Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[moonslav59]

28 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Why?

Because it's what they do, and it's worked so well, year after year.

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They already have Romy, Hamilton and Campbell under contract. The lack of viable FA 2b's. They have bigger decisions to make with the roster this offseason: Abreu/Duran potential move, Casas injury replacement, Masa potential move, Breggie re-sign or replacement, Giolito re-sign or replacement, bullpen addition. Brezzz isn't a guy who completely overhauls the team, but adds here and there. 

Polanco (actually has some power) and Torres for 2B?

Trade for K Marte?

Add a 3Bman and play Mayer at 2B?

There are some options out there.

[drewski6]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They already have Romy, Hamilton and Campbell under contract. The lack of viable FA 2b's. They have bigger decisions to make with the roster this offseason: Abreu/Duran potential move, Casas injury replacement, Masa potential move, Breggie re-sign or replacement, Giolito re-sign or replacement, bullpen addition. Brezzz isn't a guy who completely overhauls the team, but adds here and there. 

I agree with most of this.  But my thing is that Brez is going to look to add, hopefully power.  You can replace Casas/Breggie/Abreu/Duran/Masa with a 2b.

Hes going to seek to  add talent.  Its possible that its in the form of a 2b.  I know you dont think that the Ketel Marte trade is going to happen. But if it does, that does go a long way towards replacing Breggie.  Because now, you are more comfy playing Mayer in there because we ended last season with a slap hitter with no speed at cleanup and the last thing you, me, or brez wants to see is the removal of one of our few non-noodle bats without replacing with MLB proven power.

If you lose a superstar CF but gain a superstar 3B, one does go a long way towards replacing the other.

I agree that we have a lot of work to do, and I agree that the focus should not be on replacing a 2b. BUt the focus should be on adding 2 very good hitters, 3 if we lose Bregman.  And if one is a 2b because he's on a team with a stupid GM and you have a chance to get Marte, you do it. Prob not gonna happen, but Im not ruling it out. And there are more good 2b than just Marte.

I either wanna keep Bregman and add 2 good bats, or add 3 good bats. I care not where they play. Im not trying to get a 2b, but Im not trying to not get one either....Because.....

Positions arent rigid in 2025.

But again, I mostly agree with you.  Just instead of :
they are going to have the same 2b gimmick again...
Its
they are going to have the same 2b gimmick again*

Unless a very good hitter who happens to be a 2b falls into their lap.

They arent going to turn away good hitters, who are gettable because said good hitter plays 2b.

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Polanco (actually has some power) and Torres for 2B?

Trade for K Marte?

Add a 3Bman and play Mayer at 2B?

There are some options out there.

Torres is a below average defender and a barely above average hitter. He was paid 1/15 last season. Don't see the Sox going that large at 2b TBH because of the reasons I've previously stated.

[moonslav59]

I can totally see Drew's point. The first priority has to be adding a big bat. The second one could be either another big bat or a solid SP'er, but we really need all 3 about the same: 2 big bats and a big arm. I'm not sure I'd call Bregman a "big bat," but oif the other bat is Alonso or Schwarber, I'd be okay with Bregman, KMarte, Suarez or Polanco as the other one.

I might think positions and defense matter more than Drew does, but I think we can do some things to improve what we already have- like Story to 2B, no Duran in the OF and more OF play from Abreu, Rafaela (no 2B/SS) and Anthony. (Jh Garcia is supposed to be pretty good on D, as well and has some power from the right side.)

Alonso, Schwarber, Polanco, Bregman or Suarez do not make the D better. KMarte is better than what we had on D, this year, but I think he's about average.  I think we can absorb the poor D, as long as the O gets helped enormously, and we still stay strong at the other slots.

Some combo of those 5 players added to the IF would force Story to stay at SS or play 3B/2B with mayer at SS.

 

[mvp 78]

Re-signing Bregman isn't adding a big bat. It's a lateral move! 

His per 162 HR's at Fenway was 15 this year. Maybe BOS isn't a good fit! 

[moonslav59]

12 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Torres is a below average defender and a barely above average hitter. He was paid 1/15 last season. Don't see the Sox going that large at 2b TBH because of the reasons I've previously stated.

