The Boston Red Sox continue to be major contenders in the pursuit of Juan Soto, reportedly offering the generational outfielder a 12-year, $600 million contract. Some sources suggest their bid could be even higher. However, there are concerns that the Red Sox might not be able to compete with the financially powerful New York Mets.
Despite this, Boston’s chief of baseball operations, Craig Breslow, is unlikely to back down in his search for a powerful outfield bat. The team recently parted ways with Tyler O’Neill, who hit 31 home runs in just 411 at-bats in 2024, leaving the Red Sox with a clear void in their lineup when it comes to power hitting.
No other hitter on the Red Sox roster hit more than 28 home runs last season, with Rafael Devers leading the team with 28, and breakout star Jarren Duran contributing 21. While Soto hit a career-high 41 home runs with the Yankees in 2024, baseball insider Jim Bowden, formerly a general manager for the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds, suggested the Red Sox could target a power-hitting outfielder who out-homered Soto in 2024—Baltimore Orioles’ Anthony Santander.
Santander, who has spent his entire eight-year career with the Orioles, hit 44 home runs in 2024, with a .506 slugging percentage and an .814 OPS. While his numbers fall short of Soto’s .569 slugging and .989 OPS, Santander is expected to come at a significantly lower cost.
His projected market value, according to SpoTrac, is around $88.7 million over five years, averaging $17.7 million per year—much more affordable compared to the $50 million per year Soto is reportedly seeking.
Despite the potential for a lower-cost option like Santander, the Red Sox are still heavily invested in landing Soto. Bowden noted that the Red Sox are prepared to be aggressive and decisive this offseason, signaling their seriousness in acquiring Soto. However, if they miss out on Soto, it will likely be due to a more lucrative offer from another team, most likely the Mets or Yankees.
In addition to Soto, Bowden also mentioned that the Red Sox are expected to pursue 32-year-old outfielder Teoscar Hernández. Hernández, who helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series in 2024, hit 33 home runs while posting a .501 slugging percentage and an .840 OPS. Hernández has confirmed that the Red Sox expressed interest in him during the previous offseason, making it likely they will return to him as another power-hitting option this winter.
