The Boston Red Sox will be without their ace for a while.
Left-handed starter Garrett Crochet went on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to inflammation in his left shoulder. Third baseman-outfielder Nate Eaton was called up from Triple-A Worcester to take Crochet's roster spot. Crochet had been slated to start Friday, with left-hander Jake Bennett a likely candidate.
Crochet hadn't displayed the same form that led to his brilliant 2025 season, when he finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting and went 18-5 with a 2.89 FIP with an 5.7% walk rate and 31.3% strikeout rate, leading MLB with 255 strikeouts. In six starts this year, Crochet had a 4.33 FIP and 6.30 ERA, having allowed five runs twice and 11 in another. He has a 8% walk rate and 26.8% strikeout rate.
Surprisingly, this move comes after perhaps his best start of the season. In Saturday's 17-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, Crochet went six shutout innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Eaton played in 41 games for the Red Sox last year, putting up a .296/.348/.383 slash line with one homer, four RBIs and nine stolen bases. In 27 games for Worcester this year, Eaton's slash line is .292/.373/.458 with three homers, 12 RBIs and six stolen bases.
The start of Curtis Mead's career with the Boston Red Sox lasted two plate appearances. Now the question is: How do the Red Sox replace the infielder?
Mead, acquired Saturday in a trade with the Washington Nationals, was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday by the Red Sox with an injured left wrist. Mead told Boston media the wrist is fractured and he will fly to Boston to meet with a hand specialist, who will determine if he needs season-ending surgery. He was hit by a pitch in Monday's game against the A's. Infielder Nick Sogard will be called up from Triple-A Worcester. Due to Boston being in West Sacramento, Sogard is not expected to join the team until Wednesday.
Mead was hit by a 95 mph four-seamer from A's right-hander Jack Perkins leading off the top of the fourth inning. He remained in the game until being replaced defensively to begin the bottom of the fifth inning.
Initial X-rays did not show a break, according to interim manager Chad Tracy, but more testing Tuesday led the Red Sox to make the decision to sideline their new acquisition. Mead was picked up in a one-for-one trade for left-handed starter Connelly Early. Mead has a season slash line of .253/.353/.498 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs, hoping to provide a bit of extra power from the Red Sox's infield.
The Boston Red Sox, off to a 10-17 start, fired manager Alex Cora and five members of the coaching staff Saturday in an early-season stunner. A sixth coach is being reassigned.
Hitting coach Peter Fatse, bench coach Ramon Vazquez, third base coach Kyle Hudson, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson and major-league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin were also fired by the Red Sox. Game-planning coach Jason Varitek is considering a possible reassignment.
Chad Tracy, the 40-year-old manager of Triple-A Worcester since 2022, has been named interim manager.
"Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and the many years that followed, he will always have our deepest gratitude,” Red Sox principal owner John Henry said in a released statement. “He has had a lasting impact on this team and on this city. He has led on and off the field in so many important ways. These decisions are never easy, but this one is especially difficult given what Alex has meant to the Red Sox since the day he arrived. I want to thank Alex, our coaches, and their families for everything they have given to this organization. They have been part of this club in a way that goes beyond the field, and they will always have our respect and gratitude."
The moves came shortly after the Red Sox pounded out a 17-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles snapped a four-game losing streak.
Despite that offensive showing, the Red Sox were last in the AL East and had a .667 team OPS, which ranks 26th out of 30 teams, and ranked 20th in runs scored with 112 in 27 games (4.15 per game). Entering Saturday, the Red Sox had lost four straight and six of seven.
Cora's contract runs through 2027 and has just over $13.5 million remaining following an extension in 2024.
Cora led the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series championship following a 108-54 record in his first season as an MLB manager. Cora compiled a 620-541 record, missing the 2020 season as a result of a suspension for his involvement in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal. He was initially fired by the Red Sox in January 2020, then rehired after the season. After posting winning records in his first three seasons, the Red Sox finished 78-84 in each of the 2022 and 2023 seasons and 81-81 in 2024. Boston went 89-73 last year. His 620 wins are the third-most in Red Sox history.
The Red Sox made the postseason just twice in the eight seasons since winning it all in 2018, losing to the Houston Astros in six games in the 2021 AL Championship Series, then falling to the rival New York Yankees in the final game of the best-of-three AL Wild Card Series last year.
