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 dedicated fan base and a lot of money to spend. But over the six seasons since Boston last won the World Series in 2018, the franchise hasn’t been the same.
During that period, the Red Sox traded one of the franchise’s biggest superstars, Mookie Betts, to the Dodgers, with whom Betts has 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 has gone through three different heads of baseball operations: Dave Dombrowski, Chaim Bloom and now Craig Breslow.
The cachet Boston once had as one of baseball’s top franchises had taken a hit, with many around the league wondering if and when the Red Sox will return to prominence.
But as the second offseason under Breslow begins to take shape, it’s starting to feel like the Red Sox are about to make some noise again.
Anytime you’re talking about the offseason’s biggest free agent — in this case, Juan Soto — it’s proof that you’re serious about improving your team. The Red Sox, who met with the mega free agent last week, could certainly use the kind of star power that Soto brings. Star power was once an intrinsic 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 would certainly like to have 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 have been unable to pair him with a player of his caliber to take some of the pressure off . away from him. Devers and Soto would be a combination that rivals anyone in baseball, and with a leadoff hitter like Jarren Duran, Boston’s lineup could be deadly.
Soto is exactly the type of player Boston was looking for during the golden era of Red Sox baseball. But even if they don’t land him, their pursuit of Soto sends a clear message to the rest of baseball: This team is ready to sit at the big kid’s table again.
That’s why many in the industry expect the Red Sox to be serious players on the free-agent market this season. Not only that, but Boston’s farm system, headlined by Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell, will also allow the team to enter the trade market and make some serious noise. While the years under Chaim Bloom in Boston were not filled with major additions, Breslow now has the opportunity as Chief Baseball Officer to leave his mark on the franchise.
In addition to their pursuit of Soto, the Red Sox could also be looking 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 has expressed interest in free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernández and was interested in the World Series champion last season prior to his signing with LA.
At the same time, pitching was an important focus for the Red Sox under Breslow, who pitched in the big league for twelve years. Max Fried, Blake Snell or even Walker Buehler would be strong additions to Boston’s starting rotation, which already has a few foundational pieces in Tanner Houck, Bryan Bello and Kutter Crawford. The Red Sox could also trade for a starter like White Sox ace Garrett Crochet, who they have the potential capital to run after. Adding an elite, high-leverage presence like All-Star reliever Tanner Scott would be the icing on the cake of what could be a very productive offseason.
With so many potential opportunities for improvement and real financial flexibility, this is shaping up to be the offseason where the Red Sox can bring themselves back to baseball relevance. And with their rival Yankees coming off a World Series appearance and an Orioles team led by a new ownership group looking to invest, the Red Sox can’t afford to be stuck in no man’s land.
The days of sitting and waiting with the checkbook closed are over. Whether it’s shocking the world by landing Soto or making a combination of other impactful plays, the Red Sox have a real chance to win this season. They just have to decide that’s what they want.
