Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[Old Red]

21 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

No he didn't he opted out because he thought he could get more than 80 million.  Any deal that is more than that makes it worth it for him.  I think what he signs for is below what him and Boras think but above $80 million.  So he'll make out inthe end, but that gap makes me think we will be waiting a while with him.......much like last year

I think this sums things up pretty well.

[Hugh2]

If I was a bookie I'd put the over/under on Bregman at $131 and I wouldn't feel terribly surprised if he lands somewhere above or below that. 

[Larry Cook]

2 hours ago, Hugh2 said:

No he didn't he opted out because he thought he could get more than 80 million.  Any deal that is more than that makes it worth it for him.  I think what he signs for is below what him and Boras think but above $80 million.  So he'll make out inthe end, but that gap makes me think we will be waiting a while with him.......much like last year

I think the holdup is the number of years. No one had put 5 years out there. I think the cubs went 4 years. 

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Breslow's crumbs last season were pretty good. 

Then the whole cake got traded to SF, the cupcake opted out plus the Gio crumb said bye bye

[Randy Red Sox]

18 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

You don't know how interested they were, or if they were interested at all.  You don't know if we have $20M to spend, or if we have $40M to spend.  And you don't know which positions we are prioritizing.

i just know this offseason is progressing exactly as the last several did

[Randy Red Sox]

22 hours ago, UtahSox said:

I think a lot of people’s frustration comes down to this: there were two really straightforward ways to make this team legitimately scary, really fast.

1. was Pete Alonso — an absolutely perfect fit for our offense and our ballpark. You couldn’t draw up a better match on paper. And to find out we lost him not because he went back to his old team, but because he signed with a division rival for $31 million a year… that’s brutal. He just had an all-time season and only just turned 31.

2. IS  Ketel Marte.

We have extra outfielders. We have a surplus of starting pitching — ten guys who can realistically start — and a few strong up-and-coming prospects. The pieces are there. This is a move that feels both obvious and entirely within reach. So what’s the hold up? 

These two upgrades felt so clear, so logical, and honestly, exactly like the type of moves JH would’ve made without hesitation ten years ago.

Imagine this lineup with Marte and Alonso in it? At that point, you could even go to Bregman and say, “Look, let’s do a one-year, $40M deal,” and actually have the negotiating leverage to make that conversation work.

But now? If we lose Bregman, this turns into a full-on mess. There is no chance this scared-to-spend ownership group suddenly steps up and commits 7 years, $210M to Bo Bichette. That’s just not who they are right now.And that’s the problem — we had a clear, simple path to building a contender, and now everything hinges on unlikely scenarios because we didn’t execute the obvious ones.

they don't want our #5-9 SP--they want Tolle and or Early--no thanks

[Larry Cook]

I think we tell Arizona. Here are the choices:  Cutter, dobbins, Oviedo, phillips, evayson and Tolle. 
 

pick two plus a non top 40 ptbnl for Marte 

[Hitch]

12 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

I think we tell Arizona. Here are the choices:  Cutter, dobbins, Oviedo, phillips, evayson and Tolle. 
 

pick two plus a non top 40 ptbnl for Marte 

If this is true - 

 

We're not getting Marte. We won't give up what's needed, and I won't blame them, either.

[Randy Red Sox]

7 minutes ago, Hitch said:

If this is true - 

 

We're not getting Marte. We won't give up what's needed, and I won't blame them, either.

and we're not getting Bichette either.  Watch for the onset of M/L signings now.

[Larry Cook]

21 minutes ago, Hitch said:

If this is true - 

 

We're not getting Marte. We won't give up what's needed, and I won't blame them, either.

I agree! Time to sign okimoto and focus on acquiring a true number 2 starter. 

[UtahSox]

1 hour ago, Randy Red Sox said:

they don't want our #5-9 SP--they want Tolle and or Early--no thanks

I think you can trade Bello, Mayer, and Harrison/Witherspoon for him, and I think 100% you should do it. IF you actually plan on competing in AL East in 2026. All these prospects ya’ll and Beta Breslow love so much better be damn good. 

[a700hitter]

 

[Randy Red Sox]

30 minutes ago, a700hitter said:

 

But hey JH is raking it in

[mvp 78]

14 hours ago, a700hitter said:

 

What did Breslow do to Casas? 

What did the #1 farm system do to help Bloom keep his job or be better than a .500 ballclub? 

Awful twitter account TBH. 

[Duran Is The Man]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

What did Breslow do to Casas? 

What did the #1 farm system do to help Bloom keep his job or be better than a .500 ballclub? 

Awful twitter account TBH. 

it's a fair take. Breslow's handling of the Devers situation has done a great deal of harm. we had a promising infield, then one little piggy got hurt, one little piggy went to SF, one little piggy stayed home and one went wee wee wee all the way to the bank.

[drewski6]

Mutliple things can be true. Regarding that tweet , it has both elements of truth but its also rhetorical/sound-bitey/potentially misleading.

Whether its rhetorical/sensational vs a fully accurate depiction.  Its somewhere in between.  I think the sharers of the tweet (maybe not the original twitter author) but the people sharing it here know its a bit click-baity/exaggerative.  But that doesnt mean there isnt some elememnt of truth to showing where were were vs where we are and it goes beyond just where guys were 2 years ago vs today. It also points to a lack of foritifications

[Hitch]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

What did Breslow do to Casas? 

