Juan Soto Opens Up On Red Sox Rank In Free Agent Decision

While Juan Soto did not sign with the Red Sox, Boston shaped its offseason around his free-agent decision.

The 2019 World Series champion ultimately chose the New York Mets in favor of the Red Sox and the New York Yankees on a 15-year, $765 million deal. The outfielder made history when he joined the Mets, but Soto admittedly was “surprised” by Boston’s urgency in pursuit of him in free agency.

“It was pretty fun, they showed a lot of love,” Soto told The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey Tuesday. “I really appreciated what they did and what they brought to the table. I think it was really impressive, what they bring over. I definitely sat down and looked at it and looked at the offers and everything they had for me. At the end of the day, we went in another direction.”

The Red Sox hadn’t been aggressive for top free agents in several years, but Boston took Soto seriously when he hit the open market and remained a real candidate for the slugger when he had to make a final decision last December.

“Yes, they really were right there, they were at the top of the list,” Soto added. “They were pushing really hard, but at the end of the day, I made decisions.”

Taking the field at Fenway Park offered thoughts of what could’ve been for Soto the last two days. Instead, Soto watched the Red Sox win the series from the other dugout.