Red Sox front office is pursuing free agent Juan Soto

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A week before the start of the Winter Meetings in Dallas, the Red Sox have prioritized securing Juan Soto and his generational left-handed slugger.

Unlike recent offseasons, when the Sox weren’t big players in free agency, they’re pushing hard for one of the best players in the game – one who is sure to get the most lucrative contract this Hot Stove season.

Yes, there are other needs for a team that has missed the playoffs the last three years. Boston needs at least one starting pitcher on the front line

There is a bullpen that needs a lot of upgrades.

Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow oversees all areas while the team focuses primarily on Soto, who is 26 years old but already has a Hall of Fame career.

The Red Sox have to beat New York – both the Yankees and the Mets – for Soto. The Blue Jays are also in the mix, but Boston appears to be a more attractive destination, especially considering Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s uncertain future in Toronto.

After focusing on short-term contracts and building the farm system in recent years, the Sox have made it clear they are willing to spend again.

“Is this possible? If that’s what it takes, yes, absolutely,” Kennedy told Michael Silverman of the Boston Globe. “We are investing more than last year. We want to invest in the future.

“There is extreme urgency internally to compete for the American League East championship and without question prepare for a strong postseason run in 2025. The goal is to win more than 90 games so you don’t have to worry about a Wild Card spot.”

And it doesn’t hurt to have a recruiter with David Ortiz’s talent.

“Everyone wants a piece of him,” Ortiz said in a recent interview with MLB.com. “This is the man of the hour. The Sox, we’re trying to do our job and get him on board. We’re trying to get him… I’ll do my job as best as I can and see if we can add him to our roster, but the front office is ready. They are willing to pay it.”

The Red Sox sent a contingent that included Kennedy, Breslow and manager Alex Cora to meet with Soto and agent Scott Boras last month.

It was said to be a solid presentation in which the Sox highlighted optimism for their future, the fitness Soto could have at Fenway Park and how he could follow in the footsteps of other Dominican legends who won championships in Boston.

Industry speculation suggests it will take between 12 and 14 years to secure Soto and the price tag is expected to be over $600 million.

It would be the largest contract in Red Sox history and perhaps one that would usher in the resurgence of a storied franchise that has missed the postseason in five of the last six years.

Soto’s presence in Boston would likely make other free agents want to follow him there.

“In our free agency discussions so far, I would say there has been a very strong feeling among agents and players that the Boston Red Sox are going to be a force in the next five to seven years, given the guys who are already there “I came up at the big league level and the guys that come from Triple-A and the levels below,” Kennedy told the Globe.