Double-A Portland manager Chad Epperson will become the third base coach and Worcester hitting coach Collin Hetzler will join the Red Sox's hitting staff.
Cora also played four seasons as an infielder for the Red Sox, including being a member of the 2007 World Series championship team. His last season as a player was in 2011.
The struggle has been real for former Boston Red Sox top prospect Kristian Campbell. The 23-year-old has a .223/.319/.345 slash line with six home runs and two stolen bases across 263 plate appearances. Overall, his production - or lack thereof - computes to a 86 wRC+.
Campbell has been used as the teams primary second baseman, but has played a little outfield with the big-league club. After Tristan Casas' injury, he was also getting practice reps at first base.
If there is one positive to take away from his first two and a half months in the big league it's that his walk rate was 11%. However, a strikeout rate of 27.4% and swing percentage may indicate that he needs to be a bit more aggressive at the plate.
From a scale of 1-10 how concerned are with you Campbell's long term outlook?
The Boston Red Sox made yet another round of cuts in camp, mere days away from Opening Day. Notably, OF/INF Kristian Campbell headlines the group reassigned to minor-league camp. Pitchers Alex Gamboa, Tayron Guerrero, and Kyle Keller were also reassigned. Catcher Jason Delay, infielder Vinny Capra, and outfielder Braiden Ward were also reassigned, but they are remaining in major league spring training for now.
Obviously, Campbell headlines the reassignment group for this round. Campbell came into camp with more muscle and with new mechanics at the plate. While he had some promising moments, his performance left a bit to be desired. He appeared in 18 games for the Red Sox this spring, slashing .220/.304/.645 with one home run, two doubles, a 23.9 K%, and a 4.3 BB%. If you’ve tuned into any spring training games so far, you’ll have noticed that he seems far more comfortable at the plate now, but he’s still adjusting to his new swing. When it clicks, he should take a giant step forward to hopefully become the player the team envisioned when they extended him at the start of the 2025 season.
Guerrero was impressive in camp but his reassignment seems to indicate that the Andrew Bailey-led pitching lab doesn’t think what he’s currently working with is sustainable at the big-league level, yet. He’s a flamethrower, but the rest of his game needs more refinement. Keller has looked overmatched for much of spring training so his reassignment isn’t surprising. Gamboa falls into the same category as Keller; both obviously need more work and aren't likely to see the big-league roster any time soon.
Delay, Capra, and Ward being reassigned also isn’t surprising. but the decision to keep them in Major League spring training is an indicator how high the organization is on them as capable depth options. Ward is likely going to be a late season call up to give the team a boost off the bench in pinch running situations, so look for him to continue to shine on the basepaths with Worcester for the bulk of the season. Delay was in the mix for the backup catcher role but this likely means he’s out of that race for now. Capra proved to be more than capable at handling infield duties while guys were given days off for rest down the stretch of spring training.
Watch for at least one more round of cuts as the front office gets the team down to the 26-man roster before Opening Day on March 26.
After a season where the Boston Red Sox fell short of expectations, they've had a very busy start to the offseason with option decisions. These decisions have started to paint the picture of what the 2025-2026 offseason may hold and what needs to be done to the roster to meet their goals for next season.
One of the bigger questions they're tasked with is figuring out the plans at first base. After a devastating knee injury to Triston Casas, first base was a bit of a merry-go-round with Nathaniel Lowe and Romy Gonzalez getting a bulk of the reps in the second half of the season. While both players are controllable in 2026, Casas is hoping to be healthy by the time Spring Training rolls around. However, at the end of the season, in an interview with Tim Healey of the Boston Globe, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow was non-committal to Casas's future, stating, "I don’t think it makes a ton of sense on October 6 to say someone is or isn’t our first baseman. We’ll see how things play out..."
Ultimately, it's those comments that may have prompted the cryptic message from Casas:
Casas, who was struggling at the plate prior to his injury, is projected for a very team-friendly $1.7 million salary in his first year of arbitration.
What do you think he means in his Instagram post? Should the Red Sox move on from him? Join the conversation in the comments!
The uneven start to the season for Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story has hit a pothole.
Story is reportedly being placed on the 10-day injured list, likely due to the minor groin issue that he has been dealing with most of the season. Infielder Nick Sogard was called up from Triple-A Worcester. Andruw Monasterio is likely to get a bulk of the time at shortstop in Story's absence.