I doubt we look to 2B for a big bat, too.

I think we look at corner IF, first, I think Brez & Co alkready view Anthony as the second big bat "addition" despite the fact that he gave us 300 PAs in 2025, and we subtracted Devers, I don't like that idea, but I think it's reality. I also think they view mayer as the 3B or 2B solution- like it or not.

They will probably run Yoshida back at DH for another season of powerless DH production. IMO, we simply have to make up for the lack of power at DH by looking beyond corner IF- like 2B or just add 2 power corner IF'ers and run it by with mayer and Story at middle IF and Yoshida/Romy at DH. Trade Duran plus___ for a solid arm and call it a winter.

This is highly unlikely to happen, even if we don't go huge and just add Suarez and Hoskins.

[Hugh2]

3 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

We've already seen Story play a great 2b though. Just put him there.

Agreed, I don't want to see Story at 3B. 

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Agreed, I don't want to see Story at 3B. 

3 throwing errors and 215 assists in '22 (with a bad arm). Those throws are just a lot easier on him. 

[Nick]

42 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Re-signing Bregman isn't adding a big bat. It's a lateral move! 

His per 162 HR's at Fenway was 15 this year. Maybe BOS isn't a good fit! 

Not convinced he's a $40M guy.

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, Nick said:

Not convinced he's a $40M guy.

Not even close. It was good for one season to see what it looked like. It was good, but not transcendent. 

[Old Red]

44 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Agreed, I don't want to see Story at 3B. 

I don’t think there is Any talk whatsoever amongst the Red Sox brain trust of moving Story to 3B in any circumstance. SS/2B, IL will be his residence if he returns.

[Old Red]

14 minutes ago, Nick said:

Not convinced he's a $40M guy.

Not convinced he’d be worth any more than 2 more years either considering the money it would take to keep him.

[moonslav59]

I could see the Sox thinking Mayer is our FT 3Bman and Romy is our FT 2Bman going into 2026. DHam- Sogard-Campbell-Grissom would be the 2B depth....maybe just 2-3 will be on the 2026 40 man roster.

Story stays at SS for one more year is the odds on bet.

If they also put their hopes in Casas-Romy/Campbell at 1B, we'll know the sham is ongoing.

[Old Red]

3 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Story: 11 throwing errors

Breggie: 6 throwing errors

That’s all they were officially charged with. There were some kind OS along the way, the slew of Red Sox 1B saved them a number of times also.

[moonslav59]

Just now, Old Red said:

That’s all they were officially charged with. There were some kind OS along the way, the slew of Red Sox 1B saved them a number of times also.

Did our great defensive 1Bmen save an inordinate amount of bad throws this year? As in more than the league wide norm?

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I could see the Sox thinking Mayer is our FT 3Bman and Romy is our FT 2Bman going into 2026. DHam- Sogard-Campbell-Grissom would be the 2B depth....maybe just 2-3 will be on the 2026 40 man roster.

Story stays at SS for one more year is the odds on bet.

If they also put their hopes in Casas-Romy/Campbell at 1B, we'll know the sham is ongoing.

I can’t see at all the Red Sox thinking Romy is the FT 2B going into 2026.

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Did our great defensive 1Bmen save an inordinate amount of bad throws this year? As in more than the league wide norm?

Enough to see that Bregman, and Story made a lot of bad throws to 1B that you won’t see in any stats. Franchy Strange Glove isn’t there anymore. He was the last great defensive 1Bmen the Red Sox have had.

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I can’t see at all the Red Sox thinking Romy is the FT 2B going into 2026.

He basically played FT the whole second half of 2025- splitting time at 2B and 1B.

He hit a near league average of .718 v RHPs and had 55 more PAs vs RHPs than LHPs (.978 OPS.)

He hit over .800 at home and on the road.

I would not bet on it, but these guys love themselves a bargain basement player.

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Enough to see that Bregman, and Story made a lot of bad throws to 1B that you won’t see in any stats. Franchy Strange Glove isn’t there anymore. He was the last great defensive 1Bmen the Red Sox have had.

They did make a lot. Agreed.

