DALLAS -- The big fish (Juan Soto) will swim in Flushing instead of Fenway, but that did nothing to dampen the spirits of Red Sox manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow on Monday, the day after the news broke that shook the baseball world.

The Red Sox didn¡¯t hinge the success of their offseason on landing their top target because they knew the competition would be fierce and the price (it wound up at a record-setting $765 million) could ultimately get too high.

But Breslow and Cora remain unbowed from the team¡¯s stated mission this offseason of building a team that can win the American League East next season and making a deep postseason run.

¡°We needed to make sure the success of our offseason didn¡¯t hinge on one decision,¡± said Breslow. ¡°I think we put our best foot forward. It didn¡¯t work out. We¡¯ll kind of recalibrate and move forward.¡±

Cora was careful not to say the Sox are onto Plan B after missing out on Soto.

¡°We have Plan A, Plan A1, A2, A3, A4,¡± Cora said. ¡°There's a lot of ways to accomplish what we set to do. We've been talking about winning the division, right, and making it to the playoffs. There's different avenues, different ways. We're going to attack them and hopefully we can execute.¡±

That execution could take place imminently, judging by the recent pace of the Hot Stove.

¡°I think it would not be surprising at all for things to be moving pretty quickly. Many teams have long considered what the pivot looks like once we find out where that chip falls,¡± Breslow said. ¡°I think it would be unwise going into the offseason thinking this is the single transaction that dictates the offseason. So now we move to all the other pathways we start to design.¡±

The fact the Red Sox were in no position to talk contract with Shohei Ohtani at this time a year ago but were in the mix for Soto is telling of the progress the club has made over the last season in terms of developing young talent at the Major and Minor League level and being in a better financial position to spend on big-ticket players than in recent years.

¡°Without getting into too many details, being involved, being engaged in top of the market talent is where we should be,¡± said Breslow. ¡°Disappointing outcome. We painted as clear a picture as where we are and where we are going as possible.¡±

Cora was out at dinner with team president/CEO Sam Kennedy and assistant general manager Eddie Romero when the Soto signing broke. When Cora was an active player, his agent was Scott Boras, and the manager had some fun re-enacting the scene on Sunday night when it became apparent Soto had agreed to terms with the Mets.

¡°I was with Sam and Eddie at a restaurant right down the street,¡± said Cora. ¡°[The news] came out. They're looking at their phones, and then all of a sudden Scott is coming with this army of personnel. It was kind of like the gladiator with him walking in.¡±

The Red Sox will now turn their attention to players who may not be on a Hall of Fame trajectory, but nonetheless a group that can get the team back into the thick of the playoff hunt.

The biggest task is to secure an ace. Lefty Max Fried and righty Corbin Burnes are on the free-agent market. Garrett Crochet is being dangled in trade talks. The Red Sox are working hard to secure at least one of those three pitchers.

A right-handed bat is also needed. While there¡¯s been a lot of speculation of Teoscar Hern¨¢ndez joining the Sox and essentially replacing departed free agent Tyler O¡¯Neill, don¡¯t be surprised if Alex Bregman gets a substantial offer from Boston.

Bregman would be a fit with his bat, glove and leadership. He would probably move to second base for a Boston team that has Rafael Devers at third. Cora was with Bregman for one season in 2017 when he was Houston¡¯s bench coach.

¡°Alex is a good player,¡± Cora said. ¡°He's a complete player. He's a player that's been on winning teams his whole career. Good defender. Offensively he's really good. He's a guy that a lot of people are talking about, and I do believe he can impact a big league team, a championship-caliber team. He's that type of player.¡±

Filling out the bullpen and adding a backup catcher would complete the team¡¯s checklist.