The oft-injured Story, coming off his first healthy season since 2021, has struggled at the plate and in the field this year. He has a .206/.244/.303 slash line with three homers and 19 RBIs in 41 games. This comes after a 25-homers, 96-RBI season in which he slashed .263/.308/.433.
Sogard will be seeing his first action of the season with the Red Sox after a combined 61 games over the last two years in which he had a slash line of .266/.321/.335 with no homers and 17 RBIs. He was slashing .269/.417/.454 at Triple-A this year with five homers and 23 RBIs.
The Boston Red Sox made multiple roster moves pertaining to their pitching staff following the conclusion of an 8-1 loss to the Washington Nationals. The major news is the loss of Connelly Early. The left-hander exited Tuesday night’s start after just four innings and 61 pitches with left elbow discomfort.
While Early himself didn’t seem too worried about the injury, the team sent him for imaging Wednesday morning just to be certain. The result led to Early being placed on the 15-day Injured List with left elbow inflammation.
To fill his spot on the roster, the Red Sox activated left-handed pitcher Jovani Morán from the injured list and added him to the active roster. The left-hander was a trusted arm in the Sox bullpen prior to his injury, appearing in 21 games and tossing 33 innings with a 3.00 ERA. He also struck out 38 batters. Morán made two rehab appearances last week with Worcester and looked ready to return to Boston after tossing three scoreless innings.
The other change in the pitching staff pertains to Tommy Kahnle. The 36-year-old reliever was designated for assignment after a tough stint in the bullpen. Kahnle signed a minor-league deal with Boston near the end of spring training and pitched well there, leading to the team adding him to the active roster following the activation of his opt out clause. Since then, the right-hander made eight appearances in Boston and pitched nine innings while allowing eight runs on 12 hits and six walks.
To replace Kahnle on the active roster, the Red Sox recalled Alec Gamboa. This will be Gamboa’s third stint with the team, having pitched twice for them previously. Overall, he’s tossed 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen and struck out three. He’s spent most of the season with Worcester, where he’s tossed 17 2/3 innings out of the bullpen while allowing just two earned runs.
The Red Sox look to close out their homestand with a win today against the Nationals at 1:35pm.
It seems that the Red Sox's infield depth has already taken a massive blow before the season has even begun. On Wednesday morning, it was revealed by Romy Gonzalez that the infielder will likely not be ready for Opening Day, a revelation many were not surprised by, considering the infielder's current situation.
Dealing with a shoulder he aggravated back in January after originally injuring it near the end of the 2025 season, González has yet to get into any regimen during spring training. González had previously undergone a PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) injection in late January, but things have not progressed to the point he had hoped.
Per MassLive’ Christopher Smith, González said on Wednesday morning “at this point, I think the ramp-up would be a little too quick and it’d be a disservice I feel like to myself and the team if I’m not ready to roll and have a good build up.”
González will have an evaluation done by the training staff next Friday, but the infielder feels he won’t be able to begin hitting by then.
With González likely headed to the injured list to begin the season, a battle for the utility infield spot on the roster is likely to come down between Nick Sogard and Andruw Monasterio, with the latter having earned praise from manager Alex Cora.
Among a series of Thursday roster moves, the Boston Red Sox promoted outfielder prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to the majors, according to Tommy Cassell of Worcester T&G Sports.
Garcia played 66 games for Triple-A Worcester, slashing .303/.367/.564 with 17 home runs and a 140 wRC+. In recent weeks, the No. 5 prospect on Sox Prospects started getting reps at first base and even started a game there.
The 22-year-old possesses a unique profile as a batter, as he's sort of the antithesis of the Red Sox organization's desired player. He swings a lot out of the zone yet takes a lot of pitches in the zone -- both under the 40th percentile. However, the pitches he does swing at he does serious damage. He ranks in the 86th percentile with a .353 expected weighted on-base average and 90th percentile for barrel rate.
He also is in the 81st percentile for pull-air rate, which bodes very well for a right-handed hitter at Fenway Park.
On the downside, the corresponding move to Garcia's call-up is that outfielder Wilyer Abreu will go on the injured list. Abreu left Sunday's game against the Miami Marlins with calf tightness and was unavailable, despite still being rostered, in the Red Sox two-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.
