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When it comes to player movement in professional sports, analysts can often bog down conversations with issues like location, connections to history and relationships within a competing organization.
But in the end, it almost always comes down to one thing — money. And the case of Juan Soto’s free agency isn’t likely to play out any differently.
That was the message from Boston Red Sox insider John Tomase of NBC Sports Boston on Tuesday, December 3. The Red Sox are among the top suitors for Soto, along with the New York Yankees (his most recent team), the New York Mets and a handful of other big market franchises with deep pockets and World Series aspirations.
“The Red Sox can highlight David Ortiz, extol the history of Fenway Park, and trace Soto’s hitting lineage back to Ted Williams himself, but let’s be real. He’s signing with whoever pays him the most money,” Tomase wrote. “This creates a legitimate opportunity for the Red Sox, as long as they don’t get lost in the weeds.”
Juan Soto Top Free Agent of 2025 MLB Class
GettyJuan Soto of the New York Yankees.
Boston has been pinching pennies of late, at least relative to their recent history of spending, which has put the team in position to break the bank this offseason.
Tomase noted at least $70 million in the coffers before the Red Sox have to start paying the luxury tax, which he added the team’s higher-ups have said openly it is willing to do for the right player. So the question becomes whether Soto is that guy.
He’s a four-time All-Star who has finished top-6 in MVP voting in four of the past five years. Soto was a crucial element to the Yankees’ run to the World Series in October, the historic franchise’s first trip to the Fall Classic in 15 years.
Soto is just 26 years old and batted .288 with 41 home runs and 109 runs batted in across 157 games played last season, per Baseball Reference. He also recorded an on-base percentage of .419 and a .569 slugging percentage.
Red Sox Probably Have to Get to $600 Million Offer for Chance at Juan Soto
GettyJuan Soto of the New York Yankees.
Mets owner Steve Cohen is likely to make Soto a highly competitive offer, which could render New York’s other MLB franchise the team to beat when it comes to the salary bidding.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post also mentioned on Monday the Toronto Blue Jays as an organization who could surprise by swooping in and making the biggest offer to the Yankees’ slugger. However, Heyman noted that may be the one scenario in which Soto takes a little less than the absolute top dollar to remain in the United States and play for a more storied franchise like the Yankees, Mets or Red Sox.
Randy Miller of NJ.com said on November 30 that he believes the Yankees will only get to around $550 million with their offer and that at least two other teams have/will offer Soto $600 million or more. Among them, Miller speculated, is the Red Sox.
“I’m hearing the Yankees fear the Red Sox more than anyone,” Miller said. “I think the Mets are definitely in play and the Red Sox are in play.”
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MLB Insider Reveals Sole Path for Red Sox to Steal Juan Soto From Yankees