"If there was one player in baseball who could be the next David Ortiz in Boston, it is Juan Soto" - Red Sox HOFer on who can fill his iconic role
David Ortiz would like to see Juan Soto sign with the Boston Red Sox. The free agent slugger met with the team in California recently, though Ortiz wasn't able to be involved with their pitch.
Despite that, he's been involved with Soto. He revealed, via Audacy, that he lives in the same building and was even with Soto's mom and brother recently:
"We were laughing because somebody sent a fake video saying the Red Sox paid $780 million to him. I saw that when I was sitting with them and we were laughing like crazy."
Ortiz has high hopes for a theoretical Soto era in Boston. In fact, he believes it could be as good as his own tenure in Boston:
"If there was one player in baseball who could be the next David Ortiz in Boston, it is Juan Soto. He’s that good. He’s got great makeup."
Ortiz is one of the most decorated and celebrated players in Red Sox history, a playoff star who helped guide the Sox to championships. Now, he believes that mantle could be taken by Soto if the team is able to land him in free agency.
David Ortiz sees Juan Soto helping Rafael Devers
David Ortiz wants to see the Red Sox add Juan Soto for a variety of reasons, perhaps none bigger than the idea that he'd turn them into legitimate contenders. The Red Sox legend also believes the signing could pay dividends for one player already on the roster.
The former DH believes that Rafael Devers would learn a lot from playing with Soto. He said, via Audacy:
"He’s fun to watch. And he’s so professional. He will make Devers a better player. He's the man."
Ortiz went on to compare it to having himself and Manny Ramirez dominating from the left side of the plate:
"I’m telling you. We would have Manny and Papi for the left side."
Soto will cost whoever, be it the Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, or anyone else, a lot of money. Clearly, Ortiz believes he will be well worth the investment.