This injury comes at a very bad time for Abreu, who hits the shelf for the second time this season. The Gold Glove right fielder was off to a tremendous start to August, showing signs of rebounding after slashing .222/.300/.460 with a 106 wRC+ in July.
The Boston Red Sox have designated left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe for assignment on Saturday after he went two innings against the Mets and walked three. Coulombe struggled through the 2026 season producing a 4.95 ERA in 20 innings of work with a 1.50 WHIP and an 11.4% strikeout rate versus a bloated 13.6% walk rate. The underlying numbers backed up his performance this season, as he produced a 4.71 FIP and a 5.91 SIERA.
Coulombe was brought in as lefty help in the spring, with only closer Aroldis Chapman profiling as a legitimate left-handed option, but he did not meet the expectations set for him.
One interesting note from Chris Cotillo, who broke the DFA news:
So it seems that beyond his play this season, there was legitimate financial incentive for the Red Sox to make this move. No corresponding transaction has been announced yet.
The Boston Red Sox used one of their additional roster spots to bring back a player and the other to give a prospect a shot at making their first MLB start.
Right-hander Jedixson Paez had his contract selected from Triple-A Worcester and will make his Red Sox debut Tuesday when he starts against the Seattle Mariners. Also, infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa was activated from the 60-day injured list for the other extra spot as rosters expanded by two on Tuesday to 28 for September.
To make room on the 40-man roster for both players, left-hander Eduardo Rivera was placed on the 60-day IL with a lumbar strain and infielder Brett Harris was designated for assignment.
The 22-year-old Paez, who pitched in three games for the Chicago White Sox this season, has a 4.11 ERA in 20 games (10 starts) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. In 61⅓ innings, he has walked only seven and struck out 74. He has made three starts for Worcester, with a 2.92 ERA, two walks and 18 strikeouts in 12⅓ innings. Paez had been selected by the White Sox in the Rule 5 draft, but was returned to the Red Sox in April following three MLB relief appearances.
Kiner-Falefa has been on the injured list with right forearm inflammation since June 20. Kiner-Falefa further strengthens the bench following the return to the lineup of left fielder Roman Anthony and shorstop Trevor Story. First baseman Willson Contreras went on the 10-day IL Monday. IKF has a slash line of .277/.344/.361 with two homers, 13 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 47 games.
The Boston Red Sox have seemingly decided upon their bench for Opening Day, as Nate Eaton has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. Eaton was in a competition with Andruw Monasterio for the final bench spot, but in the end, it was Monasterio who won it.
What may have swung the decision towards Monasterio was his ability to play second base and the potential to platoon with Marcelo Mayer by hitting left-handed pitching well.
Eaton signed as a minor league free agent prior to the 2025 season and played well enough to garner a call up to Boston. In 41 games with the big-league club, Eaton hit .296/.348/.383 with four doubles, one home run, four RBIs, and nine stolen bases. He can also play all three outfield positions and third base will provide excellent depth in Worcester. He will likely be one of the first players called up should injury or inconsistent play occur.
The Red Sox's bench now should look as such come Opening Day: Connor Wong, Masataka Yoshida, Andruw Monasterio, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
In other roster-related news, Ryan Watson was informed Monday that he made the team. Watson was a Rule 5 pick over the winter and was required to be on the active roster in order to remain with Boston. In response, Boston optioned Tyler Samaniego to Worcester per MassLive's Chris Cotillo.
The roster is nearly complete, as the only spots remaining is who out of Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early, and Payton Tolle will be the final member of the rotation and who might be the final bullpen arm.
Yet, another blow to the Boston Red Sox roster. Now, Hunter Dobbins has been placed on the 15-day IL with a right elbow strain. In a corresponding move, the Res Sox have recalled Richard Fitts from Triple-A Worcester.
When speaking to a pool of reporters on Sunday, Dobbins stated "Just some tightness that we’ve been grinding through for a little bit. It hasn’t been bouncing back how we would like, so [we’re] just trying to give it a couple for weeks."
Dobbins has been serviceable in mostly a starter's capacity with a 4.10 ERA but a 3.85 FIP that suggests he's pitching better than his surface stats suggest. In 12 big-league appearances (10 starts) he has a lowly 10.8% strikeout-minus-walk (K-BB) rate, largely due to a lack of swing-and-miss type stuff.
