitch is simple -- here¡¯s all the money you will ever need. You just played in the World Series, and you¡¯re going to have a chance to get back there every year. Come hit in front of Judge for the rest of your career and we¡¯ll see you in Cooperstown with an NY on your cap.

Footer: True or false: Soto will sign with a team before the Winter Meetings conclude on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

Feinsand: True.

DiComo: True.

Browne: True.

Hoch: I sure hope so. Let¡¯s agree not to leave Dallas without a deal.

Feinsand: See Winter Meetings 2019. When Scott Boras has the goods, he likes to take over the Winter Meetings. That year, he got Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon signed on three straight days.

Browne: I think he will sign as the Meetings wrap up.

Feinsand: I wouldn¡¯t be shocked if Soto, Corbin Burnes and Alex Bregman all sign during the Meetings.

DiComo: Exactly, Mark. I think Soto is probably ready or near ready to sign somewhere right now. But you know Boras likes the big stage of the Winter Meetings.