DALLAS — There are no prizes for finishing second — or third — in the bidding for a glamourous free agent. They do not award runner-up medals for free agent negotiations.
The Red Sox tried, but came up empty on outfielder Juan Soto, falling approximately $65 million short of the New York Mets’ winning bid of 15 years, $765 million. They were distinct long-shots going in and effectively also-rans in the end.
Still, the Sox’ effort and interest was legitimate. Ultimately, when the bidding soared past the $700 million mark, they cashed out. It could rightly be said that Mets owner Steve Cohen, the wealthiest owner in the game, was not about to let Soto, his white whale, get away. Had it taken $800 million, he undoubtedly would have gone there, too.
Landing Soto was always going to be a luxury purchase for the Red Sox. At the end of the season, it was clear that pitching was the team’s primary need and two months later, post-Soto, that remains the case. Nothing has changed.
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In one sense, losing out on Soto can be liberating for the Red Sox. Had they won the bidding for him, it might have forced the Red Sox into trading for pitching help, since owner John Henry, having spent three-quarters of a billion on the outfielder, might not have authorized another $200 million or so for a top free agent starting pitcher.
Now, the Red Sox start over, with a clean slate and no obligations. And their willingness to go toe-to-toe — to a point, at least — with the Mets and Yankees has earned them a newfound respect from their fan base, who were skeptical of the level of engagement on Soto until the end. The $700 million or so they bid bought them credibility.
The key for the Red Sox is not squander the goodwill that the pursuit of Soto brought them. That will require the same aggressiveness they’ve already demonstrated as they seek to fill the other holes on the roster.
* The Red Sox still need a No. 1 starter. Two experienced starters, Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, remain on the free agent market, no doubt ready to pounce now that several big-market teams lost out on Soto. The Yankees will be eager to go big, having been usurped in their own city. So too will the Dodgers and Blue Jays, two teams who seemed more on the periphery of the Soto chase.
The Sox can’t afford to sit back here. And having shown the appetite to spend $700 million, they need to go after at least one of the two with same zeal they showed for Soto.
There are other pitching options available. Roki Sasaki will be posted Tuesday, but that’s unlikely to be a battle the Sox can win. Japanese players are now attracted to Dodger Stadium like moths to a flame, and if Sasaki doesn’t want to go there, he can opt for San Diego and join a rotation with his hero, Yu Darvish. Money isn’t going to be the separator here, because as an international amateur, teams are limited in what they can spend on Sasaki.
Then there’s the trade route. For whatever reason — an unwillingness to surrender shortstop prospect Marcelo Mayer? — the Red Sox have been strangely quiet of late in trade talks for the White Sox’ Garrett Crochet.
Their willingness to make Triston Casas available in trade talks, as reported by the Boston Globe, suggests that the team is exploring other deals for top, controllable starters. But there are only so many of those to go around, too. Swift action is required.
* The team still desperately needs a righthanded bat.
Going after Soto to balance out a lineup that is already too lefthanded and about to get more so, with the expected arrival of Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel and Mayer, was an exception to the rule. Soto may be the best overall hitter in the game, and though lefthanded, could hit lefties better than most righthanded sluggers.
Now with Soto off the board, the hunt is back on for a righty bat, made more obvious by the departure of Tyler O’Neill, who led the team in homers last season.
The best free agent option is Teoscar Hernandez, who is said to prefer returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers, with whom he won a World Series on a one-year pillow deal.
But Hernandez has repeatedly said how much he enjoys playing in Fenway Park — for its dimensions, its energy and its history. That’s an opening for the Sox to be sure.
It won’t be easy outbidding the Dodgers, who have seemingly unlimited resources and can virtually guarantee to a player a chance to compete for multiple championships. But the Dodgers are also remarkably disciplined and aren’t afraid to walk away from a deal that goes beyond their comfort zone. Perhaps it’s up to the Red Sox to be the ones to take them there and steal Hernandez.
* Another back-end bullpen arm would still be welcome.
Ethical issues aside, the signing of Aroldis Chapman was a good first step. But the Red Sox would do well to step up their pursuit of Tanner Scott. A mix of Scott, Chapman, Liam Hendriks, Justin Slaten and perhaps Luis Guerrero would give the Red Sox no fewer than five swing-and-miss arms for the final few innings.
And here’s the thing: the Red Sox could probably land one of either Fried or Burnes, plus Hernandez plus Scott for a little more than half what they were willing to lavish on Soto.
The onus is on them.
The Red Sox have our attention again.
Now let’s see what they do with it.