Fitts struggled in five starts with the team before hitting the IL with a shoulder injury in mid-April. In four starts with Worcester, he had a 4.20 ERA and a 10.6% K-BB rate.
Do you think the Red Sox should add pitching between now and the trade deadline?
With the need to open up a roster spot for the eventual activation of Alex Bregman from the injured list, the Boston Red Sox are optioning David Hamilton to Worcester per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.
Hamilton, who has appeared in 61 games this season has struggled at the plate after putting up a respectable 2024 season that was cut short by injury. This season the speedy infielder has managed to hit only .179/.229/.276 in 123 at-bats. He also has three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBIs to go along with 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
With Bregman likely being activated for Friday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays it seemed that either Hamilton or rookie infielder Marcelo Mayer were going to be optioned back to Worcester. In the end the team decided to hold onto Mayer due to his fantastic defense at third base, shortstop and second base along with his timely hitting.
Bregman’s addition will be a huge addition to an offense that has been on a roll and helped propel Boston onto a seven-game winning stream and having won nine of their last 10 games.
Do you think the Red Sox optioned the right player? Should Mayer be in Worcester getting everyday at-bats? Leave your thoughts below in the comments.
Marcelo Mayer is set to miss the remainder of the 2025 season, as he will be having surgery on the wrist that landed him on the injured list in late July. Alex Cora noted that the injury requires a three-month recovery, so Mayer will be ready for spring training in 2026.
Mac Cerullo went on to note that this injury is the same injury Mayer suffered in 2022, but that this most recent injury is worse. Mayer hoped that a shot that he received would help get him through the season, but he said he knew surgery was always likely.
Marcelo Mayer was called up as Alex Bregman’s replacement after Bregman was placed on the injured list earlier in the season. The rookie performed well defensively for the team while leaving a bit to be desired offensively. After his recovery, Mayer should hit the ground running and be in contention for a spot on the 2026 Opening Day roster.
UPDATE: Johan Oviedo is hitting the 60-day IL to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Anderson; Tyler Samaniego is being optioned to the minors to clear a spot on the active roster.
Original post as follows.
In need of bullpen assistance after Monday night’s loss to the Minnesota Twins, the Boston Red Sox have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Jack Anderson from Triple-A Worcester, per Ari Alexander of 7News Boston.
Anderson, who was a selection in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft back in 2024, spent most of 2025 with the Portland Sea Dogs before making three late season starts for Worcester.
2026 has been an up-and-down year so far for the 26-year-old after pitching for Great Britain during the World Baseball Classic. Since the minor-league season began, he’s made two starts for Worcester tossing 9 2/3 innings. In that span, he’s allowed four runs on eight hits (one home run) and three walks. He also struck out nine.
There has yet to be a corresponding roster move; both the active roster and the 40-man roster are currently full and will require reconfiguring to make room for Anderson.
After a long wait, Patrick Sandoval is finally joining the Boston Red Sox.
The left-handed starter was activated Monday by the Red Sox off the 60-day injured list as he returns from Tommy John surgery and left biceps discomfort. To make room for Sandoval on the 26-man and 40-man rosters, left-handed reliever Alec Gamboa was optioned to Triple-A Worcester and right-hander Jack Anderson was designated for assignment.
Sandoval underwent Tommy John surgery during the 2024 season with the Los Angeles Angels, with his comeback delayed with the biceps issue. Sandoval signed with the Red Sox after the 2024 season with an eye on making it back for Opening Day this year. He made eight rehab appearances, pitching 23⅔ innings and putting up a 3.42 ERA with 13 walks and 22 strikeouts.
Sandoval has a 3.96 career FIP (4.01 ERA) with a 9.9% walk rate and 22.9% strikeout rate.
Gamboa has appeared in four games with the Red Sox this season, including making his MLB debut May 5. In five innings, he has allowed two runs on three hits, including a homer, with four walks and four strikeouts.
Anderson made his MLB debut in April, pitching in three games and covering eight innings. He walked two and struck out six, while giving up one run on eight hits. He has a 4.81 ERA in 16 games (11 starts) at Triple-A this year.
The Brayan Bello situation has taken another turn.
