The Boston Red Sox have spent decades watching the New York Yankees swipe star after star in free agency, but now they have the chance to return the favor in the most painful way possible.

Randy Miller of NJ.com took to the WFAN airwaves on Friday, November 30, and dubbed the Red Sox among the favorites (along with the New York Mets) to sign slugger Juan Soto away from the Yankees.

“I’m hearing the Yankees fear the Red Sox more than anyone,” Miller said, according to Danny Abriano of SNYtv. “I think the Mets are definitely in play and the Red Sox are in play. And I don’t think he’s going to the Yankees.”

Yankees Expected to Come Up Short on Money for Juan Soto

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Juan Soto of the New York Yankees.

Signing Soto out from under the Yankees after the season he just had in his sole campaign in the Bronx would be a major coup for Boston in the American League East.

The 26-year-old Soto, who New York acquired for the 2024 campaign via a trade with the San Diego Padres, was a key piece in the Yankees’ run to the World Series — the first time they’ve made a trip to the Fall Classic in 15 years.

In the end, Miller said it is going to come down to money. And, considering Soto has played just one of his seven years in MLB with the Yankees, Miller doesn’t expect that the four-time All-Star will give New York any sort of discount for sentimental reasons.

“I’m hearing the Yankees will top out probably in the $550 [million] range,” Miller continued. “I believe Soto has at least two, and maybe three, offers already over $600 [million]. I haven’t confirmed that, but that’s what I believe.”

Mets, Dodgers Also in Hunt to Sign Juan Soto

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New York Yankees free agent Juan Soto.

It is rare that the Yankees don’t have the wherewithal to compete with the rest of the sport’s biggest spenders and match the top-dollar offers for that offseason’s free agent of note. However, that could prove the situation in Soto’s case.

Part of the problem is the Red Sox and their interest in Soto, but the rest of the problem can be summed up via an examination of the Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both organizations have more cash to burn than New York this offseason, which has led prominent analysts to predict Soto will end up in one of those two locations.

“No need to complicate things,” Andy McCullough of The Athletic wrote on November 29. “[Mets owner Steve] Cohen has the deepest pockets. He will dip into them to sign Soto to the richest (present-day value, for sure) contract in baseball history.”

The Dodgers have also already met with Soto, and it is likely that the Mets and the Dodgers are among the group of franchises that Miller believes have already committed to paying the slugger north of $600 million on his next contract.

Boston should have roughly as good of a chance as either of those teams to land Soto if the organization matches, or exceeds, the competing offers, which could mean the Yankees’ most valuable postseason performer from their World Series run is playing for the Red Sox come 2025.