The outlook suggests that 2025 will mark the commencement of a prolonged period of competition for the Boston ballclub. The franchise has cultivated a noteworthy young group of players, spearheaded by outfielder Roman Anthony and American League Cy Young Award second-place finisher Garrett Crochet, and they possess further emerging talent and financial resources available. The Red Sox’s defeat in the Wild Card Series against the New York ballclub was a setback, but there’s ample justification to anticipate Boston remaining a contender for playoff contention in the years ahead.
“The most crucial (observation) is to remind ourselves that there is no assurance we will continue from our performance at the close of 2025,” chief baseball officer Craig Breslow expressed last month. “Assuming that each individual will improve might lead us to complacency and underperformance.”
Regardless of their talent level, the Boston team has multiple requirements to fulfill during the upcoming offseason and objectives they aim to achieve. They concluded 2025 with a $246.1 million payroll for luxury tax considerations, as reported by Cot’s Baseball Contracts. This figure represented the seventh-highest in Major League Baseball and a franchise benchmark, although it’s plausible the Red Sox have the capacity for greater expenditure. The ownership’s inclination to invest has been questioned in recent times. Now presents an opportune moment to augment the payroll.
What areas require reinforcement for the Boston team this offseason? Which players could they potentially target? Which players might they consider trading? Let’s delve into these questions presently in our offseason analysis for one of baseball’s promising developing teams.
Needs
Breslow graciously outlined his team’s deficiencies and his offseason priorities during the General Manager Meetings held in Las Vegas earlier in the week. He desires an additional starting pitcher, a sentiment shared by numerous other baseball operations leaders, and seeks to enhance the power output of a lineup that featured only two players reaching the 20-home run mark in 2025. The Red Sox ranked 15th among the 30 teams with 186 home runs.
“Ideally, we would prefer to achieve equilibrium in the batting order (by incorporating a right-handed batter). Nevertheless, I believe the capability to hit the ball beyond the boundaries of the field negates the necessity,” Breslow stated. “… There exist numerous approaches for us to elevate our slugging percentage, but the premise that we can inflict greater damage on balls put into play is certainly a valid one.”
Crochet and Brayan Bello constitute a formidable pitching duo, and the Red Sox possess a collection of promising young pitchers in their developmental system (Connelly Early, Kyle Harrison, Payton Tolle, among others), but the acquisition of a seasoned pitcher capable of accumulating innings appears crucial. Similarly, bolstering the middle relief corps is also imperative. Furthermore, the Boston team requires a third baseman, with Alex Bregman again eligible for free agency and Rafael Devers having been traded.
Possible targets
Taking into account projected arbitration values, the Boston ballclub possesses approximately $210 million committed for luxury tax purposes heading into 2026. Even if they solely reinstate the payroll to its 2025 magnitude, they have funds available to allocate. They also possess a substantial inventory of MLB-ready or near-ready young players, thereby furnishing them with considerable trade assets. Expressed differently, the Boston team can actively pursue virtually any player during this offseason.
The arrangement proved effective, didn’t it? Bregman demonstrated a stellar season with the Boston Red Sox and integrates seamlessly into the roster while addressing their requirements comprehensively. He introduces above-average defensive proficiency at third base to an infield that necessitates fortification defensively. As a right-handed batter who predominantly pulls the ball, he can exploit the dimensions of the Green Monster. Bregman also possesses experience in postseason competition and provides leadership within the clubhouse, utilizing his knowledge to guide his teammates, a characteristic particularly beneficial with a youthful core. Bregman opted out of his existing contract, thereby relinquishing two years and $80 million in guaranteed compensation. This action does not inherently indicate a desire to depart from Boston. It represented a strategic business decision aimed at optimizing his earning potential. A long-term contractual commitment at a reduced annual salary could materialize.
The Boston Red Sox were among the teams heavily participating in discussions regarding a potential Joe Ryan trade at the trade deadline, and indications suggest they will resume discussions with the Minnesota Twins during the approaching offseason. Ryan, at 29 years of age, possesses two remaining seasons of affordable arbitration eligibility. He currently resides within his peak performance years and is not considered a short-term acquisition. In other words, he aligns precisely with the established foundation of the Boston franchise. The Minnesota Twins adopted a selling posture at the trade deadline, indicating their potential willingness to re-engage with interested teams concerning Ryan (and Pablo López) during the offseason. The primary determinant hinges upon the feasibility of both teams reaching mutually agreeable terms for a potential transaction, rather than Ryan’s availability.