The Boston Red Sox demoted Bello to Triple-A Worcester following yet another bad start by the right-hander Thursday, according to multiple reports.
The move came after Bello allowed eight runs over five innings in an 8-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Six of those runs came in the first inning. It was the second game this season in which the 27-year-old has allowed eight runs, with another start yielding seven runs and yet another six runs. That is four of his 12 appearances this year, eight of which have been starts. The Red Sox have also tried using an opener for Bello, who is in the third year of a six-year, $55 million contract.
When questioned by the media about his role on the team and whether he would be better off in the bullpen or the minors, Bello took exception.
Brayan Bello on whether the big league rotation -- as opposed to the bullpen or Triple-A -- is the right place for him to navigate his struggles:
Bello has a 6.34 ERA and entered Thursday's game with an 8.2% walk rate and a 15.6% strikeout rate. While the walk rate is very close to the MLB average of 8.4% and just off his career mark of 8.3%, his strikeout rate is the worst of his career, below the 15.6% for his career and the MLB average of 22.4%. Opponents are also hitting .310 vs. Bello, the worst mark since his rookie season of .315.
It was already a busy day on the pitching side for the Red Sox, who promoted right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle before the game and then traded for left-handed reliever Joe La Sorsa, who was in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization and will be added to the roster prior to Friday's series opener against the New York Yankees. La Sorsa is an easy swap for Bello's spot on the 26-man roster, but a 40-man move will need to be made.
A busy Trade Deadline Day continued to provide the Red Sox with a new roster as Breslow completed a trade with the Atlanta Braves. The Red Sox sent Tyler Uberstine to Atlanta and received Eli White in return.
Uberstine was drafted by the Red Sox in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft and worked his way through the system before being added to the 40-man roster following the 2025 season. Entering 2026, he was viewed as starting pitching depth but was moved to the bullpen after the Boston bullpen needed reinforcements early in the season. The right-hander made his debut with Boston on April 5, where he pitched 2 2/3 innings and took the loss after surrendering one run. Shortly after the outing, Uberstine ended up on the injured list, where he began a rehab assignment on May 26. Overall, he’s made 15 appearances for Worcester, tossing 32 innings with a 2.81 ERA. Atlanta receives a serviceable arm that will provide them with innings either at the back end of their rotation or out of the bullpen.
For Boston, they received White. An outfielder, White has been used as a defensive replacement and pinch runner late in the game, with only 34 of his 60 games played being starts. Mostly playing right field, White has also seen time in left and center field. He is also viewed as a rather fast runner, being in the 99th percentile for sprint speed. In the playoffs, that could be a game-changer in late-inning situations as a pinch runner. Offensively, there isn’t much to talk about as he’s near the bottom of all offensive metrics if he qualified for them. He has hit left-handed pitchers better, slashing .241/.312/.446 in 83 at-bats this season.
The Boston Red Sox are calling up their number two ranked prospect, LHP Payton Tolle, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Tolle has been on an insane rise through Boston’s system after being taken in the second round of the 2024 draft out of TCU. Tolle made three starts for Triple-A Worcester before his call up.
Tolle’s first taste of WooSox action was less than desirable, but he has rebounded and shown enough that the Red Sox feel comfortable lining him up to start opposite Pirates’ phenom Paul Skenes on Friday at Fenway Park. The organization is showing a ton of confidence in the young hurler and he looks to slot in behind Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito as the fourth arm on the starter depth chart.
Should Tolle dominate at the major league level the way he has at every level of the minors, then the Red Sox have added another long-term keeper to their starting rotation. That should help them to kickstart their championship window, possibly as soon as this year.
The 2025-2026 offseason got underway on Sunday, allowing teams and players to make decisions on options for the 2026 season. To no surprise, Boston Red Sox third basemen swiftly made their decision.
Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe is reporting that Bregman has opted out of his contract, as was fully expected. Both sides have expressed interest in a reunion for 2026 and beyond.
Bregman finished the year with an OPS of .821 across 114 games. He hit 18 home runs and scored 64 runs, while adding one stolen base. His advanced metrics include a wOBA of .356 and a wRC+ of 125, indicating an above-average performance relative to the league. Bregman produced a total of 0 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 1 Outs Above Average (OAA). The veteran infielder was acquired by Boston as a free agent in February 2025. In all, his season was worth 3.5 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
He'll be one of the most sought-after free agents, if not the most, of the offseason. Eugenio Suarez represents another option on the hot corner for teams to pursue. It's previously been reported that the Red Sox will set their sights on Pete Alonso if talks with Bregman fall through.
