The Boston Red Sox last week met with superstar free agent outfielder Juan Soto, and Red Sox Nation was overwhelmed with surprisingly positive reports about the interaction.
The meeting was labeled "productive," according to a source, and Soto grew up a Red Sox fan, which could be a great sign for the club. But the outfielder will have many more meetings with potential suitors this winter, and the New York Mets are sure to be a frontrunner in the race to sign him.
Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, met with high-ranking officials in the Mets organization on Saturday, and the meeting went "extremely well," per MLB insider Jon Heyman of New York Post. Heyman's report makes the Red Sox's "impressive" presentation seem much less so.
A report surfaced that the Mets made Soto an offer, and although it may be true, it must be taken with multiple grains of salt. Soto is slated to meet with the Yankees on Nov. 18, his other most likely landing spot, and he still has plenty of meetings and negotiations to undergo before seriously weighing any offers.
However, Heyman reports that money could be a huge advantage for the Mets, as expected. The team's owner, Steve Cohen, is MLB's wealthiest owner and he's known for spending exorbitant amounts to field competitive teams. Heyman named Cohen's excessive spending as one of the "edges" the Mets may have over the Yankees and the other clubs in the race to sign Soto.
Report of Mets' meeting with Juan Soto tempers Red Sox fans' expectations
https://t.co/mLcnCoruVh. POST EXCLUSIVE: Full story now here on Mets California confab Saturday with Juan Soto, which went very well by all accounts (and I’m not just saying that!)
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 17, 2024
Besides the importance of money, the Mets also put up a "very detailed" presentation for Soto. If it included plans for Cohen to use his league-leading fortune to create a winning team in Queens for years to come, Soto may be a lock to sign with the Mets for the rest of his career.
Fortunately for the rest of the teams hoping to sign the slugger, the Mets have rarely turned their payroll into a winning squad. They've been the league's most expensive team for the last two seasons and they made it to the NLCS this year, but it was the first time they advanced past the Wild Card round since their 2015 World Series loss.
Regardless, the Mets' convincing presentation and their surplus of funds have reinforced their standing as a favorite to land Soto. The outfielder said he'll give all 30 clubs a chance in the race for his services, but money is sure to be a huge factor in his final decision.
Based on Heyman's report and recent offseasons' spending activity, the Red Sox may be out of their depth in the hunt for Soto. That doesn't mean Boston should concede to defeat, as the organization has plenty of money to sign Soto and some of the top-tier free agent pitchers on the market. But after the many optimistic reports from the Red Sox's meetings with the outfielder, Heyman's report may have pulled Red Sox Nation back to earth.