Red Sox Linked To $105 Million Orioles Superstar As Juan Soto Backup Plan

Can the Red Sox steal a star from their AL East rivals?

Apr 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles hat and glove sits in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Superstar outfielder Juan Soto is the focus of all of Major League Baseball at the moment, and it appears the Boston Red Sox are joining the party.

The Red Sox plan to meet with Soto in Southern California this week, signifying that to some degree, they are interested in spending over $500 million for his services. But with the incumbent New York Yankees and big-budget New York Mets also confirmed to be meeting with Soto, it's hard to give the Red Sox strong odds.

If they do miss out on Soto, the Red Sox can't be caught flat-footed. They need to find some additional power in their lineup, particularly against left-handed pitching. That could lead to a more realistic pursuit of another former American League East rival slugger.

Insider Mark Feinsand of MLB.com recently named Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander as a fit for the Red Sox in free agency. Feinsand was also skeptical that Boston could land Soto, but said he expects them to spend more money than they have in the past few seasons.

"I have heard that Boston plans to spend, and while they plan to meet with Soto, I'm not sure I give them much of a chance of signing him. If the Red Sox were prepared to give a player that type of money, wouldn't Mookie Betts still be in Boston? "

"That said, I think... Anthony Santander and some of the other top guys out there could be interesting options for the Red Sox. They have a nice group of prospects making their way toward the Majors, but I'd expect them to be a player in free agency this year."

Santander, 30, hit a career-high 44 home runs in 2024, setting himself up nicely to get a bag in free agency. He's a switch-hitter with slightly better splits against left-handed pitching in his career (.786 OPS vs. .772 against righties), and escaping the cavernous left field of Baltimore's ballpark should only help him slug more against lefties.

Santander is projected for a five-year, $105 million deal by Tim Britton of The Athletic, which is a high price to pay for a plodding outfielder who could wind up as a designated hitter soon. Nonetheless, the Red Sox could be enticed enough by the power potential to consider that a worthy investment.

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