[Old Red]

11 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He basically played FT the whole second half of 2025- splitting time at 2B and 1B.

He hit a near league average of .718 v RHPs and had 55 more PAs vs RHPs than LHPs (.978 OPS.)

He hit over .800 at home and on the road.

I would not bet on it, but these guys love themselves a bargain basement player.

Romy basically played FT the whole second half, because Casas being hurt, and 1B became a revolving door, and Mayer getting hurt opened 2B up more. I know you love the Romy/ DHam, and Ref Man types, and every team needs them, but hopefully not to the extent the Red Sox have needed them the past few years.

[moonslav59]

50 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Romy basically played FT the whole second half, because Casas being hurt, and 1B became a revolving door, and Mayer getting hurt opened 2B up more. I know you love the Romy/ DHam, and Ref Man types, and every team needs them, but hopefully not to the extent the Red Sox have needed them the past few years.

I'll use your argument: just because you don't want as many platoons that the Sox have used, very successfully I might add, doesn't mean it was the wrong move.

BTW, this point I made is moving away from a platoon.

Also, I don't want Romy as our FT 2Bman. I just said, I could see the bean counters justifying not adding someone to the 2B mix, because the stats and metrics show maybe Romy can do it just well enough FT.

One more point, Casas got hurt in early May, Devers was traded in early June. Romy started playing near FT in mid July, mostly because he was hitting very well and was doing well even vs RHPs. (He kinda dropped off at the end.) They tried several players before Romy and added Lowe in August, which meant no Romy at 1B vs RHPs. Romy started playing 2B vs RHPs, because DHam sucked, not because of Casas. Yes, had Mayer stayed healthy, he may not have gotten a long look, but if Bregman bolts, we may see Mayer at 3B not 2B, so we're back to the same hole at 2B.

[mvp 78]

Current FA hitters over 2 fWAR

Schwarber - not leaving PHI

Tucker - don't need another OFer

Bichette - could be a good 2b, Sox aren't spending on him though

Suarez - depends on Breggie opting out

Alonso - too much $$$ for a DH?

Grisham - no

Naylor - not a good Fenway fit

O'Hearn - don't need his LHB

Yaz - no

Realmuto - not needed

[moonslav59]

29 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Current FA hitters over 2 fWAR

Schwarber - not leaving PHI

Tucker - don't need another OFer

Bichette - could be a good 2b, Sox aren't spending on him though

Suarez - depends on Breggie opting out

Alonso - too much $$$ for a DH?

Grisham - no

Naylor - not a good Fenway fit

O'Hearn - don't need his LHB

Yaz - no

Realmuto - not needed

We could think about Suarez at 1B, if Bregman stays. He wont be getting a long term deal, so that improves the odds. He could back up 3B, filling another big need, and allowing Mayer and Story to play middle IF, only.

No Polanco (2.6) or Torres (2.6)?

I've been talking trades for a solid #2 SP'er, but maybe we trade for...

2B: Semien (2.1) B Donovan (2.9) or K Marte (4.6)

3B: Paredes (HOU will likely trade an IF'er.)

1B: Yandy Diaz (2.9) Soderstrom (3.4)

C/DH (1B?) Sean Murphy (2.0)

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We could think about Suarez at 1B, if Bregman stays. He wont be getting a long term deal, so that improves the odds. He could back up 3B, filling another big need, and allowing Mayer and Story to play middle IF, only.

No Polanco (2.6) or Torres (2.6)?

I've been talking trades for a solid #2 SP'er, but maybe we trade for...

2B: Semien (2.1) B Donovan (2.9) or K Marte (4.6)

3B: Paredes (HOU will likely trade an IF'er.)

1B: Yandy Diaz (2.9) Soderstrom (3.4)

C/DH (1B?) Sean Murphy (2.0)

I just skipped Torres when writing the names down. Polanco hasn't declined his player option yet so isn't officially a FA, I believe. Torres signed for 1/15 and seems like a high price to pay for 2b. Not one Brezzz may be willing to pony up for IMO. 

[moonslav59]

15 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I just skipped Torres when writing the names down. Polanco hasn't declined his player option yet so isn't officially a FA, I believe. Torres signed for 1/15 and seems like a high price to pay for 2b. Not one Brezzz may be willing to pony up for IMO. 

