Poll: What’s Next For The Red Sox Infield?
The Red Sox were faced with a tough loss over the weekend when star third baseman Alex Bregman left the team to sign with the Cubs on a five-year, $175MM deal. That contract came in just $10MM ahead of Boston’s own offer in terms of sticker price, but deferred money and the lack of a no-trade clause further depreciated the Red Sox’ offer relative to that of the Cubs. The loss of Bregman left chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to search for a pivot, and he found just that yesterday when he signed southpaw Ranger Suarez to a five-year deal.
The $130MM pact places Suarez alongside Garrett Crochet and Sonny Gray as a member of Boston’s front of the rotation headed into the season, but it did little to address the hole that Bregman’s departure creates on the infield. Yesterday’s deal helped to bring down the temperature among fans in Boston and ease the pressure on Breslow to find a star, but it’s not hard to see why an addition could still be attractive given the number of question marks and overall lack of impact all around the roster.
Trevor Story delivered a 20/20 season last year but will be 33 years old this year and just played 100 games in a season for the first time since 2021. Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell entered last season as two of the game’s top prospects but Mayer has a checkered injury history of his own while there’s been some indications the Red Sox could prefer Campbell in the outfield rather than the infield. Neither was an above-average hitter in 2025, either. While both are young enough for a potential big step forward, a team with World Series aspirations like the Red Sox would be taking a big risk if they hang their hopes on young talents figuring it out. Ceddanne Rafaela has experience at second base, but is one of baseball’s top defensive center fielders and might be wasted at the keystone.
It would be easy to say the Red Sox should simply sign one of the top infielders available in free agency, and there’s certainly merit to the argument. The Red Sox are a big market club that just dumped Rafael Devers‘s salary on the Giants over the summer. RosterResource estimates a $266MM payroll for the club in terms of luxury tax dollars headed into 2026, a figure that falls $20MM behind the Yankees and $45MM behind the Blue Jays even when looking only at their rivals in the AL East.
On the other hand, Boston’s payroll is already the highest it’s ever been in terms of luxury tax dollars. Even the actual cash outlay is second only to the 2022 team in the post-Mookie Betts era. Trading away someone like Jordan Hicks or Masataka Yoshida could help but neither has huge trade value right now.
But they don’t have a ton of options left in free agency. Bregman is a Cub and Bo Bichette reportedly has an agreement in place with the Mets. Eugenio Suarez is still out there but it’s unclear how willing the Sox are to spend on him.
Perhaps the trade market is the best bet. the addition of Suarez only further bolstered a rotation that has an excess of quality options. Using a young pitcher like Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, or Kyle Harrison as part of a package to land an impact infielder certainly seems attractive. The team also has an excess of outfield talent at the moment, particularly given the fact that both Yoshida and Triston Casas figure to be battling for playing time at DH. Trading Casas or an outfielder like Jarren Duran could make sense to clean up that logjam somewhat.
The Diamondbacks have reportedly taken Ketel Marte off the market but recent reporting has suggested that maybe Boston will try to change that stance. Even if he’s not realistic, there are still plenty of intriguing players who could be available via trade. Boston could make a third trade with the Cardinals and their newly-minted president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom in order to bring super utility man Brendan Donovan into the fold, though he would do little to balance a heavily left-handed lineup. Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner could be another option, though all indications are that Chicago would need to be overwhelmed in order to move their longtime infielder. It could be easier to pry away Matt Shaw, but the youngster isn’t much more well-established than Mayer and Campbell at this point, which could make him an imperfect fit for the team.
Perhaps the most attractive trade candidate out there at the moment would be Astros infielder Isaac Paredes, who was pushed off third base in Houston by the acquisition of Carlos Correa and has no clear path to everyday at-bats with his current team given the presence of Christian Walker and Yordan Alvarez at first base and DH respectively. Paredes is no match for Bregman defensively, but Bregman himself showed that a player who benefits from the Crawford Boxes in Houston can enjoy similar success hitting off/over the Green Monster at Fenway Park. As a 124 wRC+ hitter over the past four years, Paredes would add a viable middle-of-the-order bat to the Boston infield and create an intriguing, high-upside corner infield duo with newly-minted first baseman Willson Contreras.
