With less than three weeks before players report to spring training, most top free agents have already found new homes, and teams looking to bolster their batting lineups before 2024 are quickly running out of options. One slugger still available on the market is ex-Miami Marlins outfielder Jorge Soler, but as one of the better hitters left to be signed out of free agency, that’s likely to change very soon.
On January 17, Bleacher Report’s Zach Rymer identified the Toronto Blue Jays as the favorites to sign Soler, and a week later, Jon Heyman of the NY Post reported the team “continue to talk” to the 31-year-old slugger. Soler has been linked to multiple teams during the offseason, including the Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Seattle Mariners, but most of those clubs have now signed other hitters to suit their needs.
Who needs some Soler Power? ☀️
In 2023 for the Miami Marlins, Soler slashed .250/.341/.512 with 60 extra-base hits including 36 home runs and 75 RBIs. He declined the $13 million player option on his contract at the end of the season, instead opting to reset his value in free agency. On January 9, Soler told Pelota Cubana USA reporter Yordano Carmona that there’s been no further contact with the Marlins during the offseason, shutting down any speculation of a reunion.
On the other hand, the Blue Jays lost Brandon Belt to free agency at the end of the 2023 season and are yet to replace him in their lineup, so adding offensive power to their roster is a top priority. Having aggressively pursued and lost out on Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto this winter, it’s no surprise Toronto is still active in free agency, and Soler is almost certainly the best slugger left on the market to suit their needs.
‘Many Teams’ Have Shown Interest In Soler
On January 8, MassLive’s Red Sox beat writer Chris Cotillo reported that the Red Sox were still yet to get anywhere close to a deal with Soler, mentioning that “many teams” are interested in signing the 31-year-old.
Spoke to some this morning who were not under the impression anything was close between Jorge Soler and the Red Sox. Believed many teams are in on him, including Diamondbacks, Angels, Marlins and Blue Jays.
After losing their big for star slugger Teoscar Hernández to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Red Sox are still scrambling to salvage a rather underwhelming offseason. On January 7, MLB Insider Héctor Gómez reported the Red Sox had been “very aggressive” in talks with Soler, emerging as the frontrunner to sign him, but almost three weeks later, no developments on a deal have been made.
Boston still needs to add an impact right-handed bat to their lineup before Opening Day, and with Hernández off the market, Soler is an obvious fit to target — if they can afford him. A lack of payroll flexibility is likely what’s holding the team back from locking in a deal with Soler, especially since MLB Trade Rumors’ Anthony Franco reported they missed out on Hernández because they didn’t want to sign a deal beyond two guaranteed years.
The Diamondbacks were also named as a team interested in Soler, but having re-signed star outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in December and recently acquired free agent slugger Joc Pederson, they’re unlikely to still be in the running. Similarly, the Mariners have added catcher Mitch Garner and left fielder Mitch Haniger to their lineup this offseason, so are effectively eliminated from contention to sign Soler.
Soler’s Projected Contract Value
Considering he declined the final season and $13 million of his three-year, $36 million deal with the Marlins, it can be assumed Soler is looking for a new contract with an AAV higher than that figure.
At the start of the offseason, Heyman predicted Soler would be looking at a two-year, $36 million deal in free agency, which would put his AAV at $18 million. Heyman also quoted an MLB expert, who predicted Soler would get a three-year, $42 million deal ($14 million AAV).
Soler’s previous contract with the Marlins included salaries of $12 million for 2022 and $15 million for 2023, plus a player option that escalated from $9 million to $13 million based on plate appearances during the 2023 season. A 10-year veteran in MLB, Soler’s stats in 2023 were some of the strongest of his career, and he’s likely looking to secure a new multi-year deal while still riding the high of his 36-homer season.
It’s now just a question of if the Blue Jays will meet his price before another team swoops in, or if Soler will become yet another free agent that got away from them this winter.
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Blue Jays ‘Continue to Talk’ to Ex-Marlins Slugger: Reports