From the moment Jorge Soler first stepped onto a major league ballpark in 2014, he’s been a home run hitter — knocking it out of the park on his very first at-bat. Since then “Soler Power” has recorded 169 more home runs, along with 450 RBIs. He has also won two World Series championships with the Cubs (2016) and the Braves (2021). And in 2023, he was named an NL All-Star.
Now, the 31-year-old Cuban has opted out of the final year of his deal with the Miami Marlins after two seasons. But what will free agency bring for the former World Series MVP? With legal Florida sports betting trudging forward in the Sunshine State, FloridaBet.com decided to consider what the odds can tell us about Jorge Soler’s next landing spot.
Jorge Soler Next Team Odds
Below are some odds you may eventually find on Florida betting apps once they become legal. Here are the next MLB team odds Jorge Soler could end up on this offseason.
Soler Most Likely to Re-Sign With Marlins?
The Miami Marlins (+450) are the oddsmaker’s favorite landing spot for Jorge Soler, with an 18.2% implied chance of him re-signing with the team that first signed him in 2022. During his time with the Marlins, Soler appeared in 209 games, batting .232. But the power hitter’s biggest contribution to the team has been the 49 home runs he’s hit since arriving in the 305. Marlins fans may want to reward their 2023 home run leader with a sweet new deal, but does the new head of baseball operations Peter Bendix feel that same way?
Other Potential Suitors for Soler
Next up, the Cleveland Guardians and San Diego Padres are both +600 to land Jorge Soler in free agency. As for the Guardians, in 2022 they ranked dead last in dinger-rate — that is, their 124 home runs were the lowest number in the MLB. Adding a prolific home run hitter to the club would seem like a no-brainer.
Meanwhile, the Padres are loaded with firepower in the likes of Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. But adding Soler to the mix would boost the talented squad’s prospects in the competitive NL West division. Finally, a trio of teams have +1000 odds to sign Soler: the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, and Toronto Blue Jays.
The Cubbies showed their commitment to re-tooling things early this winter by signing new manager Craig Counsell to a five-year $40 million contract. Expect Chicago to make a splash in free agency, and with the owners hoping to get back into the World Series, a re-union with Soler, alumni from the 2016 championship team, may be in line.
Soler signing with the Braves would mark another championship reunion after the slugger took World Series MVP honors following the Braves' 6-game defeat of the Houston Astros back in 2021. Coming off back-to-back 100+ win seasons, the Braves are the current favorites to win again in 2024. However, after leading the league in runs, home runs, and on-base percentage, the Braves may be more keen to invest in their bullpen than nab another big hitter.
The Blue Jays on the other hand will be returning a strong core of pitchers, and have already made it known they intend to add bats in free agency. Inserting Jorge Soler into th order as a DH almost makes too much sense for the Jays, who are anxious to rebound after last year’s abrupt wild-card post-season exit. By the odds, the most likely landing spot is one of the other 24 MLB teams (+300).
Overall, it will be interesting to see what the market is like for Soler. While he had an incredible 2023, his career has seen plenty of peaks and valleys. For instance, 65% of his home runs have come in just three years (2019, 2021 and 2023). Soler will also most likely slot in as a DH on most days, as he’s unreliable as an outfielder. All this makes the free agent market for him quite interesting.
There’s certain to be interest from “value-seeking” teams — but how much money will Soler command? One thing seems certain, he’ll be bringing in more than the $7 million he would have earned had he played out his contract with the Marlins.
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