MLB insider is calling Scott Boras’ bluff when it comes to worst possible Juan Soto landing spot

You can count on one hand the list of players more valuable in the MLB than Juan Soto. The New York Yankees' right fielder will enter free agency this winter with hopes of securing the largest contract in league history. It's unclear whether or not Soto can actually eclipse the $700 million recently guaranteed to Shohei Ohtani, but that won't stop Scott Boras from pulling out all the stops.

There isn't a more infamous and accomplished agent in all of baseball. Say what you will about the man — his tactics aren't always in good taste — but you don't get Boras' reputation as an agent without immense success and decades of hard work. Boras drives a hard bargain and, more often than not, he gets his clients the best feasible deals. Last offseason notwithstanding.

Part of the Boras special is drumming up interest around the league and stoking the flames of MLB rumors. Nothing drives up the price on your star client better than the impression that other teams might bid, and bid aggressively. The Yankees and Mets have been the reported favorites to land Soto since 2023, but recent reports connected Soto to another high-rolling contender — one that would make most MLB fans wince.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Los Angeles Dodgers will mount a run at the four-time All-Star.

"The Dodgers, already arguably baseball’s best offense — it’s either them or the Yankees — intend to make a play for Soto 'if he’s interested' in coming, sources say."

That said, not every league insider is buying it.

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Insider pours cold water on idea of Juan Soto signing with Dodgers

When offered a chance to endorse the Dodgers-Soto rumors, ESPN's Jeff Passan unambiguously shot them down. While he believes Los Angeles will inquire about Soto, he does not view that pairing as remotely realistic.

The reasons? Well, the Dodgers don't actually pay market value for their stars very often. Both Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts have deferred money, which makes their contracts extremely valuable. Freddie Freeman isn't making nearly his worth. Teoscar Hernandez inked a one-year discount deal, just to play on the Dodgers.

The only "star" the Dodgers really spent top dollar on, as Passan notes, is 25-year-old Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Perhaps Soto's youth at 26 makes him another exception, but even the Dodgers will run out of money eventually. It almost feels wrong to imagine Soto in a Dodgers uniform. Suddenly the MLB goes from the league of parity to the league of stubborn predictability. Moreover, Soto appears to enjoy New York, which is closer to his native Dominican Republic than SoCal.

Does any of this mean that Soto to the Dodgers is impossible? Nope. Ohtani's contract has been nothing but a cash cow for LA, so it's not like the Dodgers can't afford to bid up on Soto. That said, Passan is giving us room to breath. Nobody wants to see the Dodgers add another superstar. Competition is the whole reason we watch sports. If anything, there has to be something deep down in Soto's soul keeping him from signing a deal with the devil. Going to the Dodgers is bad for the sport, and it would leave a lot of fans viscerally upset.