Perfect as that fit might seem on paper, however, the Astros have signaled their reluctance to moving him — despite what looks like an overcrowded infield mix. Regular playing time for Paredes would be just one Spring Training injury away, and GM Dana Brown said publicly in November that he has “no interest” in moving the righty-swinging slugger. With free agent alternatives dwindling on the open market, plenty of suitors for both Donovan and Hoerner that the Red Sox would need to compete with, and hesitance on the part of the Cubs and Astros to part with their players, pulling off a trade could be easier said than done at this stage of the offseason.
That leaves us to circle back to the possibility that the team doesn’t add a regular to the lineup this winter. Mayer and Campbell could enter camp as the favorites for third and second base respectively, though if the team remains committed to trying Campbell in the outfield, David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez could form a platoon at the keystone or Rafaela could shift back to the infield. If the Red Sox were to go this route, they would surely add a veteran infielder like Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Yoan Moncada, or Ramon Urias to the lineup in order to provide some competition for the youngsters in Spring Training and overall improve the depth of what would be an injury-plagued infield mix. While it would be a risky move to rely mostly on internal options, it would offer Mayer and Campbell the best opportunity to carve out everyday roles for themselves and might be the only option at the team’s disposal if they aren’t able to pull off some kind of trade in the ten weeks remaining before Opening Day.
How do MLBTR readers think the Red Sox will look to round out their infield? Will they turn to a free agent like Suarez, even if it means finding a way to dump salary elsewhere on the roster? Could they instead try and work out a trade for someone like Paredes, Hoerner, or Donovan? Or will they instead rely primarily on their internal options? Have your say in the poll below:
How will the Red Sox fill out their infield?
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They'll trade for a regular infielder like Paredes or Hoerner 46% (3,006)
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They won't add a regular infielder and stick with internal options and depth signings 35% (2,288)
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They'll sign a regular infielder like Suarez 19% (1,204)
Total votes: 6,498
Red Sox Could Trade From Rotation After Suárez Deal
The Red Sox went big with their first free agent signing of the winter, adding Ranger Suárez for five years and $130MM on Wednesday. That followed trade acquisitions of Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, meaning the Sox could enter the season having replaced 60% of their rotation.
Even with Lucas Giolito departing in free agency, the Red Sox have eight to ten viable options. They’ll be anchored at the top end by Garrett Crochet, Suárez and Gray. It’s unlikely that Boston would flip Oviedo within a few months of giving up a reasonably well-regarded outfield prospect (Jhostynxon Garcia) to acquire him. Beyond that, the Sox could dangle any of their starters on the trade market.
Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic and Sean McAdam of MassLive each wrote this week that a rotation trade was a possibility. The Sox don’t need to force one unless overwhelmed by an offer. Starting pitching depth can quickly thin, and most of Boston’s back-end arms have minor league options remaining. They can load up the rotation at Triple-A Worcester to prepare for injuries over the course of a 162-game schedule.
On the other hand, dealing a starter could get the Sox their finishing piece in the infield. They lost the bidding for Alex Bregman, leaving them short at least one player on the dirt. Even if they’re comfortable turning the hot corner to Marcelo Mayer, they don’t have a clear answer at second base. They don’t want to take Ceddanne Rafaela out of center field, where he’s one of the best defenders in the sport. Kristian Campbell struggled defensively as a rookie, and it seems the organization prefers him in the outfield. A platoon of David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez is underwhelming for a win-now team in a competitive division.
If the Suárez signing was their one big free agent move in the budget, the Red Sox should find a way to add an infielder on the trade front. The Sox were tied to Ketel Marte before the Diamondbacks pulled him from the market. They’ve been linked to Brendan Donovan, although Ari Alexander of 7 Boston News suggests they’d prefer a right-handed bat and thus may not be as motivated as some other teams on Donovan (e.g. Giants, Mariners).
The Red Sox have been tied to Houston third baseman Isaac Paredes throughout the winter. Astros GM Dana Brown has downplayed the club’s interest in moving an infielder, but that hasn’t stopped teams from calling. Brian McTaggart of MLB.com wrote this week that teams continue to engage the Astros to see if they can change their minds on Paredes. Houston has added a pair of potential mid-rotation starters, Mike Burrows and Tatsuya Imai, but they remain light on controllable starting pitching.
Let’s take a run through the possibilities if chief baseball officer Craig Breslow does move a starter.
If the Sox deal from their rotation, these would be their two most valuable trade chips. Tolle and Early both debuted late in the 2025 season. Early was very good over four abbreviated starts. Tolle struggled over seven appearances, but that’s not going to deter teams from having interest in a 23-year-old who pitched his way to the big leagues within his first full professional season.
Tolle and Early respectively rank as the Sox’s top and third-best prospects at Baseball America. Tolle has bigger stuff, averaging 97 MPH on a heater that plays up even further based on his excellent extension and above-average life at the top of the zone. Early also gets good extension and has fantastic secondary stuff, headlined by a plus changeup. His 94 MPH fastball is closer to average, but he’s a superior strike-thrower to Tolle.
Both pitchers have six years of club control and a trio of minor league options. Teams are loath to part with starters who have this level of talent. It’s unlikely the Sox would trade either pitcher for a player who is a year from free agency. Would they entertain it for a controllable star hitter? McCaffrey and McAdam both floated the possibility of the Sox trying to reengage with Arizona on Marte by dangling one of Tolle or Early alongside an outfielder like Jarren Duran or Rafaela. Even if the Diamondbacks are committed to moving forward with Marte, the general idea is that the Sox would only move one of their most talented starters for an impact bat.
Bello will make $6MM next season and is signed for a total of $50.5MM over the next four years. There’s a club option for 2030 that gives the Sox a fifth season of control. Bello would be locked into the fourth starter role if he’s not traded. The 26-year-old righty has briefly come up in conversations this offseason, albeit with uncertainty about how willing the Sox are to move him.
Last season, Bello ranked second on the team with 166 2/3 innings. He turned in a 3.35 earned run average but didn’t have as favorable reviews from estimators like FIP (4.19) and SIERA (4.55). That’s due to a career-low 17.7% strikeout rate. Bello’s 8.6% swinging strike percentage was also a personal low and ranked in the bottom 25 among all MLB pitchers (min. 100 innings pitched). It’s difficult to maintain mid-rotation results with that level of swing and miss.
Bello has good velocity, averaging 95 MPH on his sinker and four-seam fastball. The sinker is the better of the two offerings, and he leans on it more as a ground-ball pitch than one that gets a lot of whiffs. While Bello has missed more bats in previous seasons, he has always had more of a ground-ball approach. There’s volatility baked into that, and the Sox don’t project to have a great infield defense behind him. Bello is probably closer to a league average arm than the ERA would indicate. That’s still valuable at the remaining $12.625MM average annual value on his contract. Notably, if the Sox chose to move Bello, they’d be trimming what’s currently a $9.166MM luxury hit from their current books (the overall AAV of his extension, which covers the 2024-29 seasons).
Kutter Crawford/Patrick Sandoval
Both pitchers missed the entire 2025 season. Crawford, who is signed for $2.75MM in his second of four arbitration years, began the year on the shelf with right knee discomfort. He injured his right wrist a couple months later and underwent surgery. Crawford had been a swingman for his first couple seasons but stepped into a full-time rotation role in 2024. He pitched well for a few months until a second-half home run spike pushed his ERA to 4.36 across 183 2/3 innings.
