Mets’ Juan Soto Was Surprisingly Close To Joining Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox surprised the baseball world this past offseason.

Boston had spent years avoiding large contracts. The Red Sox said early in the offseason that things were going to be different and they absolutely were. The Red Sox made a handful of moves including the additions of Alex Bregman, Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Aroldis Chapman.

Those were great moves in themselves, but one pursuit stood above the rest. Boston was in the mix for Juan Soto to the surprise of many and the New York Mets superstar opened up about Boston’s pursuit on Tuesday, as shared by The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey.

"It was pretty fun, they showed a lot of love,” Soto told The Athletic regarding the negotiations. “I really appreciated what they did and what they brought to the table. I think it was really impressive, what they bring over. I definitely sat down and looked at it and looked at the offers and everything they had for me. At the end of the day, we went in another direction...

"Yes, they really were right there, they were at the top of the list. They were pushing really hard, but at the end of the day, I made decisions...I think, the history, what they have and how they go about it all,” Soto said. “The history of the ballpark, the city, the team. It’s a pretty good team and has a lot of Dominicans, and it was really impressive for me and really caught my eye."

Ultimately, Soto opted to sign with the Mets over the Red Sox and incumbent New York Yankees. Things worked out for both sides.