There was a time when the Boston Red Sox sat at the table of baseball’s elite. This is a franchise with a rich history in a major market, a devoted fan base and plenty of money to spend. But in the six seasons since Boston last won the World Series in 2018, the franchise hasn’t been the same.
During this period, the Red Sox traded one of the franchise’s biggest superstars, Mookie Betts, to the Dodgers, with whom Betts won two World Series titles while remaining one of the game’s biggest superstars. Meanwhile, Boston has missed the postseason in five of six seasons and gone through three different chiefs of baseball operations: Dave Dombrowski, Chaim Bloom and now Craig Breslow.
The honor Boston once held as one of baseball’s premier franchises took a hit, and many around the league wondered if and when the Red Sox would return to prominence.
But as the second offseason under Breslow begins to take shape, it’s starting to feel like the Red Sox are on the verge of making some noise again.
Anytime you’re talking about the biggest free agent of the season — in this case, Juan Soto — it’s proof that you’re serious about improving your team. The Red Sox, who met the mega-free agent last week, could certainly use the type of star power Soto brings. Star power was once an integral part of the Red Sox brand with names like Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Roger Clemens and even Betts, and it’s something they’d definitely like more of.
Boston has superstar talent in third baseman Rafael Devers, but since signing an 11-year, $331 million extension in 2022, the Red Sox haven’t been able to pair him with a player of his caliber to handle some pressure. from him. Devers and Soto would make a pairing that rivals any in baseball, and with a leader like Jarren Duran, Boston’s lineup could be deadly.
Soto is exactly the type of player Boston would have been after during the golden days of Red Sox baseball. But even if they don’t land him, their pursuit of Soto will send a clear message to the rest of baseball that this team is ready to sit down at the big kids’ table again.
As such, many in the industry expect the Red Sox to be serious players in the free agent market this season. Not only that, but Boston’s farm system, led by Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell, will also allow the team to tap into the trade market and make some serious noise there. While the years under Chaim Bloom in Boston weren’t full of marquee additions, Breslow now has an opportunity as the chief baseball officer to make his mark on the franchise.
In addition to pursuing Soto, the Red Sox could look for upgrades at second base, left field, the back of the bullpen and possibly the rotation this winter. Which free agents could be a good fit for Boston? First, the team expressed interest in outfielder Teoscar Hernández and was interested in the World Series champion last season, before he signed with LA.
At the same time, pitching was an emphasis for the Red Sox under Breslow, who played in the big leagues for 12 years. Max Fried, Blake Snell or even Walker Buehler would be strong additions to Boston’s starting rotation, which already has several core pieces in Tanner Houck, Bryan Bell and Kutter Crawford. The Red Sox could also trade for a starter such as White Sox ace Garrett Crochet, who they have the potential capital to pursue. Adding an elite, high-leverage presence like All-Star reliever Tanner Scott would be the cherry on top of what could be a very productive offseason.
With so many potential avenues for improvement and real financial flexibility, this is shaping up to be an offseason where the Red Sox can get back to baseball. And with their rival Yankees making the World Series and the Orioles led by a new ownership group looking to invest, the Red Sox can’t afford to float in no man’s land.
The time of sitting and waiting with a closed checkbook is over. Whether it’s shocking the world by landing Soto or a combination of other impressive moves, the Red Sox have a real opportunity to win this offseason. They just have to decide that they want to.