Sure sounds like Red Sox could whiff on Juan Soto and more for Aroldis Chapman

The Boston Red Sox are in the Juan Soto chase, that much we know for sure. Sketchy sources have reported that Soto favors Boston, but the weekend rebuttal was clear and concise – the 26-year-old has lucrative offers from all teams involved and hasn't made a decision. Sorry, Red Sox.

Boston did make a move on Tuesday, signing former New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman. The veteran left-hander should be a good addition to a Red Sox bullpen that lacks velocity. Unfortunately for Craig Breslow and the Red Sox, Chapman is part of the problem, if only because of the money he will make next season. Hear me out.

The Red Sox want to sign Juan Soto. Their best shot at doing so is to blow them away with their pitch and eventual offer. Clearly, the pitch landed – verified reports have suggested the Sox went all-in to convince Soto he'd thrive at Fenway Park. The contract offer is Boston's only missing piece, and now the Red Sox have less budget to throw Soto's way.

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Red Sox signing Juan Soto doesn't sound likely anymore

It doesn't help that several insiders have gone against the grain in downplaying the Red Sox's chances at signing Soto lately.

Jack Curry of YES said Soto will sign with the Yankees or Mets, and convincently left Boston out of the mix. Curry is a Yankees insider, and has broken news for other teams before, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Los Angeles.

Soto isn't the only free agent the Red Sox could whiff on this winter. Heck, they already lost out on Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner with experience in the AL East. Snell signed late last winter with the San Francisco Giants. Predictably, he struggled early in the campaign before dominating in the second half. It turns out spring training is pretty important after all.

Blake Snell would've been a perfect fit in Boston

As much as the Red Sox covet Soto, they need starting pitching more. That is where Snell came in, but he signed with the Dodgers before Boston got a chance to counter – and prior to the MLB winter meetings.

“The Red Sox really wanted Snell, and this is a much better deal for Snell in the sense that he’s from Seattle. He’s used to the West Coast,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale told Dodger Nation. “I’m not sure how he would have fared in Boston.”

The Red Sox want an ace. It's why they are expected to target Max Fried next. Heck, Corbin Burnes is within reach for the right price, and losing out on Soto sooner might help.

You know what won't help? Spending over $10 million on Chapman, who would admittedly be a solid late-winter addition. This early, though, signing Chapman limits the Red Sox financial means, which isn't a good thing.