Red Sox Could Be In American League East Bidding War For Premier Slugger

Boston needs to get something done before spring training

Scott Neville | Feb 1, 2024

Red Sox Could Be In American League East Bidding War For Premier Slugger /

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Could the landing spot for one of the best free agent sluggers remaining come down to a bidding war between the Boston Red Sox and an American League East rival?

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is in search of a right-handed bat with positional versatility with just a couple of weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

There are only a few impact options remaining and Jorge Soler appears to be the best option available -- though his lack of defensive pedigree could create some issues.

Still, there is optimism that the two sides could come together. The New York Post's Jon Heyman was asked about Soler signing with the Red Sox and had an encouraging response.

"That is a possibility," Heyman said Wednesday while appearing on a Bleacher Report live stream. "I had written at some point that the Red Sox and the Jays were most likely. Obviously, the Jays just signed Justin Turner. They say he's likely going to be mostly a designated hitter although maybe he'll play some third base. They don't really have a starting third baseman so maybe there's still room in Toronto."

Later in the livestream, he changed his tune a little on the Blue Jays, implying Turner's presence on the roster complicates matters.

"Everybody wants the Red Sox to sign Soler," Heyman said. "I'm still surprised he didn't end up with Toronto. I mean I don't think they are going to sign him now."

Heyman noted that Soler is seeking a multi-year deal and should get it, naming the Red Sox, Blue Jays, New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels as possible landing spots.

Just hours before the stream, USA Today's Bob Nightengale and Scott Boeck predicted that Soler will eventually sign with the Red Sox.

Despite all of these optimistic reports, the Red Sox are unlikely to make this move. The ownership is starkly against spending money this winter and if they were to make a splash, southpaw Jordan Montgomery would be a much better fit.

With that said, it's most likely that Breslow goes with a cheaper route for both voids.

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Published Feb 1, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu