Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Red Sox Rumors

Red Sox Rumors: Suarez, Bichette, Valdez, Rotation

By | at

The Red Sox are still reeling from Alex Bregman’s departure for the Cubs but have minimal time to lick their wounds. The free agent and trade markets have begun to pick up some steam, and whatever Boston’s pivot from losing Bregman will be, it’ll need to come together before terribly long. The Bregman deal and the trade of Nolan Arenado from St. Louis to Arizona both figure to get the ball rolling with regard to the infield market. There are also indications that the market for top free agent Kyle Tucker is gaining steam as well. Even though Tucker understandably isn’t a target for a Red Sox team that’s deep in lefty-swinging outfielders, reports of him nearing a decision only give further credence to the idea that the market will accelerate with pitchers and catchers just a month from reporting to spring training.

It’s not entirely clear how Boston will look to counteract Bregman’s defection just yet. Both Bo Bichette and Eugenio Suarez have been mentioned as possible fallback options. The fit in either case makes sense. Both swing right-handed and have batted-ball profiles that would fit well at Fenway Park. Suarez could step into Bregman’s spot at third base. Bichette could play third base or second base. Former top prospects Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell could factor in at whichever of those two positions is not filled externally.

Sean McAdam and Chris Cotillo of MassLive provide some context in their latest column, as does Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Per McAdam and Cotillo, the Red Sox showed preliminary interest in Suarez earlier in the offseason but were first waiting to see how the markets for not only Bregman but also Ketel Marte and Jorge Polanco played out. Suarez’s camp is operating under the assumption that there’s some interest and will soon be told whether the Sox plan to make a serious bid, per the report. Speier’s report generally backs up that line of thinking; he writes that the Red Sox have viewed Suarez as a fallback and had not seriously engaged with his camp prior to Bregman’s signing.

Suarez, 35 in July, popped 49 homers last season but hit .228/.298/.526 overall. He once graded as a strong defender at the hot corner but has seen his defensive grades slip as he’s aged into his mid-30s — as is often the case. His thunderous right-handed power and pull-happy approach make him a natural fit at Fenway Park, where he could pummel the Green Monster with line drives and clear it with regularity, but Suarez finished the season on a down note; his production waned after a trade from the D-backs to the Mariners last summer. After hitting .248/.320/.576 with a 26.8% strikeout rate for the Snakes, he posted a .189/.255/.428 slash with a 36% strikeout rate in 53 games for the M’s.

At the outset of free agency, MLBTR predicted a three-year deal worth a bit more than $20MM annually for Suarez. That contract seemed likely if a team were to make him a priority. That he’s been viewed as something of a fallback to sluggers like Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso, as well as top infield free agents like Bregman and Bichette, would at least seem to imply that a two-year deal may now be likelier. A two-year contract certainly would align with the Red Sox’ apparent aversion to long-term deals for players in their 30s, but Boston will face competition in signing him. The Mariners remain open to a reunion, and the Pirates, who’ve spent the offseason searching for power upgrades, have interest as well.

The Sox will face competition with regard to Bichette, too — if they plan to pursue him at all. Bichette is 27 and won’t turn 28 until March. His age makes him a candidate to sign the type of long-term deal the Red Sox have been reluctant to put forth to free agents. Both the MassLive and Globe reports cast significant doubt on whether the Red Sox would actually engage in a legitimate bidding war with a team like the Phillies, who met with Bichette just yesterday and are far more comfortable doling out long-term contracts (at least based on recent history).

Depending on how or even if the Red Sox end up accomplishing their goal of adding another hitter, a reallocation of the funds previously earmarked for Bregman could come into play. Both MassLive and the Globe suggest that a pivot to the rotation is something the Sox could now pursue. Speier suggests that the Sox are “open-minded” with regard to the position another impact player could fill. That could mean the rotation or, speculatively speaking, perhaps a run at improving the catching corps. J.T. Realmuto is still a free agent, and the Phillies reportedly don’t think they can sign both Bichette and Realmuto.

If the Sox pivot to the rotation, there are still some notable names on the market. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe reports that as far back as November, Red Sox brass had an in-person sit-down with Framber Valdez’s camp. That meeting came at the GM Meetings, where Valdez reportedly met with at least the Giants and Orioles as well.

Valdez, 32 next year, might not have been a top target after the Red Sox acquired Sonny Gray and pivoted to upgrading the lineup. However, he’d fit the stated goal of adding a No. 2 starter for a playoff series more directly than Gray. A postseason rotation with options including Garrett Crochet, Valdez, Gray and Brayan Bello would be quite strong, and it’s always possible that a touted young arm like Payton Tolle or Connelly Early forces his way into the mix.

Valdez became a free agent for the first time this offseason when he rejected a qualifying offer from the Astros, the only organization he’s ever known. He’s topped 190 innings in three of the past four seasons, pitching to a collective 3.21 ERA in 767 2/3 frames along the way. Valdez’s strikeout rate, walk rate and especially his 60% ground-ball rate have all been far better than the league average during that four-year span.

Signing Valdez, however, would require the Red Sox to punt their second- and fifth-highest selections in this summer’s draft, as well as $1MM of space in next year’s bonus pool for international free agent amateurs. The same is true of longtime Phillies southpaw Ranger Suarez and longtime D-backs righty Zac Gallen, both of whom rejected QOs as well. Whether they’d make those future concessions while simultaneously easing their reluctance to commit long-term deals to veterans in their 30s is an open question, but the Red Sox have now missed out on Bregman, Alonso and Schwarber in free agency, and top trade target Marte doesn’t sound like he’ll be moved at all. They’ll need to find a new plan of attack in the coming days, particularly with offseason activity picking back up following the annual holiday-season lull.

Details Of Red Sox’ Pursuit Of Alex Bregman

By | at

2:19pm: Cotillo reports that Boston’s offer to Bregman was for five years and $165MM with significant deferrals.

2:09pm: Alex Bregman is headed to Chicago after landing with the Cubs on a five-year, $175MM contract that was first reported last night. That’s a crushing blow for the Red Sox, who were long reported to be prioritizing a reunion with Bregman after he opted out of the final two years and $80MM on his contract with the club back in November. In the aftermath of Bregman’s departure, reports out of Boston are shedding some light on the efforts the Red Sox made to retain their All-Star, and where that offer ultimately fell short.

According to a report from The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham last night, the Red Sox “did not come close financially and were not willing to give Bregman a full no-trade clause, which the Cubs did.” Today, reporting from Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive confirmed that the Red Sox were unwilling to offer Bregman a no-trade clause and added that the team cited “organizational policy” regarding no-trade protection in doing so. That, McAdam writes, “proved to be a sticking point” for Bregman, who has young children and values stability for them as he heads into his third consecutive year in a new city.

As for the financials, McAdam writes that the five-year offer from Boston was “reasonably competitive,” but added that it fell short of Chicago’s offer financially. Like the Cubs’ offer, which includes $70MM in deferred money, the Red Sox offer also included significant deferrals. Those deferred payments were scheduled out differently, however, as McAdam notes that the Red Sox proposed a payment plan “stretching out decades.” The exact payment details of Chicago’s offer aren’t yet known, McAdam notes that the decades-long payment structure Boston offered widened the gap between the two offers and reduced the value of the Red Sox’ offer further than the already-lower sticker price, relative to the Cubs’ offer.

Exactly how the two offers stack up will be easier to judge once more details come out about Bregman’s contract details in Chicago, but in any case it seems the offer that the Red Sox reportedly considered “aggressive” came up well short of what Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and his front office managed to put together. As a result, the Red Sox will have to turn elsewhere in their search for another middle-of-the-order bat for their infield. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale was among the reports to suggest in the aftermath of Bregman’s signing that the other top infielder on the market, shortstop Bo Bichette, could be the player they pivot to. Bichette figures to sign for even more than Bregman, did, however; MLBTR predicted an eight-year, $208MM contract for the infielder at the outset of the offseason.

Some of that, of course, has to do with the contract length. Perhaps an eight-year deal for Bichette, which would run through his age-35 season, would be just as or even more appealing to the Red Sox than signing Bregman through his age-36 season on a five year deal. On the other hand, it’s worth noting that this Red Sox front office has not yet given out a contract longer than three years via free agency. If the team has an aversion to long-term deals more generally, it would be difficult for the Red Sox to outbid rival suitors for Bichette like the Phillies and Yankees that have no qualms about signing free agents to lengthy contracts.

If the Red Sox aren’t willing to splurge on Bichette, the pickings for replacement Bregman become a lot slimmer. Eugenio Suarez offers big power and could be a fit on a shorter-term deal in free agency, but he struggled in the second half last year, will play this year at 34 years old, and is a lackluster defender at the hot corner. Turning to the trade market, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reportedly shortly before the new year that the Red Sox had narrowed their focus to five infield options: Bregman, Bichette, Ketel Marte, Isaac Paredes, and Brendan Donovan. With Bregman now in Chicago and Marte having been officially taken off the market by Arizona, that leaves Paredes and Donovan as the two primary alternatives to Bichette in that report.

Of the two, Paredes seems to be the better fit. Both are controlled for two seasons after this one, but Paredes is a right-handed hitter who seems likely to cost less in trade than Donovan. While Paredes has been pushed out of the Astros’ nominal starting lineup by the addition of Carlos Correa over the summer, Donovan’s market is known to have many suitors including the Giants, Mariners, and Royals. What’s more, Paredes is a right-handed hitter who primarily plays third base, making him a much cleaner replacement for Bregman than Donovan, a lefty hitter who has played all over the field but primarily plays second base. Paredes is also a marginally better hitter over the last four seasons (124 wRC+ vs 119) coming off a stronger platform season (128 wRC+ vs 119). Paredes (hamstring injury) and Donovan (sports hernia surgery) both ended their seasons with injury complications but are expected to be full-go for Spring Training next month.

Of course, it’s possible the club could look at other options now that their preferred targets have begun to dwindle. The Cubs, themselves, now have a surplus of infield talent after bringing in Bregman displaced Matt Shaw at third base. Adding another unproven youngster to a very young Red Sox roster likely wouldn’t be especially appealing, but Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner has garnered trade interest this winter and could be more available now that Bregman has freed up Shaw to take over the keystone following a hypothetical Hoerner trade. An elite defender at second base who has also posted strong grades at shortstop in the past, Hoerner is a well-regarded clubhouse presence who could help fill the leadership void created by the loss of Bregman.

With that said, his 109 wRC+ last year was a career-high, and his lack of power is unlikely to be especially attractive to a team like the Red Sox that finished middle-of-the-pack in homers last year and expressed an interest in bringing in a big-time slugger like Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso earlier this winter in hopes of improving that area of the offense. It’s also an open question as to whether the Cubs would even be especially inclined to deal Hoerner, as an infield of Bregman, Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Michael Busch would be among the strongest in baseball headed into 2026. What’s more, Hoerner is slated to hit free agency following the 2026 campaign and the Red Sox may prefer to add a player under longer-term control for fear of finding themselves in this same predicament again next year.

Red Sox Notes: Bregman, Outfield, Injuries

By | at

Fenway Fest is in full swing. The fan event has yielded plenty of interesting tidbits through interviews with various players and executives. Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights, including a show of support for Alex Bregman from a former teammate and impressive candor from an infielder with an uncertain future.

A Bregman update, of course

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow can’t seem to go a day without answering questions about the free agent third baseman. “We’re going to do everything we possibly can to add more offense,” Breslow told reporters, including Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. “We saw the impact Alex (Bregman) had last year, on the field, in the clubhouse, in the community, someone that fits our team really well. He’s still out there, which means we have a chance.”

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported last weekend that the club has made an “aggressive” offer to Bregman. The Diamondbacks, Cubs, and Tigers have also been connected to the 31-year-old free agent. Bregman opted out of the three-year, $120MM contract he signed with the Red Sox last offseason in pursuit of a more lucrative deal. “The ball is in his court,” manager Alex Cora told reporters, including Chris Cotillo of MassLive.

It’s not just the front office looking to reunite with Bregman. Outfielder Roman Anthony expressed support, highlighting the work Bregman did with the young players. “I would love to have him back,” Anthony told reporters, including Starr. “He was … a huge part of my success. And a lot of the young guys, and not only the young guys, but many of the guys in the clubhouse … we’re all on the same page as to where we stand with him and what we hope happens.” Anthony specifically cited Bregman’s insights into preparation and offensive approach as beneficial to him in his rookie season.

Injuries limited Bregman to 114 games in his lone season in Boston, but he was quite productive when available. He slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs across 495 plate appearances. Bregman delivered his typical strong work with the glove at the hot corner. He earned his third All-Star selection.

Outfield trade sounds doubtful

Boston seemingly has four outfielders for three spots heading into the season. Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela have all shown enough to earn everyday roles. One of them could slot in at DH, but that would limit the playing time for Masataka Yoshida and Triston Casas. Despite the apparent glut at the position, along with rumors that Duran was drawing interest, Breslow shot down the notion that a trade was on the table.

“It was never likely in my mind,” Breslow told reporters, including Cotillo. “We’ve got really talented outfielders. When teams call, that’s what other executives point to. They’re young, they’re controllable, they’re dynamic, they’re talented, and can impact games in multiple ways. It’s really nice to be able to say they’re also members of the Boston Red Sox.”

Cora also provided additional context on the outfield plan, telling reporters he preferred Rafaela in center field and Abreu in right field, even against left-handed pitching. Breslow has previously expressed a desire to keep Rafaela in center field. He’s spent time at second base and shortstop over the past two seasons. Rafaela is a tremendous outfielder, earning Gold Glove honors for his efforts in center field this past season. Abreu also secured a Gold Glove in 2025, his second time receiving the award. He’ll likely be in the field when he plays. It’s the same-handed pitching remark that is interesting. The lefty-swinging Abreu had just 68 plate appearances against southpaws last season. He’s hit just .205 vs. lefties in his career.

If Cora gets his wish, with both Rafaela and Abreu regularly manning the outfield, Anthony and Duran would handle left field and DH. It’s hard to imagine former top prospect Anthony losing much playing time outside of the occasional rest day. Duran is coming off a modest 2025, but he was one of the top offensive forces in the league in 2024. It’ll be a lot for Cora to juggle next season without a roster move.

Injury updates

Casas is coming back from a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee. He told reporters, including Christopher Smith of MassLive, that he’s uncertain if he’ll be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. “As of right now, not too sure. Not trying to get ahead of myself, but I do see myself progressing well enough to maybe get into some spring training games. We’ll see how that goes because that’s a benchmark as well.”

Boston traded for Willson Contreras to handle first base, which leaves Casas’ role in question once he gets healthy. The aforementioned logjam in the outfield doesn’t help matters. Casas seems to be taking the Contreras addition in stride, though. “He’s a better player than me and has been for his entire career. To upgrade at a position that has been deficient for the last two years is exactly what the team needed.” (relayed by Cotillo)

A few more quick-hitters in the health department…

  • Marcelo Mayer expects to be fully ready for Spring Training. His 2025 season was cut short by a wrist injury in August. “I’m pretty much doing full baseball activity, like a normal ramp-up, as I would for a regular season going into spring training,” Mayer said.
  • Anthony is also expected to be good to go for the spring. An oblique injury cost him most of September and all of the postseason. The team believed he might have been able to return for the ALCS, but they were knocked out in the ALDS.
  • Kutter Crawford is on track to return to action for the first time since 2024. He missed all of last season with knee and wrist issues. “At this point, it’s just normal progression,” Crawford said. “I got off the slope yesterday, and it felt good. And now we just build up the mound progression.”
  • Carlos Narvaez had knee surgery at the start of the offseason, but told reporters (including Smith) he would be a full go come springtime.

Photo courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images

Red Sox, Seth Martinez Agree To Minor League Deal

By | at

The Red Sox agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Seth Martinez, as first reported by Andrew Parker of Sox Prospects. He’ll get a non-roster invitation to MLB camp.

Martinez has pitched in the majors in five straight seasons. He got a decent amount of run in the Astros’ middle relief corps from 2022-24. He didn’t get as much big league work last year, only making it into six games for the Marlins. Martinez gave up four runs with three walks and four strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings.

The 31-year-old righty spent the majority of the year with Miami’s Triple-A club. He pitched to a 3.71 ERA behind a 29% strikeout rate over 43 2/3 frames. Martinez routinely posts strong whiff numbers in the minors and has fanned more than 30% of opponents with a sub-3.00 ERA in five Triple-A seasons. His flat 4.00 earned run average and 20.5% strikeout percentage in 117 MLB appearances are more solid than great.

Martinez only sits around 90 MPH with his fastball. He frequently relies on his breaking ball while mixing in a changeup. He’s out of options, meaning the Sox would need to keep him on the big league roster or expose him to waivers if they call him up at any point.

Red Sox Targeting Left-Handed Bullpen Help

By | at

The Red Sox are scouring the bullpen market for free agent southpaws, and MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reports that Tim Mayza and Cionel Perez are two of the left-handers on the team’s radar.  Boston has also maintained interest in Justin Wilson and Danny Coulombe, as Cotillo initially reported last month.

Wilson is the most known quantity for the Sox, as he posted a 3.35 ERA, 27.5% strikeout rate, and 9.7% walk rate over 48 1/3 innings out of the Boston pen in 2025.  While the walk rate was on the high side and Wilson’s fastball velocity dropped from 95.5mph in 2024 to 94.5mph last year, it was still a very solid season for Wilson, and a sign that he is now fully recovered from the injuries that basically erased his entire 2022-23 seasons.

One complication for the Red Sox and any other suitor pursuing Wilson is that the veteran isn’t entirely committed to pitching in 2026.  According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon, Wilson wants “a fair deal with a legitimate World Series contender” and is willing to hang up his cleats after 13 Major League seasons if his demands aren’t met.

As Cotillo notes, Wilson and his agents at ACES could be using the retirement threat as leverage in contract talks.  That said, it also isn’t out of the question that Wilson is nearing the end of the line, after turning 38 years old last August.  Another one-year guarantee seems likely given Wilson’s age, and he is undoubtedly looking for a raise on the $2.25MM guarantee he received from the Red Sox on his deal for the 2025 campaign.

The Sox have seen plenty of Mayza and Perez over the years in AL East battles.  Mayza spent his first seven MLB seasons with the Blue Jays and Yankees before pitching with the Pirates and Phillies in 2025, and Perez has worked out of the Orioles’ bullpen from 2022-25.  Either pitcher could be had on a one-year contract and perhaps not even a guaranteed big league deal, as Mayza and Perez are both looking to bounce back from rough 2024-25 seasons.

Mayza (who turns 34 next week) had a 3.78 ERA over only 16 2/3 innings in 2025, as a lat strain and a teres major strain kept him on the injured list for much of the year.  He likely would’ve been a deadline trade candidate if healthy, and the Pirates put him on the waiver wire at the end of August, with Philadelphia claiming the veteran to add bullpen depth for the stretch run.  Mayza had only a 4.91 ERA in his eight games and 7 1/3 IP with the Phils, and he wasn’t included on their playoff roster.

Perez seemingly broke out with a tremendous 1.40 ERA over 57 2/3 relief innings for Baltimore in 2022, but his results have steadily declined over the past three seasons.  The bottom completely fell out for Perez last year, as he had an 8.31 ERA and almost as many walks (18) as strikeouts (21) over 21 2/3 innings.  Perez hasn’t pitched in the majors since late May, when the Orioles designated the lefty for assignment and then outrighted him off the 40-man roster.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Coulombe has a 2.38 ERA — the ninth-lowest ERA of any pitcher who has tossed at least 130 Major League innings (Coulombe has 136 1/3 IP).  A 26% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate support this excellent bottom-line number, though Coulombe struggled after being dealt from the Twins to the Rangers at last year’s trade deadline.

Coulombe turned 36 in October so he’ll likely be limited to one-year offers as well this winter, but he is still drawing a good deal of interest.  Rosenthal and Sammon write that five teams are in on Coulombe, which may or may not include the Red Sox.

Aroldis Chapman is the top southpaw in Boston’s bullpen, but with Chapman set to operate as the closer, the Sox are in need of at least one experienced left-hander to work in a more situational capacity.  Jovani Moran projects as the top non-Chapman option amongst Boston’s current bullpen mix, but Moran has a 5.44 ERA over 46 1/3 innings since the start of the 2023 season, and he missed most of the last two years recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Bregman Rumors: Red Sox, D-Backs, Tigers, Cubs

By | at

Alex Bregman’s market appears more muddled after the Blue Jays signed NPB third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. Toronto had been tied to the three-time All-Star but no longer seems to have room for an infielder (barring a reunion with Bo Bichette).

The Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Cubs and Tigers have been the remaining most frequently speculated landing spots. ESPN’s Buster Olney suggested last week that Boston has an offer on the table. In a column at ESPN this morning, Olney floated the possibility that the Red Sox might be willing to do something similar to the six-year, $171.5MM offer which the Tigers reportedly made to Bregman last winter. There’s no firm reporting about what the Red Sox have put on the table, to be clear, so the notion that the Red Sox could go long term seems mostly to be informed speculation on Olney’s part.

Boston landed Bregman on a three-year deal with opt-outs last winter. They juiced the average annual value to $40MM, albeit with significant deferrals that dropped the actual value closer to $30MM annually. Bregman is no longer attached to a qualifying offer and coming off a better season on a rate basis than he had in 2024. He’s also entering his age-32 season, so he may be more incentivized to secure the longest deal and maximum guarantee. The upside of taking short-term deals with opt-outs decreases as a player approaches his mid-30s.

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com each wrote on Tuesday that many within the industry considered Arizona and Toronto the top threats to a Boston reunion before the Jays added Okamoto. That’d naturally point to the Diamondbacks as the strongest challengers now, yet most chatter on the Bregman/Arizona tie has been connected to a potential Ketel Marte trade. With D-Backs general manager Mike Hazen implying they could soon pull Marte from the market entirely, that could have a trickle-down impact on Bregman.

Arizona could certainly fit Marte and Bregman on the roster. The latter would step in as the everyday third baseman. The bigger question is whether ownership would sign off on another nine-figure infield investment after extending Marte for $102.5MM last spring. The long-term payroll would be a bigger stumbling block than this year’s outlook. Marte agreed to defer $6MM of his $15MM salary in 2026, so trading him would only free up a fraction of the first-year salary that Bregman would command.

Meanwhile, two of last year’s finalists appear to be less involved this time around. Detroit has reportedly thus far shied away from making another long-term offer. Top shortstop prospect Kevin McGonigle is on the doorstep of the majors. Bregman would be a significant upgrade over the current third base grouping of Colt Keith, Zach McKinstry and potentially Javier Báez once McGonigle arrives.

Manager A.J. Hinch gave a vote of confidence to McKinstry in response to speculation about a third base acquisition. “I get asked about third base all the time. I’m like, ’Our guy made the All-Star team,'” Detroit’s skipper told Audacy’s 97.1 The Ticket (h/t to Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press).

McKinstry was indeed an All-Star behind an excellent first half, but he has been a career utility player and hit .213/.278/.378 after the Break. It’s hard to believe he’s truly standing in the way of the Tigers signing Bregman — though it’s understandable that Hinch would publicly defend his player. Detroit’s $165MM payroll projection is already more than $20MM above where they opened the 2025 season, which seems a bigger obstacle to a significant free agent move.

The Cubs proposed a four-year, $115MM deal last winter. They’ve been positioned on the periphery of the market this time around. Matt Shaw had an encouraging second half of his rookie season. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and GM Carter Hawkins spoke at the Winter Meetings about their confidence in the 24-year-old infielder. It doesn’t appear that much has changed in the past month on that end. Feinsand reports that while the Cubs continue to have some level of interest in Bregman, they’re not expected to make the highest offer.

Red Sox, Kutter Crawford Avoid Arbitration

By | at

The Red Sox announced they’ve avoided arbitration with right-hander Kutter Crawford. Although the team did not disclose salary figures, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that it’s a $2.75MM deal. That matches last year’s salary and the projection from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.

Crawford’s salary was easy to predict. Arbitration prices generally climb each season, but that doesn’t often happen when a player misses an entire year. In those situations, they’ll typically sign for the same amount they made year before. Crawford follows that path and gets an easy bit of business complete before teams and players exchange filing figures on Thursday.

A swingman over his first couple seasons, Crawford made 25 starts three years ago and took all 33 turns through the rotation during his last healthy season. He turned in a 4.36 earned run average over a team-leading 183 2/3 innings in 2024. He posted better than average strikeout and walk numbers but was undone to an extent by a late-season home run spike. Crawford carried a flat 3.00 ERA into the All-Star Break but was tagged for 6.59 earned runs per nine in the second half. He would up leading the majors with 34 homers surrendered overall.

Despite the shaky finish, Crawford was a lock for a season-opening rotation job had he gotten through Spring Training healthy. The Sox revealed that he had been pitching through right knee discomfort for most of the ’24 campaign. Crawford entered camp behind schedule and started the season on the injured list. While working back from the knee issue in June, he sustained a right wrist injury that proved even more serious. Crawford underwent surgery that shut him down for the year.

The salary is modest, so there was no doubt the Sox would tender him a contract. He may need to compete for a rotation spot in camp this time around. Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray and Brayan Bello are locked into the top three spots. The final two jobs are up for grabs among a number of pitchers.

Patrick Sandoval will be back after missing last season rehabbing elbow surgery. Boston liked Johan Oviedo enough as a back-end arm to part with well-regarded rookie outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia. Top prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early debuted late in the season. Kyle Harrison is still in the mix after coming over in the Rafael Devers trade. Most of those pitchers, Crawford included, have minor league options remaining. He could head to Triple-A Worcester or begin the season in long relief if he doesn’t win a rotation spot. Injuries are inevitable, so there’ll be opportunity at some point.

The Red Sox avoided arbitration with Jarren Duran and Connor Wong earlier in the offseason. They’re awaiting resolution on Tanner Houck, Triston Casas, Romy Gonzalez, and Oviedo. There’ll be plenty of settlements over the next two days as teams and players look to avoid filing for hearings.

Dodgers, Braves Among Teams To Show Interest In Freddy Peralta

By | at

Though the Brewers have continually downplayed the possibility of actually trading him, ace right-hander Freddy Peralta continues to draw a wide array of interest. Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic include the Dodgers and Braves among a list of teams to inquire with the Brewers, joining a group of previously reported clubs that includes the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox. All of those clubs are still believed to have interest in the righty.

Peralta’s appeal is obvious. He’s a durable 29-year-old righty with a 3.30 ERA over his past five seasons, including a career-low 2.70 earned run average this past season (albeit with rate stats and fielding-independent marks that suggest it’s more reasonable to expect a low-3.00s ERA than another sub-3.00 mark). Peralta averages nearly 95 mph on his heater, misses bats at a high level, has only slightly worse-than-average command and, crucially, is earning just $8MM next season. That’s his final year before free agency, but even as a one-year rental, a team surrendering young talent to acquire Peralta would know that he’ll likely net a 2027 draft pick, as he’s a virtual lock to receive and reject a qualifying offer.

For luxury-paying clubs, Peralta’s modest salary is particularly enticing. That’s all the truer for teams like the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers, who figure to be in the top penalty tier for at least a third consecutive season. Those clubs are effectively paying double for any subsequent additions to the payroll. The Dodgers are already in the top tax bracket and thus would pay a 110% tax on any new additions to the payroll. The two New York clubs are just shy of the top tax bracket, but even while sitting in the third penalty tier, they’d be subject to a 95% tax. And both are close enough to the fourth-tier threshold that Peralta would put them right up against it or push them over.

