The New York Mets and Boston Red Sox have each missed out on their top targets in MLB free agency this winter. However, with several All-Star hitters still out on the open market, the Mets and Red Sox are reportedly in a tight race for a top outfielder.
Boston has been in the market for an outfielder since it traded Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees. Some of the high-priced options like Cody Bellinger have seemingly been ruled out, but the depth of this year’s free-agent class in the outfield does provide Boston with other quality options.
Related: Highest-paid MLB players
As for New York, the Mets’ failed pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto has led the club in a different direction. Instead of paying top dollar for an impact player in their 30s, New York is focused on second-tier players. With the Mets’ rotation unlikely to be strong next season, upgrading the lineup has become a priority.
- Jorge Soler stats 2023: .250/.341/.512, 36 home runs, 75 RBI, 126 wRC+
According to Hector Gómez of Z101 Digital, the Mets, Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays are all competing to sign All-Star outfielder Jorge Soler. Boston was initially the front-runner, per Gómez, but there’s now a belief from sources involved with the talks that the Red Sox will be outbid for Soler.
Soler, a two-time World Series champion, is reportedly seeking a multi-year contract with at least 3 years guaranteed. Toronto is willing to offer that, per Gómez, while the Mets remain highly interested and talks are ongoing.
Related: Boston Red Sox deem top free-agent target ‘too expensive’
- Jorge Soler fielding stats: 57th percentile arm strength, -3 Outs Above Average, -2 Arm Value
The veteran outfielder has been inconsistent at the plate in recent years. In 2022, he posted a .207/.295/.400 slash line with 13 home runs in 306 plate appearances. However, he does have three seasons with 27-plus home runs and a walk rate above 10 percent.
