Juan Soto, Washington Nationals. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Boston Red Sox fans are freaking out that Juan Soto has an affinity for one of their city’s teams.
Washington Nationals star Juan Soto may not be hitting unrestricted free agency for few more years, but Boston Red Sox fans are salivating over the idea of him playing at Fenway after his latest comment.
When asked what his favorite sport is besides baseball, Soto admitted to being a big NBA fan, citing he just recently purchased Al Horford and Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics jerseys. Soto has two more arbitration years left on his Nationals deal, but could he realistically leave the nation’s capital for Boston ahead of his unrestricted free agency in 2025? Nationals fans have to hate this.
The Celtics could see their championship window close by then, but Soto to Boston is interesting.
@batboysbaseball Juan Soto is a big NBA guy 💯🏀 What’s your favorite sport to watch? 🤔 #nba #sports #mlb #baseballtiktoks ♬ original sound – Bat Boys
Boston Red Sox fans have to love Juan Soto’s surprising connection to the city
This is the Dominican outfielder’s fifth big-league season. He debuted with Washington as an 18-year-old in 2018. Soto has already won a World Series in his five years with the Nationals. Despite being their best player, Washington is in the second year of what looks to be a painful rebuilding process. He may feel loyal to the franchise and may want to ride this thing out, but he could walk.
Assuming he has his health and plays up to his lofty standard, Soto is going to make all the money in the world during 2026 MLB free agency. We are talking about a player getting something absurd like a 15-year contract worth over $400 million. Washington may have the upper hand to retain his services, but the Nationals have to show they can put forth a winning product in a year or so.
In theory, Boston would be a team in the mix to sign a player like Soto should he hit free agency. The Red Sox do have the occasional down year or two, but have fielded a competitive team for the most part of their history. They have also shown a willingness historically to pay big money to bring stars to their franchise. Their most recent acquisition was Trevor Story over from Colorado.
It is still a long ways away, but Soto’s love of the NBA could play a part in him signing with Boston.