Free agent Juan Soto and Boston Red Sox will reportedly meet this week
BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox will have a seat at the table with free-agent slugger Juan Soto this offseason.
The Red Sox are one the many teams set to meet with Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, in California this week, according to reports by ESPN's Jeff Passan and Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Boston is not the favorite to land Soto, but at least they'll have a chance to outbid others -- as they should when a player of Soto's caliber hits the market.
Red Sox' interest in Juan Soto
While the Red Sox have become known as the "interest kings" over the last several winters, Passan is reporting that Boston has Soto "at the top of its want list." Boston isn't just interested, but is considered a serious contender to sign Soto this winter.
It's pretty obvious why the Red Sox would want to sign Soto: He's one of the best hitters in all of baseball and is just 26 years old.
Soto hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBI for the Yankees last season, helping New York make a run to the World Series. He's a four-time All-Star over his seven-year career, which began as a 19-year-old with the Washington Nationals in 2018.
For his career, Soto has slashed .285/.421/.532 while averaging 35 home runs and 102 RBI over 162 games. He won a World Series with the Nationals in 2019, and hit .327 with four homers, nine RBI, and 12 runs scored over 14 playoff games for the Yankees in October.
How much is Juan Soto going to cost this offseason?
A lot. And we mean a lot.
Passan is predicting that Soto will land a deal north of $600 million. Heyman believes Soto will sign a deal for $630 million over 14 years.
Last offseason, Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, with $680 million of his salary deferred for a decade. Fernando Tatis Jr. currently has the record for longest contract in baseball, after signing a 14-year, $340 million contract with the San Diego Padres in 2021.
What other teams are meeting with Juan Soto?
A bunch of teams are hoping to land Soto and his big bat this offseason, with the New York Yankees and the New York Mets considered the favorites to sign him.
The Toronto Blue Jays would love to add Soto alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and will reportedly be the first team to meet with him this week. The Red Sox will have the second meeting with Soto and Boras in southern California, followed by the two New York teams.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and two other "mystery" teams round out the eight clubs that are in the mix to sign Soto this winter.
While Boston fans are probably sick of hearing that the Red Sox are "in" on a free agent that they don't ultimately sign, it sounds like Craig Breslow and company are going to make a serious run at Soto this offseason. After missing the playoffs for a third straight year in 2024, the Red Sox should be serious --and aggressive -- players in the free-agent and trade market this winter.
Passan also reported Tuesday that Boston's "aggressiveness extends into the starting pitching market as well."
