Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[Randy Red Sox]

18 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yoshida is not a plus at DH, even if he was paid just $3-4M. He's okay, but we need power and our other positions seem full and deep, other than 1B and 3B/2B.

Yoshida may seem like a better hitter than Casas/Romy at 1B, Mayer/Romy at 2B and Mayer/Romy at 3B, but not by much and not with power.

i am not really a Yoshida fan but other than Mayer i don't see any of those guys being much of an upgrade af at all.  Replace Yoshida with Alonso and I am good.  Alonso is a MUST SIGN in my view but I will be SHOCKED ion JH bucks up.

 

[Randy Red Sox]

On 10/27/2025 at 7:56 AM, mvp 78 said:

Should have just signed Sonny Gray a few years ago when available. 

i totally agree. Really liked Gray at the time but not so much now.

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, Randy Red Sox said:

i am not really a Yoshida fan but other than Mayer i don't see any of those guys being much of an upgrade af at all.  Replace Yoshida with Alonso and I am good.  Alonso is a MUST SIGN in my view but I will be SHOCKED ion JH bucks up.

 

They aren't upgrades, but they aren't much worse, either. I'm not advocating them over Yoshida, but saving a few Million dollars and using the savings to upgrade elsewhere may more than make up for any drop off.

I'd like to see Alonso (Casas to DH, eventuallY) or Schwarber (Casas/Romy at 1B) than Masa at DH and Hoskins at 1B.

I think Suarez is a realistic alternative due to the likelihood of a shorter length contract and maybe $10M less AAV. Suarez could play 3B for a year and then maybe move to 1B, if Casas never comes back strongly.

The "savings" on Suarez vs Bregman, Alonso or Schwarber might allow us to also sign Polanco, Hoskins, W Castro,  Torres or lesser guys like Rengifo, Josh Bell, Brandon Lowe or a pitcher like Merrill Kelly.

Alonso and Schwarber may cost as much AAV as 2 of the guys I mentioned- maybe 3 if it's Rengifo, Lowe and Kelly, but they won't squeeze Mayer out of a slot.

[jad]

Wbere's the WSeries thread?  It's not possible that RS fans are brooding over trades and salaries and xWAR while missing some of the greatest baseball ever played by some of the greatest players who ever played, is it?

[moonslav59]

Tough way to lose a game.

Our old friend Kike makes the play. Our old friend Mookie gets the hit.

[notin]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Tough way to lose a game.

Our old friend Kike makes the play. Our old friend Mookie gets the hit.

And Springer due up.  
 

I am a bit surprised he let Gimenez hit there, but Barger needs to realize he has no shot at scoring there…

[notin]

4 hours ago, jad said:

Wbere's the WSeries thread?  It's not possible that RS fans are brooding over trades and salaries and xWAR while missing some of the greatest baseball ever played by some of the greatest players who ever played, is it?

There is a postseason thread.  

[moonslav59]

18 minutes ago, notin said:

And Springer due up.  
I am a bit surprised he let Gimenez hit there, but Barger needs to realize he has no shot at scoring there…

I agree on the running blunder idea. He only scores if that ball makes the gap, and if it does, he could have jogged home.

[Randy Red Sox]

19 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

They aren't upgrades, but they aren't much worse, either. I'm not advocating them over Yoshida, but saving a few Million dollars and using the savings to upgrade elsewhere may more than make up for any drop off.

I'd like to see Alonso (Casas to DH, eventuallY) or Schwarber (Casas/Romy at 1B) than Masa at DH and Hoskins at 1B.

I think Suarez is a realistic alternative due to the likelihood of a shorter length contract and maybe $10M less AAV. Suarez could play 3B for a year and then maybe move to 1B, if Casas never comes back strongly.

The "savings" on Suarez vs Bregman, Alonso or Schwarber might allow us to also sign Polanco, Hoskins, W Castro,  Torres or lesser guys like Rengifo, Josh Bell, Brandon Lowe or a pitcher like Merrill Kelly.

