Even if the Red Sox were to win the bidding for free agent outfielder Juan Soto — a decided long shot, admittedly — that wouldn’t be enough to propel the team into actual contention for 2025 and beyond.
Soto would help, of course. He’s a generational hitter, the kind who can lift an entire lineup. Plus, there’s no telling the impact he would have on the stash of elite prospects on the way, most of whom, like Soto, hit lefthanded.