Agreed, but you had others on the list with little or no chance of us signing with BOS.

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Current FA hitters over 2 fWAR

Schwarber - not leaving PHI

Tucker - don't need another OFer

Bichette - could be a good 2b, Sox aren't spending on him though

Suarez - depends on Breggie opting out

Alonso - too much $$$ for a DH?

Grisham - no

Naylor - not a good Fenway fit

O'Hearn - don't need his LHB

Yaz - no

Realmuto - not needed

Hoskins still your guy?  Odd clamoring for a guy who was left off his team's postseason roster to be our big bat who we all agree we need, but when you were selling him to me, you showed me a pull-air profile and that gets a lot of points with me.

I also cant see him being expensive considering he lost his job to Andrew Vaughn.  And no way we are getting Andrew Vaughn.

[moonslav59]

Two players who will not be getting long term deals are E Suarez and M Kelly. Both are getting old, but the Sox are a young team, even more so without Ref, Gio, Bregman, Buehler, Wilson and Matz.

I'm not saying they are my favorite players, but I'm think budget.

Suarez is 34. He's had some up and down seasons, so he's no sure bet big bat add, but he might be all we can expect. He's not good on defense at 3B, but maybe he can play 1B and back up 3B. His OPS+ since 2021: 82>129>103>115>126.  He had 49 HRs in 2019 and again, this year and 30-31 in 3 other recent years, but he did have a 22 HR year in 2023. He may be the best we can hope for, in terms of a FA signing. Having Suarez allows us to place our bets on one of two guys staying healthy, instead of two: Mayer & Casas.

Merrill Kelly turns 37, soon, but his rookie year was age 30, and he seems to be aging well. His ERA+ in the past 4 years are: 119>133>104>117. He could be a decent 2/3 slot pitcher. His 10.1 fWAR since 2022 is 35th in MLB. That's close to bassitt, Keller and Cole. Of the 51 pitchers with 500+ IP from 2022, he places 11th in ERA- at 82. That's like Verlander, Gallen and Ranger Suarez good. He's 25th in xFIP. Can he do it for 1-2 more years?

If we added Suarez and Kelly, maybe we could trade Duran plus others for K Marte. Maybe we add Hicks and get Semien. Maybe we could afford to sign 3 FAs: Kelly, Suarez & Hoskins, assuming Bregman bolts.

[Kimmi]

18 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

YANKS LOSE!!!!!!!!!!!

Woot!

That was priority #1 besides the Red Sox winning.

Now someone needs to knock out the Dodgers.  It seems like the Phillies should be able to do it, but their bats went somewhat silent the first two games.

[Kimmi]

On 10/8/2025 at 4:50 PM, moonslav59 said:

The differed money is something that Bregman may want changed. There is a reason his $40M/yr only counts as $31.7 AAV. it's not voodoo economics. If he banked $40M now, he'd likely have more money than  what he'll get with all the differals.

He's been paid $26M out of the $120M total. That means he's still owed $94M with 2 opt out seasons. it's hard to know what sort of "fair" alternate offer would be and whether he'd take it. He could just play the next 2 years w BOS, still get all the differals plus another big contract in 2 years. He could just opt out sand hope to get $150M/6 or $130/5. Maybe he gets that from us.

I doubt we go 5 with him, and maybe nobody does. If nobody does, he may come back to us for...

$100M/3 paid in the 3 years with no differals. That is more than I'd pay, despite his leadership value. I might offer $94M/3 with no differals, which is what he owed for 2 years of control, now. I doubt he'd take that, so I'd probably just say good bye or offer a take or leave it $70M/2 with no differals. Even that seems high, if we can get Alosno for $100M/3 or $120M/4.

Deferred money or not, Bregman is getting a lot of money per year from the Red Sox.  Some team will probably offer him a crazy contract, because that's the point that we have reached.  I want him to remain with the team, but I'm not willing to give him more than one additional year. 

I keep hoping, unrealistically I'm sure, that these guys love us so much that they'll take a little less money to stay in Boston.  Sadly, in most cases, it's all about the money.