Alonso and Schwarber may cost as much AAV as 2 of the guys I mentioned- maybe 3 if it's Rengifo, Lowe and Kelly, but they won't squeeze Mayer out of a slot.

i don't see Schwarber leaving Philly. Alonso is a must get IMO. Casas could move to DH and then Yoshida could be moved. If Bregman leaves then I am interested in Suarez but I highly doubt that JH will allow Bregman to spend that type of $$ needed and there still is a glowing need for a #2 SP and at least high leverage RP. .

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

... and there still is a glowing need for a #2 SP and at least high leverage RP. .

With needs at 1B, 3B/2B and SP2, I doubt we have the resources to spend on a high leverage RP.

We had one of the best pens in MLB, this year, and although that was surprising, we did it while Slaten was out for much of the season. Next year, we will have:

Chapman

Whitlock- Slaten

Weissert- Bernardino

Converted 1-2 SP'ers? Fitts, Criswell, Crawford, Dobbins, Perales, Harrison, Sandlin, Mullins and a doubtfully converted Tolle.

Hicks-Winckowski

Murphy-Moran- Kelly-Guerrero

I know, last winter, we probably relied on converted SP'ers for the 2025 pen and hardly got any IP from them, but unless we have as many SP'er injuries as 2025, I think we'll see more this next season.

 

[notin]

9 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

i don't see Schwarber leaving Philly. Alonso is a must get IMO. Casas could move to DH and then Yoshida could be moved. If Bregman leaves then I am interested in Suarez but I highly doubt that JH will allow Bregman to spend that type of $$ needed and there still is a glowing need for a #2 SP and at least high leverage RP. .

I’m not a fan of Suarez, but he also might not be the cheap alternative many think he is.  We assume he will take a shorter deal for less money, but his these perceptions coupled with his recent production and ineligibility for a QO might make demand higher than it should be for an aging, declining  hitter that can’t play defense…

[moonslav59]

I'm a big supporter on having depth in the rotation, and last year was a glowing example of the idea that you can never have "too much." We started 2025 having 12 or more possible rotation pieces and ended up needing to trade for a SP (D May) and using a rookie (Early) to start our final elimination game.

Crochet, Houck, Buehler, Bello, Giolito

Crawford, Fitts, Newcomb, Criswell, Dobbins, Priester (traded)

Tolle & Early (late season options)

RP/SP: Winckowski, Whitlock, Fulmer

This winter, despite losing Giolito & May to free agency, along with Houck for the full 2026 season, we still look very deep, but it's mostly with capable 4/5 type SP'ers:

1. Crochet

3/4. Bello & Sandoval

4/5. Early, Tolle, Dobbins, Harrison & Crawford 

5/6. Fitts, Criswell, Perales, Uberstine, Anderson

RP/SP: Winckowski, Sandlin, Mullins & Drohan/Song

That's 16+ names, not counting later season possibilities from Holobetz, Clarke, Aita, Paez, Wehunt or E Rivera. We can maybe safely say it's more like 12-14 viable options- same as last winter.

One question might be do we trade from this area of depth? We traded Priester and immediately regretted it, but that should not mean the answer is a firm no. (We also traded Newcomb, who went on to have a great second half of the season as a RP'er. He had the third best ERA- among RP'ers after 6/21 at 27!)

My answer would be yes, and hopefully we don't trade the next Priester, but I am also thinking we should be trading for a solid #2 SP'er, so I'd be subtracting from mediocre depth and adding higher quality nearer the top of the rotation.

I'm thinking guys like Fitts & Crawford might be the most "expendable," but teams may insist on Harrison, Dobbins or Perales, instead. (I'm not parting with Early or Tolle and don't see the sense in trading Bello or Sandoval.)

We may have to involve a third team, but who can we get for Duran/Abreu plus Fitts, Crawford and Sandlin/Mullins?

