Red Sox Insider Floats Odds That Juan Soto Actually Signs With Boston
The Boston Red Sox look to be in a great position. And it couldn’t have come at a better time with the franchise facing an all-important offseason.
Given the state of their farm system and their perceived willingness to spend this offseason, it sets the Red Sox up to land marquee players either through free agency or trade and hang onto some of their best prospects. That would allow the Red Sox to contend as early as next season and keep them situated to do so year after year as their young core developed.
The Red Sox apparently tried to convey that when they recently met with superstar free agent Juan Soto. Soto reportedly wanted to know about how teams evaluated players and how well-stocked their farm systems were when he met with representatives from multiple organizations.
But even with that going for Boston, its odds to land the 26-year-old outfielder aren’t exactly high, according to one Red Sox insider.
“I got to imagine that that was one of the drums they were banging on pretty hard when they met with Juan Soto (like), ‘Look at what we are. Look at our rankings so forth and so on,'” Rob Bradford told WEEI’s Christian Arcand and Andy Hart on Thursday. “I still put it at 20%, but still, the fact that we’re talking about it, the fact that we can get jacked up about it, it’s a refreshing change.”
Soto reportedly was “impressed” by the Red Sox when team president Sam Kennedy, chairman Tom Werner, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Alex Cora flew out to California and held a three-hour meeting with the four-time All-Star. David Ortiz even has done his best to lobby for the Red Sox and feels “optimistic” that Boston can land Soto.
But the Red Sox sure are facing plenty of competition for Soto’s services. The Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees have all reportedly met with Soto.
The Red Sox are in that mix, which is a way better spot to be in than not being invited to the dance at all.