The Boston Red Sox appear to be making a serious play for top free agent Juan Soto.
Early Friday morning, MassLive’s Sean McAdam reported some details of Boston’s visit with the free-agent star. According to McAdam, the Red Sox had a “productive” three-hour meeting with Soto on Thursday night. A Red Sox contingent of CEO Sam Kennedy, chairman Tom Werner, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Alex Cora flew to southern California to meet with Soto and his agent Scott Boras.
As part of their presentation, McAdam noted the Red Sox highlighted their plans for the future, their young core and their history of Dominican stars, including David Ortiz to Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez. Soto, 26, is a native of the Dominican Republic, grew up a Red Sox fan and lives near Ortiz in the Dominican Republic.
“If there was one player in baseball who could be the next David Ortiz in Boston, it is Juan Soto,” Ortiz recently told WEEI.com. “He’s that good. He’s got great makeup.”
In seven MLB seasons with the Nationals, Padres and Yankees, Soto has posted a .285 average and .953 OPS with a 160 OPS+. Ortiz, in his 20-year Hall of Fame career, hit .286 with a .931 OPS and 141 OPS+.
The Red Sox reportedly have not made an offer yet to Soto and the outfielder is set to meet, or has already met, with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and at least one other mystery team.
While there has been skepticism among the fanbase of Boston’s commitment in recent years given their reduced spending and having missed the playoffs in five of the last six seasons, the pursuit of Soto signals a departure from that malaise.
At the end of the season, the Red Sox talked of a different kind of offseason, one in which they’d be aggressive in pursuing upgrades to the roster via trade and free agency. They have floated similar promises in previous years to no avail.
“I truly believe this is the last struggle,” said Cora, who signed a three-year extension this summer, regarding his club’s poor play.
Though Soto is left-handed and the Red Sox already have a left-handed heavy lineup, they could clear the way for him by trading any one of their young lefty hitters to upgrade the roster elsewhere.
At the end of the season, Kennedy, understanding the rhetoric surrounding the team, noted:
“We’re going to work tirelessly to get us back where we belong in the American League East. That’s our commitment to do everything we can. But talk is cheap right now. Words are hollow. But that’s what we’re going to work on this offseason.”
Meeting with Soto is only part of that process if the Red Sox don’t field a competitive offer, but if the Red Sox are trying to show a renewed approach and aggressiveness, a lengthy meeting with Soto is a start.
(Photo: Gregory Fisher / USA Today)