 

[jad]

4 hours ago, notin said:

There is a postseason thread.  

Where?  I couldn't find it and I spent a reasonable amount of time lookjing for it!

[moonslav59]

12 minutes ago, jad said:

Where?  I couldn't find it and I spent a reasonable amount of time lookjing for it!

While this thread is not a MLB postseason thread, since it's more about Sox related issues, it has kinda become one.

I bumped up the true postseason thread.

[harmony]

2 hours ago, jad said:

Where?  I couldn't find it and I spent a reasonable amount of time lookjing for it!

https://talksox.com/forums/topic/90248-the-2025-postseason-post-red-sox/page/14/#comments

 

[Behindenemylines]

On 10/31/2025 at 11:36 AM, Randy Red Sox said:

i am not really a Yoshida fan but other than Mayer i don't see any of those guys being much of an upgrade af at all.  Replace Yoshida with Alonso and I am good.  Alonso is a MUST SIGN in my view but I will be SHOCKED ion JH bucks up.

 

If adding power is the Sox objective then replacing Yoshida as DH has to be a goal this off season. Alonso has been mentioned and his power plays in Fenway. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Behindenemylines said:

If adding power is the Sox objective then replacing Yoshida as DH has to be a goal this off season. Alonso has been mentioned and his power plays in Fenway. 

At $18M a year, I doubt we look to replace Masa at DH. 

1B seems like the most likely spot to upgrade power. Alonso could move to DH, once Masa is gone.

Suarez at 3B would upgrade power but not defense or clubhouse leadership, in theory. 

Both is probably a pipedream.

[Hugh2]

---

Ok Lets get a little crazy. 

Trade one:  David Sandlin/Mikey Romero/Jhostynxon Garcia/Brayan Bello For Tarik Skubal.  Extend Skubal 320/8

Trade two: Jarren Duran/Connor Early for Hunter Greene.

BTV projects both of these as moderate overpays by Boston. 

Sign Bo Bichette 210/7

Rotation:

Crochet/Greene/Giolito/Sandoval/(one of Tolle/Crawford/HarrisonDobbins)

lineup:

C Narvaez

1B. Romney/Casas

2B. Bichette

SS. Mayer

3B. Story

LF. Anthony

CF. Rafaela

RF Abreu

DH Yoshida/Casas

Considerations, without any defferals this puts the Sox about $10 million above the second threshold at $275.  I believe they will spend if they think they can win, and when in "win now mode" I think they'd be ok with any threshold that doesn't move draft picks.  That number is $284. 

Packaging a prospect up to move Hicks or Yoshida could always be an option as well if the fit is right. 

I realize how unrealistic this is, the Sox will be in on players like Skubal and Greene if they're available, but both are a pipedream but I'm hitting the pipe this morning. I think the Sox could turn themselves in WS contenders by just signing Bichette and making a trade for ONE of those pitchers. 

 

[mvp 78]

What's with the fascination of Rengifo on this board? 

I'd rather send Romy to 3b fulltime then sign Rengifo. 

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

---

Ok Lets get a little crazy. 

Trade one:  David Sandlin/Mikey Romero/Jhostynxon Garcia/Brayan Bello For Tarik Skubal.  Extend Skubal 320/8

Trade two: Jarren Duran/Connor Early for Hunter Greene.

Considerations, without any defferals this puts the Sox about $10 million above the second threshold at $275.  I believe they will spend if they think they can win, and when in "win now mode" I think they'd be ok with any threshold that doesn't move draft picks.  That number is $284. 

Packaging a prospect up to move Hicks or Yoshida could always be an option as well if the fit is right. 

I realize how unrealistic this is, the Sox will be in on players like Skubal and Greene if they're available, but both are a pipedream but I'm hitting the pipe this morning. I think the Sox could turn themselves in WS contenders by just signing Bichette and making a trade for ONE of those pitchers. 

