What Alex Cora Enjoyed From Red Sox’s Juan Soto Pursuit

Juan Soto eventually made professional sports history with his reported deal with the New York Mets, though the Boston Red Sox stayed in talks to the end with a respectable offer to the superstar.

While the Red Sox won’t be adding the generational bat to their lineup, manager Alex Cora seemed to enjoy the recruitment process in a bid that may be the turning point in Boston spending significant free-agent money once again.

“From my end, it was fun in a way to get to know people,” Cora told reporters Monday at the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas. “… The kid, he gets it. Let’s put it that way. Obviously, I always have fun with the group that represents him. … It was a good experience. I learned a lot.”

While Soto did not join Boston’s club, the Red Sox should be happy to not see the slugger 13 times next season after he chose not to return to the New York Yankees. Soto hit a pair of home runs and scored nine runs against Boston in 2024, though he hit just .160 in those 13 games.

Soto will play the Red Sox for the first time as a Met when New York visits Fenway Park from May 19-21 next season.