For the Braves and Red Sox, the penalties would be far less severe. Atlanta didn’t pay the tax at all last year and is currently in the first penalty tier. They’d receive only a 20% ($1.6MM) slap on the wrist for adding Peralta’s salary to the ledger. The Red Sox would be crossing the tax line for just the second straight season, as they were under the threshold in 2024. They’re currently about $3MM shy of the tax cutoff, per RosterResource. As a second-time offender they’d pay a 30% tax on the first $20MM by which they exceed the limit. For Peralta, that’d be only a hair over $1.5MM.

In terms of roster fit, it’s pretty easy to see how Peralta would fit onto any of the listed clubs. Atlanta currently has Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo Lopez and Hurston Waldrep lined up as its likely top five. Each of Sale, Strider, Schwellenbach and Lopez missed time with injuries in 2025. Lopez started only one game. Sale missed more than two months with fractures in his ribcage. Schwellenbach’s season ended in late June when he suffered a fracture in his right elbow. Strider posted a 4.45 ERA in his first season back from UCL surgery. Waldrep was impressive as a rookie but tossed only 56 1/3 innings in the majors.

The Dodgers certainly don’t “need” more starting pitching, but the old “no such thing as too much pitching” adage applies to veritably any club. Adding Peralta would be about further deepening the club’s October options. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski give the Dodgers an embarrassment of riches, and high-upside younger arms like River Ryan, Gavin Stone and Kyle Hurt are all on the mend from 2024 surgeries. Top prospect Jackson Ferris isn’t far from MLB readiness. It’s a deep group, but the Dodgers probably don’t want to simply presume that all of their more established arms will be healthy for the postseason. Bringing in another top-tier arm to join the group would further bolster their choices as they pursue an elusive threepeat.

The Yankees have yet to make an addition to the big league roster, beyond re-signing Ryan Yarbrough on a cheap one-year deal and selecting righty Cade Winquest from the Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft. With Carlos Rodon, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt all ticketed to open the season on the injured list, they could use some rotation help. The Mets, meanwhile, have subtracted more big names than they’ve added this winter. President of baseball ops David Stearns knows Peralta well from his Milwaukee days. The current Mets rotation is heavily reliant on rebounds from Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea as well as notable steps forward from prospects like Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat. The Red Sox have added Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo to what was already a pretty deep mix, but Peralta would be a clearer No. 2 option behind ace Garrett Crochet than Gray or right-hander Brayan Bello.

Other teams have surely shown interest in Peralta. Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that the Astros had looked into him, but they’ve since added Mike Burrows in a trade and Tatsuya Imai in free agency. The Orioles have shown interest as well, though Baltimore acquired Shane Baz and re-signed Zach Eflin, at least reducing some urgency. (Peralta would still be a notable and needed upgrade to the top end of the staff.) The Athletic’s report notes that some lower-payroll clubs are also looking into Peralta, given that his $8MM price point is affordable for any team.

Broadly speaking, it stands to reason that any 2026 postseason hopeful in the sport has probably at least gauged the asking price on Peralta. Rosenthal and Sammon suggest that a major league-ready starting pitcher is very likely to be a starting point in any talks regarding Peralta. Milwaukee won an MLB-best 97 games in 2025 and is seen as a favorite in the NL Central as a result. The Brewers know they could also get a compensatory pick in the 2027 draft if and when Peralta departs via free agency. They’re a revenue sharing recipient who doesn’t pay the luxury tax, so that pick would come at the end of the first round. That establishes a pretty reasonable base line that needs to be exceeded in any trade talks, and targeting MLB-ready help for a win-now club is only natural.

A Peralta trade shouldn’t be seen as likely. Milwaukee brass has publicly downplayed the possibility, but the Brewers will never fully close themselves off to trades of any notable stars as they approach free agency. Milwaukee traded Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams and Josh Hader near the end of their original windows of club control, after all. However, the Brewers also held onto Willy Adames for the 2024 season, knowing he’d likely reject a qualifying offer and depart via free agency, which is precisely how things played out. Keeping Peralta would give Milwaukee a deep and talented rotation, as he’d be joined by Brandon Woodruff, Jacob Misiorowski, Quinn Priester and Chad Patrick, with depth options including Logan Henderson, Tobias Myers and former top prospect Robert Gasser, who’ll be returning from Tommy John surgery.

Red Sox Sign Devin Sweet To Minor League Deal

By | at

The Red Sox have signed right-hander Devin Sweet to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He has been assigned to Triple-A Worcester but may get an invite to big league camp in spring training.

Sweet, 29, has a limited big league track record. He tossed 8 2/3 innings in 2023, split between the Mariners and Athletics. He allowed ten earned runs, giving him an unsightly 10.38 earned run average in that small sample.