I think both trades on their own are fine, but don't see them getting two TOTR starters this offseason. If they get one, they wrap it up.

Bichette would be a bad signing for BOS. I don't like his swing at Fenway and hate his glove. 

There's also no way they start the year above the 2nd CBT threshold. 

[Hugh2]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I think both trades on their own are fine, but don't see them getting two TOTR starters this offseason. If they get one, they wrap it up.

Bichette would be a bad signing for BOS. I don't like his swing at Fenway and hate his glove. 

There's also no way they start the year above the 2nd CBT threshold. 

Yeah, like I said, two ain't happening.  One of those would be amazing, personally I say go big with Skubal.  Crochet/SKubal at the front of that rotation make a 1-2 punch that can stand against any team all the way up to the world series. 

If I'm signing Bichette it's to play 2nd base where I suspect his defense would be average to better. Also, we pretty much should be in on infielders as every single position has a massive question mark at it. 

3B - Bregman opts out we don't have one

SS - Story/Mayer both have serious health concerns, Story played a full season for the first time in 4 years and will be 33, Mayer has never finished a season

2B - non extistent

1B - Casas? 

If you assume health, and figure you got to roll the dice with Casas and improve the lineup everywhere else then you still at a bare minimum need at least one infielder. Bichette is the best one of the market, I think you find a way to make it work and again....I think he'd be fine at 2nd.  Id' be open to a trade to improve the infield as well. 

And they might not start the year above the 2nd threshold.  But I was saying last year they would go above the 1st threshold. I even started a thread about it and not many agreed. Which I did on purpose because I felt pretty confident they would AND THEY DID.  To be honest, I don't feel that confident they'd go above the 2nd threshold this year as I was they'd go above the first one last year.  

But all the next threshold is, is marginal money. The penalty for the second threshold hold is 12% so if the signed both SKubal and took on Greene (again not saying both would happen but this is purely hypothetical now) that's what.....$11 million over the second threshold?  That's an extra $1.32 million.  That's the penalty in the second bracket.  If they thought they would win a world series with that group, I doubt 1.32 is going to stop them. 

[mvp 78]

10 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

But all the next threshold is, is marginal money. The penalty for the second threshold hold is 12% so if the signed both SKubal and took on Greene (again not saying both would happen but this is purely hypothetical now) that's what.....$11 million over the second threshold?  That's an extra $1.32 million.  That's the penalty in the second bracket.  If they thought they would win a world series with that group, I doubt 1.32 is going to stop them. 

That's the penalty right now. JH has become risk averse. I think he's going to shy away from going large and long this year because of the potential for a work stoppage in '27 and questions on what CBT penalties may be negotiated during bargaining. With the pushback against the Dodgers, the owners may choose to punish these teams that spend to much because they are cheap and dumb. If it wasn't for the Dodgers plotline, this World Series would have had way less people paying attention to it. Evil Empires are good for the game. 

[Hitch]

2 hours ago, Hugh2 said:

---

Ok Lets get a little crazy. 

Trade one:  David Sandlin/Mikey Romero/Jhostynxon Garcia/Brayan Bello For Tarik Skubal.  Extend Skubal 320/8

Trade two: Jarren Duran/Connor Early for Hunter Greene.

BTV projects both of these as moderate overpays by Boston. 

Sign Bo Bichette 210/7

Rotation:

Crochet/Greene/Giolito/Sandoval/(one of Tolle/Crawford/HarrisonDobbins)

lineup:

C Narvaez

1B. Romney/Casas

2B. Bichette

SS. Mayer

3B. Story

LF. Anthony

CF. Rafaela

RF Abreu

DH Yoshida/Casas

Considerations, without any defferals this puts the Sox about $10 million above the second threshold at $275.  I believe they will spend if they think they can win, and when in "win now mode" I think they'd be ok with any threshold that doesn't move draft picks.  That number is $284. 

