8 Free Agents Red Sox Need to Target This Offseason

1. Juan Soto

Juan Soto hits this offseason as one of the most coveted free agents of all time. Soto has already racked up quite the list of accolades in his young career. The Dominican native is a four-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger winner, batting champion, and World Series champion at only 26 years old. With his sights already set on baseball immortality in Cooperstown, the courting of Soto will command baseball headlines over the next few months.

On Nov. 14, the Red Sox met with Soto and his representatives in Southern California with Boston team president Sam Kennedy, chairman Tom Werner, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and manager Alex Cora. Per Sean McAdam of MassLive, the meeting was termed as "productive", although actual contract terms were not discussed and the meeting was "largely introductory and informational". Soto has also met with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets, with the expectation of a meeting soon with the New York Yankees.

Since breaking in at 19 years old with the Washington Nationals in 2018, Soto has hit .285/.421/.532 with 201 home runs and 592 RBI. In 2024 with the New York Yankees, the outfielder hit .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and 109 RBI.

On Nov. 16, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reported that the Red Sox could make the "largest bid in franchise history" in their pursuit of Soto:

"Yet given the potential of a centurion in the middle of the lineup, and one whose all-fields approach could be an incredible fit for 81 games at Fenway Park, the Sox seem willing to make the largest bid in franchise history."

- Alex Speier of The Boston Globe

The largest free agency contract in Red Sox history belongs to David Price – who signed a seven-year, $217 million deal in 2015. Soto's deal could amount to nearly three times Price's deal. Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the "general consensus" is that the floor for a Soto deal would be 10 years and $500 million. With competitive bidding among potential suitors, $600 million feels like a reasonable number. Mike Axisa of CBS Sports included a bold prediction that a 15-year, $720 million Soto deal might not be out of the question.

It is easy for the Red Sox to say that they want to be aggressive this offseason and that they are "willing to make the largest bid in franchise history", but will they balk when it comes time to actually talk numbers and write a check? Recent history suggests so, but the Red Sox are doing the right thing in conducting an initial pursuit of Soto. Now, the question becomes how long will that pursuit last?

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