The M’s called him up in July of 2023 but he was designated for assignment the following month and went to the A’s via waivers. In the 2023-24 offseason, he went to the Giants and Tigers via waiver claims. Detroit later passed him through waivers unclaimed in February of 2024. In November of 2024, the Phillies acquired him and added him to their 40-man, preventing him from becoming a minor league free agent. He was outrighted in August of 2025 and then became a minor league free agent at season’s end.

Despite his limited track record, the interest from all those clubs demonstrates his appeal. From 2021 to 2024, he tossed 257 2/3 innings on the farm, with a 4.19 ERA. His 9.2% walk rate was a bit high but he struck out 30% of batters faced. Unfortunately, he had a downturn in results in 2025. He logged 51 1/3 Triple-A innings with a 5.08 ERA, 21.2% strikeout rate and 11.7% walk rate. That’s why the Phillies bumped him from the roster last summer and no one claimed him.

For Boston, there’s no harm in a non-roster deal for some extra bullpen depth as they see if Sweet can bounce back. If he eventually earns his way onto the roster, he still has an option year remaining and less than a year of service time, meaning he can provide roster flexibility and is still years away from qualifying for arbitration.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Red Sox Have Made “Aggressive” Offer To Alex Bregman

By | at

While the Red Sox have spent most of the offseason focused on the trade market to augment their roster, they now appear to be turning their attention towards free agency. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported in an appearance on an episode of the podcast “First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo” (audio link courtesy of Foul Territory’s Robbie Hyde) that the Red Sox made an “aggressive” offer to Bregman before speculating that Bregman will ultimately return to Boston.

The market for position players has been fairly quiet since Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso signed during the Winter Meetings last month. While third baseman Kazuma Okamoto’s free agency wrapped up yesterday when he signed with the Blue Jays on a four-year deal, Bregman remains the top dog available at the position ahead of Eugenio Suarez, Ramon Urias, and Yoan Moncada. The best overall infield talent available this winter aside from Bo Bichette, Bregman lingered on the free agent market last offseason before signing a three-year, $120MM contract with Boston that included multiple opt outs and significant deferred money. That deal worked out quite well for both sides, as Bregman turned in a 125 wRC+ and 3.5 WAR in 118 games before returning to the open market this winter.

With that said, he’s once again struggled to find a market for the sort of long-term deal he’s been seeking. Boston has been known to have interest in a reunion, but there have been indications that the Red Sox are reluctant to go long-term on him (or any other free agent, for that matter). They’ve kicked the tires on plenty of alternative options this winter, ranging from trades for infield talents like Ketel Marte, Brendan Donovan, and Isaac Paredes to pivoting towards another player like Okamoto or Bichette in free agency. At this point, however, Okamoto is off the market and Marte appears unlikely to be dealt.

Perhaps the dwindling alternatives have led Boston to step up their pursuit of a Bregman reunion, though it should be noted that an “aggressive” offer does not necessarily mean a long-term one. It could certainly be argued that the $40MM average annual value (which dropped to just under $32MM after factoring in deferred money) deal Bregman signed with the Red Sox last year was an “aggressive” offer thanks to the high annual salary and player-friendly opt out structure, and that deal maxed out at just three seasons. So, too, could the Tigers’ best offer to Bregman from last winter be called aggressive, as the six-year, $171.5MM offer topped the winning bid by more than $50MM in terms of total guarantee and was the longest of the final offers Bregman received.

Regardless of what Boston’s offer to Bregman currently looks like, it seems as though market forces may be pushing the two sides back together. As previously mentioned, a few of the Red Sox’s potential alternatives to Bregman have started to come off the market or otherwise become less likely. Meanwhile, Bregman’s own alternatives to Boston could also be dwindling. Just as Okamoto signing in Toronto takes him off the table for the Red Sox, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports that the deal makes Bregman signing with the Jays less likely despite mutual interest between the sides prior to Okamoto’s signing. Likewise, there have been connections drawn between Bregman and the Diamondbacks, but that could become less viable for Arizona to pull off financially if a Marte trade is taken off the table.

Even if the Jays and Diamondbacks aren’t the likeliest suitors at this point, other options are still available. The Cubs remain involved in Bregman’s market at least to some extent, though they (like the Red Sox) seem hesitant to commit to long-term deals for most players. The Tigers have seemingly remained on the periphery of Bregman’s market but don’t seem to be an especially aggressive suitor. The Phillies were recently reported to have at least some interest in Bichette and could theoretically fit Bregman as well, though they haven’t been tied to Bregman directly and even the Bichette connection seems to run in contrast with previous reporting suggesting that their room to spend is somewhat limited at this point.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top