Rumor: Red Sox Named Finalist in Juan Soto Sweepstakes as Decision (Maybe?) Nears

[Matthew Lenz]

The sweepstakes for the prized possession of the 2025 Free Agent class is possibly nearing its end.

Yesterday, Andy Martino of SNY stated "Everyone I talk to who's involved in this at any level believes that the news will drop this week, before [the Winter Meetings in] Dallas." 

J.P. Hoopstra of Newsweek disputed that rumor citing Soto's agent, Scott Boras.

Marino Pepén took it a step further, indicating the Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays (in that order) are the finalists for the superstars services.

Last week, Hector Gomez reported that the Red Sox made an offer of 13 years, $625 million. Despite quite a bit of skepticism from fans and other insiders alike, this was largely confirmed by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Whether the sweepstakes ends ahead of the Winter Meetings or not, the Red Sox are still in the running for the superstar. If the reports are true, they're current behind the New York Mets as favorites.

Do you think the Red Sox should up their ante for a second time?

View full rumor

[moonslav59]

If I had to guess:

45% Mets

33% Sox

10% TOR

6% NYY and 6% LAD

[mvp 78]

But that Mick guy said the signing would be announced by the Sox in a press conference mid week?!?!?!?

Mets 30%

TOR 20%

LAD 20%

BOS 15%

NYY 15%

[Bellhorn04]

I don't get the point of assigning %s LOL

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I don't get the point of assigning %s LOL

Same point as any of this conjecture I guess. 

[Bellhorn04]

51 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Same point as any of this conjecture I guess. 

Oh I know.  It's the pie-chart precision that makes me chuckle.

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Oh I know.  It's the pie-chart precision that makes me chuckle.

I could have said...

The Mets have the best chance but not as good as the other 4 teams combined.

The Sox have the second best shot, but with 5 teams involved, chances are not good.

The rest have slight or lesser chances.

[Bellhorn04]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I could have said...

The Mets have the best chance but not as good as the other 4 teams combined.

The Sox have the second best shot, but with 5 teams involved, chances are not good.

The rest have slight or lesser chances.

All we really have to go on is gut feelings.

[mvp 78]

36 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Oh I know.  It's the pie-chart precision that makes me chuckle.

Could have done Power Rankings instead? 

[Hugh2]

100% Red Sox

0% Mets

0% Dodgers

-100% Yankees

[moonslav59]

47 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

All we really have to go on is gut feelings.

Indeed, same as you thinking Cohen will never be outbid.

[Bellhorn04]

22 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Could have done Power Rankings instead? 

Power Rankings are definitely one of the stupidest things ever conceived.

[Bellhorn04]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

Indeed, same as you thinking Cohen will never be outbid.

Yep, and I still think that. 

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Yep, and I still think that. 

Just don't say 100% or 75% or 51%, right?

[Bellhorn04]

8 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Just don't say 100% or 75% or 51%, right?

Right, just place a bet one way or the other.  Pie charts are too wishy-washy.  😉

[moonslav59]

So, if it's not the Mets, you think the other 29 teams have exactly the same odds.

Got it.

[Bellhorn04]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

So, if it's not the Mets, you think the other 29 teams have exactly the same odds.

Got it.

No, I think the Mets will offer the most money and we need Soto to prefer Boston.  That's been my position for a while now.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

52 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Right, just place a bet one way or the other.  Pie charts are too wishy-washy.  😉

Every time I see one of those commercials I want to parlay a quintana or at least a manaea. But I don't want to get banned for life...

.... although when MLB is officially owned by FanDuel in a few years, maybe they'll give me a pardon. Or deport me from deportes.

[notin]

2 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Power Rankings are definitely one of the stupidest things ever conceived.

In football, there’s a strong argument for QB rating…

[vjcsmoke]

If the Red Sox are left at the altar again not only is this monumentally embarrassing, what's even our Plan B?

It's still going to be seen as a big L by the fans. That will not drive up ticket sales like the owners want.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, vjcsmoke said:

If the Red Sox are left at the altar again not only is this monumentally embarrassing, what's even our Plan B?

It's still going to be seen as a big L by the fans. That will not drive up ticket sales like the owners want.

So, it would have been better had JH never made a play for Soto?

[Larry Cook]

44 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

So, it would have been better had JH never made a play for Soto?

