Have you ever sat through an hours-long meeting and seriously enjoyed it? We aren’t talking breaks or a luncheon -the Major League Baseball star and the current gem of the off-season, Juan Soto, had a three-hour meeting with the Boston Red Sox. Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reported this, quoting it as a rather ‘productive’ meeting rather than tolerable, and that the meeting included a formal presentation to introduce Soto to the franchise. 

According to the reports, Juan Soto had met up first with the Toronto Blue Jays, followed by the meeting with the Red Sox, then New York Mets, and the New York Yankees. Soto is taking these meetings with the teams from Southern California, along with Scott Boras. Now what’s surprising is that in those 3 hours, money was not a topic of discussion. Plus, many people are calling that stretch of a meeting with Soto coming to each, over the top, but not everyone thinks so.

MLB Insider says Boston fans should be happy

The Boston Red Sox were not in the race for Juan Soto. It was just the big teams with bigger pockets there. But now, they have come for their biggest rival—the New York Yankees, by going after Soto. Since 2019, the team has been scaling back on spending. But their commitment to investing in the roster shows that things are changing—and as Erik Kratz said, Red Sox fans should be happy.

During his exchange on Foul Territory, insider Erik Kratz mentioned first that Juan Soto going in is ‘good for baseball’ and not all corny. Instead, Krtaz mentioned, ‘It keeps you on your toes.” Also the entire meeting, given how it went, should make the Red Sox fans happy – it shows that the team has a renewed interest in changing things. Plus, there are reports from the recent GM meetings from both the agents and the rivals that the Sox are taking an aggressive approach this time around. 

However, despite ‘money’ being a big factor in Juan Soto‘s deal, the fact that the team did not even discuss their finances in that 3-hour-long meeting can be shocking. But what if that’s what the Red Sox’s big plan is?

Boston Red Sox bank on their Dominican legacy to woo Juan Soto

The Boston Red Sox might have a strategy in mind—they are banking on their strong history rather than the financial aspects at least for the beginning. In the meeting with Soto, the top-team executives including chair Tom Werner, didn’t discuss money but rather focused their attention on Boston’s proud legacy, of players with Dominican roots especially.

The Red Sox highlighted their connection to Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, and Perdro Martinez—the icons who powered their epic 2004 World Series win and got over the wrecked curse. Adding to their pride is Rafael Devers, who is a three-time All-star from the Dominican Republic, who signed a $313.5 million contract in 2023 with the team. But the team knows better, they are aware that Soto’s signature will need more than mere nostalgia.

In short—it would require more than $500 million. Insider Stevel Phillips has said that Soto will get a $701 million deal, eclipsing the Shohei Ohtani deal. Do you think the Sox can afford this? Let us know your answer in the comments.