Packaging a prospect up to move Hicks or Yoshida could always be an option as well if the fit is right. 

I realize how unrealistic this is, the Sox will be in on players like Skubal and Greene if they're available, but both are a pipedream but I'm hitting the pipe this morning. I think the Sox could turn themselves in WS contenders by just signing Bichette and making a trade for ONE of those pitchers. 

 

I don't think that gets it done for Skubal (as in the extension). I'd be up for that trade if he agreed to that however. I don't think Detroit would be inclined to take it however. 

We can only really get one starting pitcher as the infield is so threadbare, and we have injury prone players for that ones that are here. 

There's a lot of work to be done this off season. 

[mvp 78]

Brezzz is already getting lapped out here. 

 

[moonslav59]

Skubal will cost more that what BTV suggests.

[moonslav59]

In terms of planning the infield, it would be nice if we could put Story at 2B. 

I don't think we can avoid Brez & Co thinking Mayer can fill the SS or 3B position.

I think we non tender Lowe and can't count on Casas to  be the wire to wire 1Bman for 2025.

That means we should look to fill the 1B slot (Alonso, E Suarez, Hoskins?.)

It also means we'd have to fill the 3B or SS slot that Mayer is not filling. (Romy remains depth.) This slot could be filled with E Suarez or Bregman at 3B or Bichette at SS, but I don't see many other clear upgrade or status quo options than these three on the FA market.

I'm assuming we fill the SP'er slot with a trade involving Duran or Campbell plus others. Joe Ryan will make close to what Duran makes in arb costs, but MIN might be looking more at longer term options like Campbell, Arias, Garcia or Tolle/Early/Clarke/Valera/Fajardo. A Duran for Lodolo trade saves us about $3-4M. Doing both would be a great idea, to me, but I seriously doubt we do it.

Imagine Crochet, Ryan, Lodolo, Bello & Sandoval with a strong rotation depth.

Spend the winter budget on 2 major bat signings:

Bregman & Suarez/Hoskins?

Suarez & Alonso?

I'm far from expecting this and find een hoping for it to be near pointless, but I think this could be done, while keeping us below the second tax line. Find a way to dump Masa and or Hicks and we can get below the first tax line.

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

In terms of planning the infield, it would be nice if we could put Story at 2B. 

I don't think we can avoid Brez & Co thinking Mayer can fill the SS or 3B position.

I think we non tender Lowe and can't count on Casas to  be the wire to wire 1Bman for 2025.

That means we should look to fill the 1B slot (Alonso, E Suarez, Hoskins?.)

I think Breggie/Hoskins is a reasonble ask. A Suarez/Hoskins offseason would be horrible for the defense. If they wanted to spend and get defensive and offensive value, they could go Breggie/Okamoto. 

[Duran Is The Man]

40 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Brezzz is already getting lapped out here. 

 

my expectations are so low, that i fully expect Brez to be "interested" in all of the best players available but sign none. or, if he does sign someone, it will be an injured pitcher. 
 

[Hugh2]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

That's the penalty right now. JH has become risk averse. I think he's going to shy away from going large and long this year because of the potential for a work stoppage in '27 and questions on what CBT penalties may be negotiated during bargaining. With the pushback against the Dodgers, the owners may choose to punish these teams that spend to much because they are cheap and dumb. If it wasn't for the Dodgers plotline, this World Series would have had way less people paying attention to it. Evil Empires are good for the game. 

I think there is going to be push back, but many of these teams did what they did under the old rules and now have guys locked up.  I think if they come in with harsher penalties it would have a higher starting point to allow the league to adjust. 

E.G. They instititute a hard cap, but they make it 300 million. 

I agree, evil empires are good for the game.  Everyone lose seeing an empire crumble. 

[Hugh2]

55 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Skubal will cost more that what BTV suggests.

That is more than what BTV suggests.  FWIW, at the time of the trade, we did not pay more than what BTV suggests for Crochet