What We’re Hearing from Red’s GMs: Red Sox Tops $600 Million Deal, Soto Favorites Emerge
As the MLB offseason heats up, the Red Sox have emerged as a frontrunner in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, with a deal that could surpass $600 million, according to industry insiders. After months of speculation, it is now confirmed that the team has made a formal offer to the superstar outfielder. Sources within the Red Sox front office have expressed confidence that Soto is a major part of their future plans, aiming to secure his services for the long term with a contract that could be the richest in MLB history.
The news has sent shockwaves through the league, as the Yankees, Soto’s current team, look to either re-sign him or find a trade partner. However, the Red Sox’s massive offer has given them a strong edge in the negotiations. Other teams, including the Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers, have also shown interest, but the Red Sox’s deal, which includes a combination of front-loaded salary and long-term financial flexibility, makes them the clear favorites.
With the clock ticking on Soto’s contract talks, the Red Sox are poised to make a splash this winter, and Soto’s future may soon be decided. Fans and GMs alike are eagerly awaiting what could be a game-changing move for the franchise.
Soto Decision Could Come As Early as This Week
“The clubs publicly known to be most serious about Soto are the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers. The two people briefed on the negotiations said that all remaining contenders have made offers above $600 million,” the reporters wrote. “The expectation within the industry is that Soto will make his decision by the end of the Winter Meetings, which begin in Dallas on Sunday, and possibly even before the meetings kick off.”
So the Red Sox apparently still face stiff competition in their quest to land this offseason’s top free agent.
One problem they face, however, is that according to the Athletic report, Soto has already begun scratching certain destinations off of his list.
“When you’re going through these things, he’s just got a lot of information to meld through,” Scott Boras, Soto’s high-powered agent, was quoted as saying. “We’ve had meetings with a number of franchises. He’s begun the process of eliminating teams and doing things. Juan is a very methodical thinker, so we’ll see, but I don’t think anything is imminent in the near future.”
Boras’s claim that no decision is “imminent” would appear to contradict Rosenthal’s reporting that baseball experts feel Soto could make up his mind as early as this week, before the Winter Meetings begin on December 8.
A separate report earlier this week, by Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media, named the Red Sox as the “favorite” to land the generational hitting star.
How Good is Juan Soto, Really?
How good is Soto? His career OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage) of .953 places him third among all active players, behind only his 2024 Yankees teammate Aaron Judge (1.010) and the Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout (.991). Soto ranks a notch ahead of the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (.946).
Soto’s career OPS places him 23rd on the all-time list. He is tied for that spot with Todd Helton, who played his entire 17-year career with the Colorado Rockies and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.
In 2024, Soto’s 41 home runs ranked fourth in MLB and third in the American League. His offensive Wins Above Replacement (WAR) number of 7.9 — meaning the number of wins a player is worth compared to a typical “replacement level” player — ranked Soto fifth in baseball.
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