There already exists speculation associating the Boston Red Sox with Pete Alonso, who would furnish a much-needed right-handed power element and a viable solution at first base, particularly given Triston Casas’ struggles with sustaining consistent health. (Alonso would also constitute a defensive upgrade over Casas, although this statement reflects more on Casas’ defensive capabilities than Alonso’s.) The Boston Red Sox have not featured a right-handed hitter who has achieved 34 home runs since J.D. Martinez accomplished the feat in 2019; Alonso has attained at least 34 home runs in each equivalent of a 162-game season during his professional tenure. Further compounding the potential benefits, Alonso was not eligible to receive a qualifying offer during this offseason, thereby eliminating the forfeiture of draft pick compensation associated with his potential acquisition. A free-agent signing of Alonso would solely involve monetary considerations.
Despite not providing the same caliber of defensive contributions as Bregman, Eugenio Suárez would deliver a significantly greater power component from the right side of the plate, an element sorely needed by the Boston Red Sox. He would also likely command a shorter-term contract owing to his age and the mere fact that he does not possess the same comprehensive skill set. Suárez’s approach incorporates a considerable degree of swing-and-miss tendencies (his 196 strikeouts ranked as the fourth-highest total in Major League Baseball), and the Boston Red Sox have historically prioritized hitters with a contact-oriented approach, although they might be willing to deviate from this preference to incorporate the transformative power Suárez offers. Analogous to Alonso, Suárez was ineligible to receive a qualifying offer and is not associated with the forfeiture of draft pick compensation.
The narrative surrounding homecoming events is frequently overstated during free agency periods, but Michael King, an individual hailing from New England, aligns favorably with the Boston Red Sox both conceptually and practically. He presents as a starter with considerable potential (exemplified by his performance in 2024) and possesses a comprehensive understanding of the American League East environment given his prior tenure with the New York Yankees, in addition to demonstrating effectiveness as a reliever, which could prove invaluable during postseason competition. King’s perceived value has diminished due to periods of absence resulting from shoulder and knee ailments in 2025; however, contingent upon satisfactory medical evaluations, an opportunity may exist to acquire a difference-making starting pitcher at a comparatively reduced cost. The element of his homecoming would contribute an additional favorable dimension beyond the fundamental baseball fit.
Possible trade chips
The time appears to be approaching for the Boston Red Sox to actively address the composition of their outfield contingent, especially considering Kristian Campbell’s projected permanent transition to the outfield. Even excluding Campbell, the Boston Red Sox retain Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela, both of whom are regarded as untouchable assets, in addition to Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, and Jhostynxon Garcia. Masataka Yoshida currently occupies the designated hitter role, and orchestrating a trade involving him to alleviate the logjam presents a challenge, although the Boston Red Sox may contemplate absorbing a portion of his salary to facilitate such a transaction.
Nevertheless, it remains evident that the Boston Red Sox possess the capacity to trade an outfielder in exchange for immediate Major League Baseball contributions. Abreu and Duran represent the most plausible trade candidates, and both have attracted interest over the preceding 12-18 months, particularly Duran. Although a transaction involving Abreu or Duran might not qualify as a quintessential blockbuster trade, the Boston Red Sox are positioned to execute a significant MLB player-for-MLB player exchange during the offseason. Trading Abreu or Duran in return for a third baseman or starting pitcher under team control appears distinctly attainable.
The Boston Red Sox also possess a collection of young pitchers who would garner interest from other teams, including Early, Tolle, and David Sandlin. Richard Fitts would also potentially integrate into numerous rotations across the league. Infielder Mikey Romero, Boston’s first-round selection in the 2022 MLB Draft, might prove more valuable to the organization as a trade asset than as a roster player. However, the outfield represents the area of primary emphasis. The Boston Red Sox currently possess an excess of outfielders relative to available roster positions, and the prospect of trading an outfielder to fortify another facet of the roster should remain under active consideration.
