"Wouldn't pay Mookie Betts half of Juan Soto"; "Ready to have my heart broken" - Fans react as odds of former Yankees star joining Red Sox increase
Juan Soto's free agency has been a hot topic this offseason. The 26-year-old superstar has a huge decision on where he would like to spend what will likely be the prime years of his career.
Already one of the big leagues' most sought-after talents, Soto's impressive 2024 season only confirmed most experts' beliefs that the Dominican is destined to get a big paycheck. Thus, whoever ultimately signs Soto will likely give a bumper offer. The teams reportedly most interested are the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, along with, of course, the New York Yankees.
On Thursday, MLB analyst Jared Carrabis took to X, posting that the odds of Soto joining the Red Sox had gone up from less than 5% to around 10%.
However, many fans, when replying to the original post, found it hard to believe that Soto was indeed going to end up at Fenway Park.
"The Red Sox are being used by Scott Boras. They wouldn’t pay Mookie Betts half of what Juan Soto is going to get. There’s a 0% chance Juan Soto goes to Boston"
"Jerry I'm frothing from the mouth for some Soto news, I'm ready to have my heart broken. But no sleep till then."
"We know how this ends, Jared." a fan posted.
"It's 0% It's not happening after the real teams go shopping the Red Sox will go dumpster diving. I can say this because that's what they have done the last 6 years." another fan shared.
"It was a 0% chance and it's still a 0% chance" another fan said.
"Dream on! NEVER HAPPENING" another fan commented.
Juan Soto "worth more than Aaron Judge," says MLB insider
In 2022, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million deal. Soto's next contract is estimated to exceed that number.
According to former big leaguer Erik Kratz, Soto getting paid more than Judge is justified, and the Yankees should not hesitate to put a deal on the table that represents that belief if they want to make sure their superstar stays put.
"[If I was negotiating on behalf of the Yankees] I'm going to show Juan, I'm going to show him with my words, I'm going to show him with my money and I'm going to say, 'I think that you are worth more than Aaron Judge. I think you are better than Aaron Judge by $3 million a year. I think your career has shown that," Kratz said [4:00]
Kratz's argument is debatable, with Judge the odds-on favorite to win the AL MVP award following a tremendous regular season performance in 2024. Meanwhile, Juan Soto also showed his value to the team in the postseason by batting .327 in October. Judge, on the other hand, was a shadow of his former self, batting .184 in the playoffs.
Being the most decorated team, with a fanbase that prioritizes winning above all else, a player that can perform to a fantastic level in the regular season and then maintain it in the postseason the way Soto did in 2024 is worth their weight in gold.