Crawford had slightly above-average strikeout and walk marks a couple seasons ago. The home runs and injury history are concerns, but he’s cheaply controllable through 2028 and could be a league average starter if he’s healthy. He also has a pair of minor league options, so there’s a decent amount of roster flexibility for the Sox or any team that acquires him. He’s well behind Tolle, Early and Bello in terms of trade value but would have some appeal if the Sox tried to swap him for a utility infielder or controllable bullpen piece.
The Sox knew that Sandoval was unlikely to pitch much (if at all) in 2025 when they signed him to a two-year, $18.25MM contract early in his rehab from June ’24 Tommy John surgery. They backloaded the deal, paying $5.5MM for his rehab year and a $12.75MM salary for the upcoming season. The 29-year-old Sandoval was a mid-rotation starter over his final three seasons as a member of the Angels. He pitched to a 3.84 ERA with a 21.9% strikeout rate in nearly 400 innings between 2022-24. His command is fringy but he sits around 94 MPH and has above-average secondaries with his changeup and slider.
Boston may not want to trade Sandoval for a modest return after paying more than $5MM to cover his rehab year. The front office liked him enough to sign him to that deal in the first place. Yet the rotation picture has changed, and Sandoval’s five-plus years of service mean he can’t be sent to the minors. They might be better off trusting Oviedo or Crawford as the fifth starter and getting some of Sandoval’s contract off the books for a utility or bullpen pickup.
Of the players acquired from the Giants in the Rafael Devers trade, Harrison was probably the centerpiece. The deal was mostly about moving on from Devers and shedding his contract. The Sox kept Harrison in Triple-A for much of the ’25 season even as their rotation was being hit by injuries. They finally brought him up in September. Harrison pitched well over his first two outings before getting knocked around in his third. The Sox carried him on their Wild Card Series roster but didn’t use him, opting instead to go with the rookie Early in a must-win Game 3.
Harrison has a decent arm, sitting in the 94-95 MPH range. His secondary stuff and command have been inconsistent, and he owns a 4.39 ERA across 194 2/3 career innings. Harrison is under club control for at least five seasons and has a pair of options remaining. There’d be plenty of teams interested if the Sox shopped him, but his stock has dropped since he was one of the sport’s top pitching prospects a couple seasons ago. Boston is probably better served holding him and hoping for a step forward in his age-24 season.
An offseason Houck trade wouldn’t accomplish much and feels unlikely. He’s coming off a terrible year that culminated in an August Tommy John procedure. He’s expected to miss the ’26 season and would have minimal appeal to another team. Houck agreed to a $4.1MM salary to avoid arbitration and should make the same amount for his final year of club control . They can place him on the 60-day injured list once Spring Training opens.
MLBTR Podcast: The Cubs Land Cabrera And Bregman, Remaining Free Agents, And Skubal’s Arbitration Filing
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Cubs acquiring Edward Cabrera from the Marlins for Owen Caissie, Cristian Hernández and Edgardo De Leon (1:55)
- The Cubs agreeing to a deal with Alex Bregman (13:10)
- The Red Sox coming up short on Bregman and where that leaves them now (27:35)
- The game of musical chairs with the remaining top free agents (35:40)
- The Tigers and Tarik Skubal going into arbitration $13MM apart (41:45)
- The Orioles and Ryan Mountcastle avoiding arbitration with a unique deal (57:25)
Check out our past episodes!
- Contracts For Imai And Okamoto, And Thoughts On The Pirates And Giants – listen here
- Three-Way Trade, Murakami’s Short-Term Deal, And Willson Contreras To Boston – listen here
- The Mets Sign Jorge Polanco, And The Braves, Blue Jays And Royals Make Moves – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images
Red Sox Rumors: Suarez, Bichette, Valdez, Rotation
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.