I do not believe so. I think the Sox have shown they are willing to step up!  But cohen is the 800 pound gorilla in the room, no shame in losing to a guy that could own all of South Dakota if he wanted 

[moonslav59]

48 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

I do not believe so. I think the Sox have shown they are willing to step up!  But cohen is the 800 pound gorilla in the room, no shame in losing to a guy that could own all of South Dakota if he wanted 

If we never bid on Soto, we could still see our plan A come true!

 

LOL!

[vjcsmoke]

4 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

So, it would have been better had JH never made a play for Soto?

I'm not saying they shouldn't try. It's a no-brainer to go after a generational talent like Soto hitting free agency in his prime.

I'm saying there are still huge public perception problems if they fail to land Soto. The Red Sox ownership have literally been booed at Winter Meetings for making false promises of Full Throttle and also Henry's infamous statement of owning a baseball team is expensive. They need to land the Big Fish to repair their public image issues.

Red Sox nation still remembers selling off Mookie Betts for a horrible return because they were too cheap to even try to keep him. The salt rubs in the wound even more when you consider he won TWO championships with the Dodgers after being traded away.

[Hitch]

7 hours ago, vjcsmoke said:

I'm not saying they shouldn't try. It's a no-brainer to go after a generational talent like Soto hitting free agency in his prime.

I'm saying there are still huge public perception problems if they fail to land Soto. The Red Sox ownership have literally been booed at Winter Meetings for making false promises of Full Throttle and also Henry's infamous statement of owning a baseball team is expensive. They need to land the Big Fish to repair their public image issues.

Red Sox nation still remembers selling off Mookie Betts for a horrible return because they were too cheap to even try to keep him. The salt rubs in the wound even more when you consider he won TWO championships with the Dodgers after being traded away.

You'd have to be a complete idiot to think us not getting Soto is some sort of embarrassment and /or stain on Ownership. 

 

This is the first thing they've done right in a while. Regardless of if we get him (needing to outbid the richest guy in Baseball history along the way).

[Bellhorn04]

24 minutes ago, Hitch said:

You'd have to be a complete idiot to think us not getting Soto is some sort of embarrassment and /or stain on Ownership. 

 

This is the first thing they've done right in a while. Regardless of if we get him (needing to outbid the richest guy in Baseball history along the way).

Falling short on Soto would not, in itself, be an embarrassment.  

On the other hand, trying for Soto doesn't, in itself, mean this offseason won't end up an embarrassment.

 

[mvp 78]

13 hours ago, vjcsmoke said:

If the Red Sox are left at the altar again not only is this monumentally embarrassing, what's even our Plan B?

It's still going to be seen as a big L by the fans. That will not drive up ticket sales like the owners want.

At the very least, it shows they are a little more serious this offseason. Last year, they mailed in the Yamamoto signing after the "full throttle" nonsense. Prior to that, there hasn't been a big outside acquisition since JD Martinez. 

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Falling short on Soto would not, in itself, be an embarrassment.  

On the other hand, trying for Soto doesn't, in itself, mean this offseason won't end up an embarrassment.

 

If you believe Cohen will not be outbid, then it can't be an embarrassment to lose the bidding war.

We'll know it's all a sham, if we lose and don't pivot to spending big on at least 2 of the remaining 5 or 6 high end FAs on the market- or one with a blockbuster trade include.

Offering Soto $45-50M a year, and losing out, followed by spending $25-30M on plan B won't cut it for this poster. If, instead, we go all out on plan B, I'll cut some slack, even if it does not end up working out.

What does "all out mean?" At minimum:

1. Burnes and or Fried

2. Scott, Hoffman, Holmes or Estevez

3. Teoscar, Bregman or Adames or a trade for a big RHB

4. D Jansen or some capable catcher to bridge to Teel

(5) We might also need a trade to add one more piece to cover expected injuries.

To be honest, I have serious doubts we do even 1, 3 and 4.

 

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

At the very least, it shows they are a little more serious this offseason. Last year, they mailed in the Yamamoto signing after the "full throttle" nonsense. Prior to that, there hasn't been a big outside acquisition since JD Martinez. 

I kinda think Story was as big as JD, but within the context of losing Bogey, shortly afterwards, and the constant injuries to Trevor, it pales compared to JD.

[Bellhorn04]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

If you believe Cohen will not be outbid, then it can't be an embarrassment to lose the bidding war.

If that's what happens, "some will say" the Red Sox pursuit of Soto was a big waste of time, and they should have known from the start no one would outbid Cohen.  And it'll be two years in a row they made their top targets guys they had no chance at (Moto last year), so that's kind of dumb in itself.

And I realize that all sounds like it came from a spokesperson for the Fellowship of the Miserable!