Red Sox have no excuse not to test waters in Juan Soto market

Hours after the Dodgers claimed their World Series ring and baseball season officially ended, MLB insider Jon Heyman reported that roughly 11 teams have reached out to free agent outfielder Juan Soto.

Heyman wrote that eight teams reached out with interest in Soto within two hours of the Yankees' World Series loss. The number jumped to 11 the following morning, and since his initial report, even more teams could've entered the race.

The Boston Red Sox have no excuse not to be among those teams.

Boston is the third-biggest market in MLB, but its ownership hasn't acted like it since 2018. The Red Sox used to be given in many major free agent races, but the change in John Henry and Fenway Sports Group's budget has kept the Sox on the back burner while other clubs outbid and outshine them in the market.

The 2024 Red Sox lacked stardom and a consistent jolt of power. Rafael Devers was Boston's highest-paid player and biggest star last season, and while his style and quality of play are worthy of the title and salary, he can't carry the team on his own. Devers also hasn't been comfortable occupying the spotlight, although he's getting better and taking more ownership of his veteran role. Soto could help balance the pressure on the Sox's franchise player.

The Red Sox have no excuse not to be in on Juan Soto after multiple last place seasons and playoff misses

Soto is also a generational talent. He's gotten on base at an absurdly high clip throughout his career, and the Red Sox lineup could be beyond dangerous with Soto batting between Jarren Duran and Devers. Yes, Soto is left-handed and Boston already has an excess of lefty hitters, but his offensive dominance should keep the Red Sox open to adding another.

Soto boasts a career .285/.421/.532 slash line and .953 OPS over his seven years of service time. He mashed a career-high 41 homers for the Yankees and could have similar success playing more than half his games at the hitter-friendly Fenway Park.

Experts expect Soto to fetch a contract in the $500-700 million range, and Henry and FSG have shown absolutely no inclination to spend so much money on one player. But the front office has entered more of a "win now" mentality — as it should — after missing the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. An outfield of Duran, Soto, Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela could be one of the fiercest in the league and set the Red Sox on a winning track for years to come.

If the Red Sox's failed push to sign Teoscar Hernández last offseason showed anything, it's that the organization still has a reputation and history that players hope to be part of. If Boston tries for Soto and is outbid by one of the New York squads or the Dodgers, then so be it. But the Red Sox are still a top-tier organization in MLB that players admire — the front office's recent stinginess hasn't damaged that reputation yet, but it's well on its way. A real push for Soto could help get the Sox back on a respectable track among the best teams in the league.

And Red Sox Nation would love to steal Soto from the Yankees.

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