When did I even suggest that was the case? Soto is essentially a guaranteed hall of famer at this point, and he possesses a skill set that is very likely going to age well. He's been super consistent in his career and is one of the best bets to continue being an elite hitter in the sport. That contract has really raised the bar in salaries, but he's the type of hitter that rarely becomes available in free agency. Vlad simply hasn't been anywhere close as consistent, has a remarkably low floor when he's not hitting, and has produced a far less valuable peak season than Soto. Vlad has shown up out of shape several times in his career, is MLB's least valuable baserunner and defender, has a chronic wrist issue, and has already suffered from several knee issues at this point of his career. He's an incredibly risky proposition to extend at something closer to a Devers type of contract, and if he's asking for $450 million or more that's patently absurd.