Juan Soto Says Red Sox Were at 'Top of the List' with Mets, Yankees Before FA Contract

With Juan Soto and the New York Mets playing at Fenway Park on Tuesday for the second game in a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox, the slugger's free agency was once again in the headlines.

And he revealed the Red Sox were right in the running alongside the Mets and New York Yankees.

"Yes, they really were right there, they were at the top of the list," Soto said, per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. "They were pushing really hard, but at the end of the day, I made decisions."

Soto ultimately signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets after playing for the Yankees during the 2024 campaign. Given the Yankees' status as the incumbent team and the significant money the Mets were offering, Boston was likely fighting an uphill battle.

But it apparently put up quite the fight with McCaffrey noting it reportedly offered 15 years and $700 million.

"I was surprised how hard they tried," Soto said. "I was really impressed with how hard they tried, but there's nothing else to say. I was really glad they did what they did."

He continued, adding, "It was pretty fun, they showed a lot of love. 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."

While Soto is one of the best players in the league with a long track record of success, he has gotten off to something of a slow start with New York.

Through 47 games, he is slashing .246/.376/.439 with eight home runs and 20 RBI, which are solid-but-unspectacular numbers for someone with a World Series title, batting title, five Silver Slugger awards and four All-Star Game selections on his resume at 26 years old.

He even had to address how much he is hustling on the field:

The Mets have hit something of a rough patch with losses in four of their last five games heading into Tuesday's contest, but Soto is sure to start playing at a higher level given his history.

And when he does, the Red Sox and every other team that tried to sign him this past offseason will likely regret missing out on him once again.