The Boston Red Sox can’t like where they stand in the reported hierarchy for superstar MLB free agent Juan Soto.
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported Tuesday that the New York Yankees and New York Mets are the clear favorites to land Soto with the Red Sox off in the distance.
But it appears the Red Sox are determined to change their positioning.
“The Red Sox are increasingly seen as a legitimate contender in the sweepstakes for the generational slugger as word is they are stepping up efforts to lure the superstar hitter away from their historic AL East nemesis,” the New York Post’s Jon Heyman and Mark W. Sanchez reported Tuesday night.
That kind of effort has many thinking the Red Sox are squarely in the mix for Soto. The Yankees, Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are also believed to be in the running for the four-time All-Star.
The Red Sox are one of a small handful of teams to have met with Soto, doing so in California nearly two weeks ago. During that meeting, which president Sam Kennedy, co-owner Tom Werner, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Alex Cora attended, the Red Sox looked “to sell Soto on his fit in Boston — a fit both at Fenway Park and within the history of the franchise,” according to Heyman and Sanchez.
Stars from the Dominican Republic, like David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez, have thrived in Boston and the Red Sox are trying to get Soto to envision him as the next star from that region to excel with the franchise. Ortiz even has pitched in on the recruitment of Soto.
Heyman and Sanchez noted how Soto would immediately become the face of the franchise with Boston, which is not something all contenders for the outfielder’s services can say. Soto would always be behind Aaron Judge with the Yankees, Francisco Lindor with the Mets and Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts with the Dodgers.
Soto comes with quite the price tag, though. It is estimated that he’s looking for a 15-year year deal worth more than $700 million. So, it’s going to take a massive financial commitment and convincing Soto on his fit with Boston to lure him to the Red Sox.