How much should the Red Sox offer the 32-year-old Bregman? Let us know in the comments!
L.A.A.B. - Life After Alex Bregman. That's where the Red Sox are in their offseason after losing out on the superstar third baseman to the Chicago Cubs. While many expect the club to shift its sights to Bo Bichette, Eugenio Suarez, or another impact bat, Rob Bradford of WEEI suggests a different approach.
In a recent tweet, Bradford suggested that the Red Sox "re-engage with higher-end pitching while still looking to acquire a lower-tier bat." Of course, Bichette and Suarez would not fit in the "lower-tier" category, so Bradford is merely suggesting to bolster the pitching staff's ability to prevent runs rather than the offense's ability to produce runs.
After acquiring Sonny Gray earlier this offseason, the Red Sox's rotation is the strength of their team. Even with Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck on the shelf for most of 2025, pitchers three through five of the rotation are among the strongest in all of baseball. Additionally, the bullpen will look to continue to be good after a successful 2025 campaign. That really begs the question...just how big of a pitcher do they need to land for it really to make an impact on the outlook of the club? Would adding a #2 starter that bumps Patrick Sandoval out of the rotation really be better than adding a middle-of-the-order bat? Would adding another high-leverage arm that bumps a low-leverage arm like Jovani Moran off the roster or at least to Triple-A Wincester really be better than Bo Bichette? These are all things that the Red Sox need to weigh as they look to get back into the good graces of a fan base left in despair after Bregman bolted for the Windy City.
Do you think the Red Sox should add pitching or hitting? Let us know in the comments!
The topsy-turvy season of the Boston Red Sox took another turn when left fielder Roman Anthony was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday due to a sprained right wrist.
Catcher-infielder Mickey Gasper was called up from Triple-A Worcester to replace Anthony on the 26-man roster
Anthony was injured during a checked swing Monday in a 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers. In the time since, Anthony has been receiving treatment and the wrist was showing improvement, but the Red Sox decided to take the safer route and put Anthony on the shelf for a brief period and not rush him back into the lineup or leave the roster shorthanded for any further games.
Anthony's performance at the plate could also use some time off. The left-handed-hitting slugger has put together a .229/.354/.321 slash line with one homer and five RBIs in 30 games. That is a stark contrast to what he did last year after making his MLB debut. In 71 games in 2025, Anthony had a slash line of .292/.396/.463 with eight homers and 32 RBIs. He was MLB's No. 1 prospect when he was promoted last year.
Gasper has a .296/.429/.519 slash line in 28 games at Worcester with six homers and 27 RBIs. Gasper made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2024, playing in 13 games, going 0-for-18, then was traded to the Minnesota Twins and played in 45 games last year. Between the two seasons, he has a .133/.250/.195 with two homers and 11 RBIs. The Red Sox picked him up this offseason after twice being designated for assignment.
The Boston Red Sox need to shift their sights after losing Alex Bregman to free agency. They have their work cut out for them as they try to rebuild some trust with a rightfully frustrated fan base. Ken Rosenthal has identified two different plan B options.
Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that "some in the Red Sox organization are high on free agent LHP Ranger Suarez".
Suarez, 30, has had a very productive stat to his career with the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2025, he made 26 starts while throwing 157 1/3 innings. He posted a 3.20 ERA (3.21 FIP) and a 17.4% K-BB rate. MLBTR projected him to earn $115 million over five years in free agency this year.
Additionally, Rosenthal speculated that Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs could be an Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette alternative.
Hoerner, who will be a free agent following the 2026 season, may be available after the Chicago Cubs won the Bregman sweepstakes. Rosenthal speculates that it would take "a young pitcher such as Connelly Early or Payton Tolle" and is uncertain whether Red Sox brass would be willing to part ways with either asset for one year of Hoerner. Across 665 plate appearances, Hoerner carried an OPS of .739, a 109 wRC+, seven home runs, and 29 stolen bases. Though he primarily played second base in 2025, Hoerner has spent time at all positions aside from catcher, first base, and right field.
Do you think the Red Sox should add either player? Let us know in the comments!