Juan Soto Rumors: Red Sox Aware Of This Factor In Negotiations
The Red Sox have a solid shot at signing Juan Soto heading into the MLB winter meetings, but a key factor reportedly will “loom large” for contending teams.
Boston is among five teams with a realistic chance at signing the All-Star outfielder. The New York clubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays reportedly submitted offers of at least $600 million, though insiders wouldn’t be surprised if the 26-year-old landed a historic contract.
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The Red Sox reportedly made a good impression on Soto and his agent Scott Boras and recruiting efforts went well — at least to a certain extent. There’s been mixed reporting on where Boston lands in the pecking order among the five teams, but The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier noted Thursday a key factor everyone is well aware of.
“The Mets and owner Steve Cohen loom large,” Speier wrote. “The Sox are aware of rumors that Cohen told Boras he would go $50 million beyond any other team’s highest offer. Whether accurate or not, the perception of Cohen’s willingness to spend to such heights lords over the bidding and how teams approach it.”
This shouldn’t surprise fans. New York’s last spending spree didn’t go so well, but after the Mets came close to a World Series in 2015 and its crosstown rivals made the Fall Classic this year, Cohen likely knows he needs to strike while the iron is hot. A duo of Francisco Lindor and Soto puts his team back on the map, and he seems willing to do what it takes to make it happen.
That doesn’t mean the Red Sox are completely out of the running. There’s also a belief that money might not play a huge factor for Soto. As mentioned, all the teams put in similar bids, and reports of the in-person meetings highlighted culture and team fit rather than financials.
However, the threat of the Mets was why the Red Sox asked for another meeting with Boras and Soto, according to Speier. It’s unknown if the meeting happened or was granted, but Boston also is making efforts to ensure it lands Soto.