Along with the surplus of Juan Soto rumors over Thanksgiving weekend, Boston Red Sox fans heard that David Ortiz purchased a stake in his former team.
The purchase was reported by Gleniel Garcia, who does not claim to be a reporter or MLB insider. He Tweeted the news on Nov. 29, and a few publications took the report and ran with it.
The report of Ortiz's alleged purchase still remains unconfirmed and untouched by the Red Sox organization and reporters with inside knowledge of the team. But there are a few reasons why Sox fans may be inclined to believe it, especially at this time.
Ortiz has reputedly been involved in Boston's pursuit of the slugging outfielder Soto. The Hall of Famer has been going "hard" to get the 26-year-old to sign with the Red Sox, and Ortiz's personal history could help draw young talent to the organization with which he thrived for 14 years.
Report that David Ortiz has purchased a stake in the Red Sox remains unconfirmed
It has also been reported that Soto hopes to have a positive working relationship with the ownership of whichever team he signs with. Boston's principal owner, John Henry, is notoriously reclusive and doesn't have the best representation outside the Red Sox organization lately after years of low-budget offseasons. Ortiz is close with Soto and his family, so he could give the Red Sox front office some pull in the race for his signature.
The Red Sox's small budget has been unable to net them top-tier free agents since 2018 or earlier. They haven't really tried to compete since then, so the jury is still out on whether or not the organization has fallen out of favor with free agents, or if the money just hasn't been there. What's certain, though, is that the Red Sox need to change their image from their recent small-market mentality. The team brought Theo Epstein back before the 2024 season, and adding Ortiz could be another boost to the team's reputation.
Remember, the report that Ortiz has purchased a stake in the Red Sox is NOT confirmed. But if he did decide to buy a stake in his former team, it could give the organization some pull with Soto, which may be why the rumors took off the way they did at this time.