The Boston Red Sox continue to stay atop offseason headlines, and the one rumor that fans are most anticipating a development in is, of course, the Juan Soto sweepstakes. It would appear as though early developments are being made.
"(The Red Sox's) meeting with Soto went well, as they sought to convince him that the special talent in their system will allow them to spend on free agents and trade acquisitions over the next several years," wrote Jim Bowden of The Athletic. "Soto was impressed with that aspect of their presentation, according to a league source briefed on the meeting."
There are few if any laurels to rest on in terms of recent success for the Red Sox. It is without surprise that their pitch to Soto is one that highlights the team's bright future and not the World Series championships of six, 11, 17 or 20 years ago. What is somewhat surprising is the claim of the team's willingness to spend in the years to come. Red Sox ownership has talked a big talk early this offseason, but the same can be said about last year when chairman Tom Werner delivered his infamous, and empty, "full throttle" promise.
With so many teams pleading their case to Soto's camp, the expectation is that the bidding war will remain a tight one. What could set the Red Sox apart from the 25-year-old's other suitors may be the talent in their pipeline that give the Red Sox a unique ability to spend, trade, and contend for the foreseeable future with an acquisition of Soto's caliber.