The Boston Red Sox, like the New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays, met up with the man of the off-season—Juan Soto. While it was a rather ‘productive’ meeting, this is surprising for many. Firstly, the Red Sox were never considered in the run for Soto; it was always the bigger teams going for him. Secondly, the team had never spent so much money on any one player, let alone a free agent. But the meeting went on for three hours, and Soto enjoyed it, which says a lot!

The manager of the team, Alex Cora, was rather tight-lipped about the meeting. He refused even to answer whether he was at the meeting or not. However, Cora did share his mind about Soto, claiming, “People seem to love Juan Soto and his shuffle.” But the plan is easier said than done; Soto is going to cost them $600+ million to clinch. And one thing is for sure—Boston is stepping up!

Red Sox in the right direction with Juan Soto

Red Sox fans should be thrilled for the future – the team, which seemed dormant in making big money moves or really some changes, is not making huge strides. The bold approach to free agency is a direct indication of that. Alex Cora himself hinted at that shift, saying the focus has moved from players to fixing their roster. Cora mentioned, “We have a plan in place. We know there’s certain aspects of the roster that we have to improve. I think we’re going to be very aggressive on that.”

So, while others may call them bluffing and wasting everyone’s time, the team does want to become the winning squad yet again. Boston had an 81-81 finish this season, and they have a promising team of young stars like Bryan Bello and Jarren Duran stepping up. Duran was even asked about Soto and what it would mean to the team, to which he affirmed Soto was a good fit.

Is Juan Soto the missing link for the Red Sox?

Signing Juan Soto could be the game-changer for the Red Sox. Adding that MVP caliber to the team would give it an offensive spark that we haven’t seen since Mookie Betts was last seen in the Red Sox uniform. But there is a problem—a rather left-heavy lineup. If they clinch Soto, the team would end up with three left-handed hitters in the outfield. That’s not balanced, but Jarren Duran doesn’t see it as an issue.

“I don’t think you can have too many lefties,” Jarren Duran said confidently. His laid-back demeanor highlighted complete faith in his team’s ability. Moreover, Duran noted that he is leaving such decisions to the front office and is more into just enjoying the game with his mates –  for him, 2024 was a stepping stone. While the team did fall short of the playoffs, the young group of players made advances.

“We’re a competitive team. Sure, we hit some bumps, but we’re young,” Duran further added, and he couldn’t be more right. But if Soto joins— we are going to see a different team altogether.

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