End of an era

The GIST: The Juan Soto sweepstakes came to an end on the first day of MLB’s Winter Meetings as the superstar outfielder signed a record-breaking $765M, 15-year deal with the NY Mets yesterday, trading his Pinstripes for orange and blue. Cha — and we cannot stress this enough — ching.

Soto cashes in with historic deal: Five teams (including the NY Yankees, Soto’s most recent squad) were reportedly bidding for the four-time All-Star’s services until the very end, but the Mets sealed the deal with the largest contract in pro sports history. Soto’s signing shattered last year’s then-historic $700M, 10-year deal inked by the one and only LA Dodger Shohei Ohtani.

• Why the hype? Well, a generational talent only comes…once in a generation. Soto’s just 26 years old, has been in the MVP conversation every season of his young career, and boasts perhaps the best “eyes” in the game. No wonder he’s a multi-million dollar man.

Flurry of moves anticipated throughout Winter Meetings: With representatives from all 30 teams gathered to wheel and deal until Wednesday, the market will only heat up now that Soto’s off the table. As always, pitching is a hot commodity, highlighted by starters, four-time All-Star Corbin Burnes and standout southpaw Max Fried.

• Plus, the bidding hype won’t end with Soto. Regarded as one of the best pitchers in the world, Japanese hurler Rōki Sasaki is expected to be posted this week as he transfers from Japan’s pro league to MLB.

• Under the international amateur signing rules, teams will then have 45 days to negotiate with him before the official signing period begins on January 15th. TL;DR? Things are just getting started.

The GIST: Another football Sunday is in the books, showcasing everything from acrobatic catches to remarkable rushing touchdowns (TDs) to game-clinching scores — and that’s just courtesy of LA Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. Scroll on to see who else is hitting the headlines after Week 14.

NY Jets eliminated from playoff contention: Jets quarterback (QB) Aaron Rodgers threw his first 300-yard game in three years, but it wasn’t enough to keep NY’s postseason hopes alive after yesterday’s 32–26 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins. With so much energy spent on his docuseries, Rodgers apparently had no time to end the franchise’s league-worst 14-year playoff drought.

The NFC West is chock full of chaos: With all four teams still in contention for the divisional crown, yesterday’s games muddied the waters even more. Three squads — the division-leading Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers — picked up huge wins while the Arizona Cardinals fell 30–18 to the aforementioned Seahawks but remained in third.

• Speaking of the Rams, their high-scoring showdown with the Buffalo Bills was pure cinema. Though LA eked out the 44–42 win, the Bills didn’t make it easy in La La Land, led by a history-making performance from superstar QB Josh Allen.

Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins continues to struggle: The Falcons signal caller tossed two interceptions in yesterday’s lopsided 42–21 loss to his former squad, the always-eating Minnesota Vikings. That marks eight straight interceptions and zero TDs for Cousins over the team’s four-game losing streak. He definitely doesn’t like that.

Kansas City Chiefs tally league-leading 12th win of the season: Sometimes things pan out exactly how you expect. Case in point? Thanks to a last-second field goal from kicker Matthew Wright, KC won their 15th straight one-score game, beating the LA Chargers 19–17 on Sunday Night Football and clinching the AFC West division title.

• The Chargers, meanwhile, suffered their 11th straight loss in games decided by three points or less. Course meet par.

Toronto Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner is an all-time pro when it comes to lighting the lamp. As the first-ever official bank of the PWHL, Scotiabank also knows a thing or two about shining a light on the ice. Here’s how Scotiabank’s scoring goals like Spooner:

🔏 A multi-year partnership with the PWHL to continue elevating the women’s game

💡 Girls HockeyFest, an annual initiative to encourage girls to play hockey

🫶 Their hockey for all platform, dedicated to inclusivity, accessibility, and diversity

As the official bank of the PWHL, Scotiabank is dedicated to leveling the playing field, ensuring that all Canadians see themselves represented in hockey. Discover how Scotiabank is making the rink a place for everyone.

When you think of up-and-coming PWHL star Sarah Fillier, you should think of goals. After scoring 93 collegiate career goals and graduating as Princeton’s all-time leading scorer, it’s no wonder Gatorade signed the No. 1 draft pick ahead of the 2024–25 season. Because if she’s on Gatorade’s radar, you know she’s a big deal.

• With goals on the brain, The GIST played “Hard Shot and Hot Takes” with Fillier, where she answered burning questions — like how it feels to win a gold medal at the age of 21.

• And just like Gatorade, an official partner of the PWHL, you can commit to fueling women’s hockey by cheering on Fillier in the league. The puck drops here.