Non-New York team named 'maybe the favorite' to sign Juan Soto

A report from Monday revealed that the Toronto Blue Jays, rather than the New York Yankees or New York Mets, could "come in with the highest offer" for All-Star outfielder Juan Soto. That same story insisted that "Soto is willing to play" home games in Toronto. 

Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com subsequently shared that the Boston Red Sox "have emerged as a favorite -- maybe THE favorite -- to land" Soto, so much so that the Yankees allegedly are "now more worried about their AL East rival Red Sox than the crosstown rival Mets, who have the richest owner in Steve Cohen." 

The Blue Jays, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly "presented contract offers to agent Scott Boras" in November as part of the Soto sweepstakes. According to Miller, the Red Sox, Mets and Blue Jays "made offers upwards of $600M while the Yankees are in the $550M range." 

While Miller indicated that Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is "prepared to move on if the price goes above $600M," it was previously said that Cohen is "willing to go $50M over whatever anybody offers" to sign Soto.

Per NESN's Tim Crowley, Yankees insider Jack Curry suggested after Miller's story was published that the Bronx Bombers still have hope they can convince Soto to stay with the club he represented in this year's World Series. 

"The Yankees have been very comfortable with the presentation and the process they have had with Soto," Curry said during Monday's edition of the Yes Network "Yankees Hot Stove" program. "They feel they’ve made this a priority. They have put their best foot forward. They say that they are comfortable with whatever decision he ends up making because they feel that they have sent the message to him." 

Multiple reporters have said Soto and Boras will likely finalize a decision by the time the winter meetings, scheduled to begin this coming Monday, conclude next week. If whispers about Soto wanting to take the highest offer are accurate, it sounds like the Yankees will ultimately lose the 26-year-old to a rival club regardless of what paying customers will feel about seeing him play for a team such as the Red Sox, Blue Jays or Mets.