Boston Red Sox Reportedly Being Outbid For Yet Another Free Agent

According to MLB Insider Hector Gomez, the Boston Red Sox are going to miss out on another free agent this offseason: Jorge Soler.

It appears as if the Boston Red Sox are set to be left at the free agent altar yet again.

Per Insider Hector Gomez on social media:

SOURCE: The #BlueJays appear willing to offer Jorge Soler a multi-year deal as he is seeking. The #Mets continue to show a lot of interest in him. Regarding the #RedSox, it seems that they will be outbid once again.

SOURCE: The #BlueJays appear willing to offer Jorge Soler a multi-year deal as he is seeking. The #Mets continue to show a lot of interest in him. Regarding the #RedSox, it seems that they will be outbid once again.

— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) January 13, 2024

There's a few things at play here, so let's break it down:

1) The Red Sox missing out on Soler isn't really the story. It's that the Red Sox continue to miss out on everyone that's the story.

The team doesn't really need Soler. They already have six different outfielders that they can go to. His power would be a nice luxury and could maybe allow them to spin an outfielder in a trade for a pitcher, but again, he's not a necessity. But ever since the Red Sox traded Mookie Betts before the 2020 season, they've been unable or unwilling to get top players to come to Boston, which has caused immense frustration among the fanbase.

The team traded Betts, let Xander Bogaerts go in free agency and has failed to address its biggest need: starting pitching, using only stopgap veterans like Martin Perez, Garrett Richards and Corey Kluber mainly since the 2020 season. As a result, the Sox have finished last in the AL East in three of the last four years.

2) If the Red Sox lose out on Soler to the Toronto Blue Jays, it will be another step in pushing the Sox further down the division. The American League East is already a gauntlet and if Toronto gets Soler, they'll become more dangerous and separate further from Boston.

3) Interesting to note: no mention in this report of the Seattle Mariners, who have been linked to Soler as well.

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