"Yankees went that far this year because of Juan Soto" - David Ortiz believes 4x All-Star could transform Red Sox lineup in 2025 and beyond

Fresh off an MVP-finalist season and a World Series appearance, Juan Soto is hitting free agency at a good time. The 26-year-old has a number of legitimate suitors, and the Boston Red Sox are one of them. He recently met with team brass and heard its pitch.

Red Sox legend David Ortiz wants nothing more than to see his team pry Soto away from the Yankees. He believes he is a stellar player who could fill his iconic role in Boston.

He also said on Friday that the four-time All-Star is the reason the New York Yankees went to the World Series and would be a perfect addition to the Sox lineup, via Audacy:

"If there is a guy I would like to build a team around it would have to be Juan Soto. Juan Soto speaks Spanish and he speaks English so he can communicate with both American and Latin players. He has that good vibe. I tell you what, the Yankees went that far this year because of him. He changed everything for them there."

He continued:

"When you have a top player doing the things that he does, everybody follows up. That’s what they did over there."

Ortiz added that Soto has "incredible makeup", believing that he would be a monumental addition for Rafael Devers and the rest of the Red Sox offensive stars.

Juan Soto had productive meeting with Red Sox

Juan Soto went to California to meet with the Red Sox brass. He's expected to stay there and meet with several other teams. The Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, New York Mets and others are expected to see him at some point.

While it's still very early in the process, Soto reportedly had a productive meeting with the team. According to MassLive, he came away impressed with their pitch. They missed the postseason and finished 81-81 last year but have a rich history.

They also have many beloved Latin American players, which suggests that Soto would be right at home with their fan base. It will likely be a while before the slugger makes his decision, though.