Report: Soto meeting with Blue Jays, Red Sox this week
Juan Soto will begin his free-agent visits this week, and it looks like the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox will have the first opportunities to impress the star outfielder.
The Blue Jays will be the first team to meet with Soto this week in California, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Red Sox also have a meeting planned with the 26-year-old this week, while the New York Mets and New York Yankees have sitdowns scheduled with Soto at some point.
Toronto is reportedly serious about adding another star alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after they missed out on signing Shohei Ohtani last offseason.
The Blue Jays' top target is Soto, and they're considered a viable obstacle to the Yankees and Mets, who remain the favorites for his services, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
Toronto had an underwhelming 2024 campaign, finishing last in the AL East with a 74-88 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021. The Blue Jays struggled to score runs, finishing 23rd in the category.
Meanwhile, Boston also missed the postseason in 2024 thanks to an 81-81 record. The Red Sox ranked 11th in the majors in FanGraphs' offensive rating and wRC+.
The San Francisco Giants don't have a meeting set up with Soto, sources told Jayson Stark of The Athletic.
The Dominican outfielder is expected to land one of the most lucrative contracts in baseball history following an incredible 2024 campaign with the Yankees, which included a .288/.419/.569 slash line with 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and a league-leading 128 runs scored.