MLB rumors: Why Blue Jays, Red Sox could be Juan Soto 'smokescreen'

It was recently reported that the Toronto Blue Jays could end up making the largest offer to superstar free agent Juan Soto. The Blue Jays, along with the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets are seen as the biggest threats to the New York Yankees in their pursuit of re-signing Soto.

The Blue Jays potentially being prepared to offer Soto the largest contract was a surprise to many. MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand and MLB.com Mets reporter Anthony DiComo discussed the Blue Jays reports and the state of Juan Soto’s free agency on Wednesday.

“If the Blue Jays were truly planning to blow everyone out of the water, why would they advertise that in advance,” DiComo wrote. “This reeks of misdirection.”

“Ah, the misdirection. This feels like a big smokescreen,” Feinsand wrote in response. “Get the Blue Jays (and Red Sox?) involved to scare the Yankees about having to face him in the AL East for the next decade-plus. Get the Mets involved because they have the most money — and because the Yankees won’t want to lose him to the Mets and see him on the back pages for the next decade-plus.”

What DiComo and Feinsand are implying is that Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, could be pulling some strings behind the scenes to try and get the Yankees to increase their offer. Like Feinsand mentions, it would be a disaster for the Yankees if Soto signed with the Blue Jays or Red Sox and stayed in the AL East or if he signed with the Mets, the Yankees’ crosstown rivals.

It is a distinct possibility that these teams are just being used as leverage by Boras to get the Yankees to increase their offer.

Juan Soto’s free agency

New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) hits an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. — © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Soto’s free agency could be coming to an end sooner than expected. There is a chance that he makes his final free agency decision before the Winter Meetings start on Monday.

The latest reports suggests that Soto’s contract will be worth over $600 million, and that any team still in contention to sign Soto is prepared to go above that number.

At just 26 years of age, Soto is already one of, if not the best hitter in baseball. Soto had one of the best seasons of his young career with the Yankees in 2024. He slashed .288/.419/.569 while hitting a career-high 41 home runs, driving in 109 runs, drawing 129 walks and scoring an American League-leading 128 runs.

It will soon be revealed whether or not teams like the Blue Jays and Red Sox truly had a shot at signing Soto, or were just being used as what Feinsand described as a “smokescreen.”