Red Sox Rumors: Jorge Soler Slipping Away

The international sensation known as Jorge Soler is finally a free agent and bids for his services were due on Thursday.  It has not yet been confirmed if the Red Sox put a bid in for Soler but we do know that both the Yankees and Cubs are extremely high on the Cuban defector, with Theo Epstein and the Cubs being labeled as the early favorite at this point.

Soler is said to be a power-hitting, big-armed right fielder and is already drawing comparisons to Yoenis Cespedes who signed with the Oakland A’s this past off season.

The Red Sox are said to be interested in Soler but lately the reports have been tabbing the Cubs and Yankees as having the most interest with the Cubs recently watching him workout.  Given the Red Sox depth in the outfield with the emergence of Daniel Nava and now Ryan Kalish starting to mash in the minor leagues, it’s hard to fathom where Soler would fit on the roster.  Especially when you consider Carl Crawford is locked up long-term and the uncertainty around Jacoby Ellsbury and his contract, the Red Sox may not be overly aggressive with Soler, allowing him to slip away to another club.

While it would be nice to add another potential superstar outfielder in Boston, the one thing going for Soler and not so much the competing clubs is the timing of his free-agency.

Because it is expected Soler will sign before July 1, his contract won’t count towards $2.9 million annual bonus limit, meaning Soler will cash in and cash in big.

The Cubs were rumored to have already had a deal in place with Soler before the season started, but after it turned out to be bogus, they continue to monitor the outfielder.  Expected salary range for the 20-year old is around $20 million for 4-5 years according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

Other than the Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs, other clubs said to have interest include the Blue Jays  Orioles, Phillies, Rangers,  Pirates, Marlins and more reports Heyman, making this an all-out bidding war.