What did the #1 farm system do to help Bloom keep his job or be better than a .500 ballclub? 

Awful twitter account TBH. 

Awful twitter account, awful podcast. 

[Randy Red Sox]

50 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Awful twitter account, awful podcast. 

Now RSN can go back into a slumber awaiting  the inevitable slew of M/L signings to come on 1 yr deals.

[notin]

17 hours ago, a700hitter said:

 

The farm system fell because of 1) promotions and 2) the Garrett Crochet trade.  
 

Also a little unfair to mention the only difference in team performance is “one playoff win.”  I mean, they did make the postseason and they were not exactly on the cusp of that in 2022, 2023, and 2024…

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, drewski6 said:

Mutliple things can be true. Regarding that tweet , it has both elements of truth but its also rhetorical/sound-bitey/potentially misleading.

Whether its rhetorical/sensational vs a fully accurate depiction.  Its somewhere in between.  I think the sharers of the tweet (maybe not the original twitter author) but the people sharing it here know its a bit click-baity/exaggerative.  But that doesnt mean there isnt some elememnt of truth to showing where were were vs where we are and it goes beyond just where guys were 2 years ago vs today. It also points to a lack of foritifications

Do we want to be a playoff team or do we want to just have the #1 farm? Breslow got them into the playoffs. Bloom did that by using DD's roster. Breslow did that by promoting prospects from the farm and bringing in new players. 

Bloom: 3 out of 4 seasons below .500

Breslow 0 out of 2 seasons below .500

To me, it feels like there is an upwards trajectory. 

[Old Red]

32 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Do we want to be a playoff team or do we want to just have the #1 farm? Breslow got them into the playoffs. Bloom did that by using DD's roster. Breslow did that by promoting prospects from the farm and bringing in new players. 

Bloom: 3 out of 4 seasons below .500

Breslow 0 out of 2 seasons below .500

To me, it feels like there is an upwards trajectory. 

Yes just getting to 500 in 2024 was an improvement.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

10 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Yes just getting to 500 in 2024 was an improvement.

That's ok for Boston, which isn't even a real city.

Just a big college town in quaint New England (moon send me some green fonts asap).

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Do we want to be a playoff team or do we want to just have the #1 farm? Breslow got them into the playoffs. Bloom did that by using DD's roster. Breslow did that by promoting prospects from the farm and bringing in new players. 

Bloom: 3 out of 4 seasons below .500

Breslow 0 out of 2 seasons below .500

To me, it feels like there is an upwards trajectory. 

Sure, Bloom served a purpose and I look back at his tenure more favorably than I did while he was here (minus his first year, I loved his moves first year, signing guys to affordable deals, and then flipping them (not sure why we dont see this more).

And Ive started liking Breslow more since I Cora has started liking Breslow more, which goes even beyond just his gradable moves.

But that doesnt mean it is a bit disappointing to be where we are vs where i thought wed be in 2026 three years ago.  Understand not all of that is breslows or blooms fault, although some of it is.

[oldtimer]

6 hours ago, drewski6 said:

Sure, Bloom served a purpose and I look back at his tenure more favorably than I did while he was here (minus his first year, I loved his moves first year, signing guys to affordable deals, and then flipping them (not sure why we dont see this more).

And Ive started liking Breslow more since I Cora has started liking Breslow more, which goes even beyond just his gradable moves.

But that doesnt mean it is a bit disappointing to be where we are vs where i thought wed be in 2026 three years ago.  Understand not all of that is breslows or blooms fault, although some of it is.

Just back after a 2 week Caribbean frolic. During that time, the important Winter Meetings were underway and are concluding today. So far, I haven't seen anything substantial happening to address our much discussed needs. Those are 1) adding a #2 SP, 2) adding a big bat and , 3) shoring up 2nd base. We also are hanging on the 3rd base question. All the endless banter and rumors haven't yielded a single definitive answer to any of these needs. 

The fans want results not rumors. Bring it home Breslow, Give us something to be happy about.

[Larry Cook]

The new regime seems to be against giving out  long term contracts to players regardless of stature in their 30’s. 
 

Are we destined to sign only older players on short term deals?? 

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

The new regime seems to be against giving out  long term contracts to players regardless of stature in their 30’s. 
 

Are we destined to sign only older players on short term deals?? 

We did extend Devers to 10 years, but traded him before he hit 30.

We did extend Crochet.

Does this mean Bichette is the only guy we might sign?

That would be ugleeEEEEEE.

[JoeBrady]

8 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Does this mean Bichette is the only guy we might sign?

That would be ugleeEEEEEE.

Signing the #2 free agent would be ugly?

[UtahSox]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

Signing the #2 free agent would be ugly?

I agree that would give us a really nice offensive baseline for years to come. Anthony and Bichette can be built around. 

[UtahSox]

Ok Tyler Millikan floated the idea if we get Contreras and AB2 back will we be happy? What do we think a trade package for Contreras would have to look like? Is there any universe they take Yoshida back even on a subsidized package?

[UtahSox]

Working under the assumption that we whiff on AB2…… would Brendon Donavan, Contreras and like a 2/50 for Geno Suarez work? Are we better offensively than 2025? What other moves would you prefer if AB2 is off the table?