One of the top hitters left on this year’s free agent market — and a player linked heavily to the Red Sox this winter — is headed west.
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Free agent slugger Jorge Soler has agreed to a three-year contract with the Giants, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Financial terms are not yet known. Soler, the 2021 World Series MVP, was one of a few top position players available on the open market along with Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman and J.D. Martinez.
The Red Sox were first linked to Soler in early January and have been consistently mentioned in reports about his market despite the Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Mets and other clubs having interest. In theory, the 31-year-old (32 on Feb. 25) would have fit the club as a right-handed, middle-of-the-order bat in between lefties Rafael Devers and Triston Casas. Soler could have taken a good share of at-bats at designated hitter for the Red Sox while mixing in at the two corner outfield spots. With camp officially opening Wednesday, Boston has a relatively unproven outfield group of Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Tyler O’Neill, Rob Refsnyder, Masataka Yoshida and potentially Ceddanne Rafaela projected to make the Opening Day roster.
The Red Sox’ failure to sign Soler continues a winter-long theme of the club losing out on free agent targets it has known to have interest in. Soler, who entered the winter as the No. 16 free agent in the class (per MLBTradeRumors) joins pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shōta Imanaga, Eduardo Rodriguez, Seth Lugo, Jordan Hicks, Yariel Rodriguez and outfielder Teoscar Hernández as free agents the Red Sox showed interest in before they signed elsewhere. Righty Lucas Giolito, who signed with the Red Sox in late December, was one spot behind Soler on MLBTR’s list at No. 17. He remains the only free agent to sign with Boston for more than $1 million this winter.
Soler hit .250 with 36 homers, 75 RBIs and an .853 OPS in 137 games for the Marlins last season, making the All-Star team for the first time in his career. The Giants will be the fifth team in 11 seasons for Soler, who has also played for the Cubs, Royals and Braves.
With spring camps opening across Florida and Arizona, 13 of MLBTR’s top 50 free agents remain unsigned. Beyond the top quartet of Bellinger, Chapman, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are available veterans Martinez, Mike Clevinger, Michael Lorenzen, Gio Urshela, Amed Rosario, Whit Merrifield, Brandon Belt, Liam Hendriks and Tim Anderson.
