A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[drewski6]

more player versatility, more platooning, more riding the hot bat, more flexibility, more craziness. In baseball terms, we are in the third inning of the modernization.  It will accelerate.

Everything is everything in 2026

get use to it

[drewski6]

positions are for boomers

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I have very little hope for Hicks, but with no roster crunch until opening day's 26 man roster,

That won't impact Masa.  We will very likely carry 13 hitters and pitchers.  If Hicks is DFAd, he gets replaced by another pitcher.

The focus has to be on the 13 hitters.  For the sake of discussion, call Duran the DH, and presume we add a 2B/3B.  That leaves 4 slots.  Wong (or any BUC) will be one.  Very likely both Romy & DHam will be two more.  Assuming Casas starts off on the IL, that leaves one more spot.  If it is not Masa, do you have a preferred player?  I don't.

Duran will be the #4 OF, and Masa the #5.  Romy/DHam back up the IF.  Guy like Sogard & Eaton provide very little additional value.

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, JoeBrady said:

That won't impact Masa.  We will very likely carry 13 hitters and pitchers.  If Hicks is DFAd, he gets replaced by another pitcher.

The focus has to be on the 13 hitters.  For the sake of discussion, call Duran the DH, and presume we add a 2B/3B.  That leaves 4 slots.  Wong (or any BUC) will be one.  Very likely both Romy & DHam will be two more.  Assuming Casas starts off on the IL, that leaves one more spot.  If it is not Masa, do you have a preferred player?  I don't.

Duran will be the #4 OF, and Masa the #5.  Romy/DHam back up the IF.  Guy like Sogard & Eaton provide very little additional value.

You from 6 minutes ago: If they need a day off, they will likely just get a day off.  Any days off that Yoshi gets will be against a lefty.  Romy will pick up those ABs.

[JoeBrady]

8 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Use to be in football, you had a left outside linebacke

Not the same thing.

• In FB, you have more guys on the bench than you have starting.  With 53 guys on the active roster, you can have 11 starters on defensive and 16 defensive guys on the bench.
• You can't mix and match as well in BB.  In FB, no one even knows the the difference between a DE, an edge defender or an outside LB.  In BB, no one plays the IF except for infielders.  Catchers only catch.  Pure DHs usually just DH.
• In FB, your starting lineup is always your starting lineup, except for injury or incompetence.  The idea of rotating guys in and out is based on whether it's a running down or a passing down.

[JoeBrady]

13 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

You from 6 minutes ago: If they need a day off, they will likely just get a day off.  Any days off that Yoshi gets will be against a lefty.  Romy will pick up those ABs.

The point being is that we aren't going to rotate guys.  We don't do that.   Any days off that Yoshi Duran gets will be against a lefty.  Romy will pick up those ABs.

[mvp 78]

22 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Baseball is the dinosaur sport, but eventually change will get you too

Sure, but this has nothing to do with players having to play 3 different positions and fielding your team with 13 platoon players. 

[drewski6]

Just now, JoeBrady said:

The point being is that we aren't going to rotate guys.  We don't do that.   Any days off that Yoshi Duran gets will be against a lefty.  Romy will pick up those ABs.

Its not my top choice either, I wanted Schwarber to everyday DH

But Duran will not be the everyday DH on this team in 2026

Its the team we have.

I understand that if you have a true DH , you cant really play em in the field. Alvarez, Papi, Rooker, Ohtani (energy conservation). I get that.

But everything is case by case, and in our case - they just arent going to make duran the full time dh.

Roman was DH'ing quite a bit last year.  Mister: we only rotated because something to do with yoshi and devers or whatever you said that i barely paid attention to 

[moonslav59]

30 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Nobody is themselves for 162 games.  Id never DH Cedanne either.  Unless he is nursing something that I want to be cautious about and hes red hot at the plate.

 I agree, but throw in an asterisk being

*everything subject to change based on who is avaialable, who is hot, who is slumping, handedness of pitcher, if the moon is in low tide, whether outside, what mood Cora happens to be in when he set the lineup, whether you had fish, chicken, beef, or veggies the night before for dinner

Im getting silly but so many things can happen, and theres so many variables.

Dudes will move around more than the boomers want cuz its not the same game it use to be and they dont do well with change, except you - cuz i get the feeling you're old man in age but not old in outlook. 

Could be wrong, but I picture you in 60s/70s but sharp as youve ever been, and open to change, and compassionate, and a good person, and just not a bitter grump like a lot of senior men.

Nobody is disagreeing that things can and will go wrong. Injuries will happen. Someone might drop off a cliff and be benched.

My point is that you go into a season with an idea or framework of who is your best 9. Maybe you plan for a platoon or two. Maybe you plan on one player sitting out more than others, but in general you plan on certain players to play certain positions until something changes your initial plan.

Maybe if I word it this way, you'll be more okay with the statement?

These positions will see this player start there most often, barring injuries:

C Narvaez 1, Wong 2 (maybe Contreras 3?)

1B Contreras 1 (Maybe Casas 2? Romy??

2B/3B _____ & Mayer/Romy (DHam/Sogard/Eaton)

SS Story 1

LF Anthony 1, Duran 2

CF Rafaela 1, Duran/Anthony 2

RF Abreu 1, Anthony 2

DH Duran 1, Masa 2 (Casas/Romy 3 and others a distant 4th)

 

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

But Duran will not be the everyday DH on this team in 2026
 

Agreed, but because he will be traded.

[drewski6]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Sure, but this has nothing to do with players having to play 3 different positions and fielding your team with 13 platoon players. 

I see people talking roman as the dh just as often as i see people talking about duran as the dh

i dont think its settled, and my best guess is that theyll both dh sometimes and more people will dh also (whether thats romy or someone with a minor injury or someone needing a rest)

im not talking crazy here.  Do you play fantasy baseball?  like 10 yrs ago, everyone except for like 10 players in the league had one position next to their name. Now so many guys are eligible at so many positions. Because guys are moving around a lot more these days.  Because its one of the ways the game has modernized.

Boomers like Joe may hate it, but Im not sure where you are coming from.  Yes its old school to think of everyone as a lock to play their position , yes its old school to think that platooning is bad (seabeachfred hates platoons).  Catchers are getting moved to center field and excelling (Varsho). Tatis/Betts. Its not just the slouchers moving around.  This is why Devers annoyed me. Nobody asked him to do anything that isnt happening across the league. Devers thinks like a stubborn boomer.

IF you have 2 good thirdbaseman and your second baseman gets hurt, you play one of your third baseman there. Rather than a worse overall player because "3rd baseman at 2b? Thats too out of the box for me"

You sound like my buddy who told me you cant put breaded chicken in a poast dish, because "thats not what people do"

I reject that.

My dad taught me to zig when they zag.

Common wisdom is for the common man.

[drewski6]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Nobody is disagreeing that things can and will go wrong. Injuries will happen. Someone might drop off a cliff and be benched.

My point is that you go into a season with an idea or framework of who is your best 9. Maybe you plan for a platoon or two. Maybe you plan on one player sitting out more than others, but in general you plan on certain players to play certain positions until something changes your initial plan.

Maybe if I word it this way, you'll be more okay with the statement?

These positions will see this player start there most often, barring injuries:

C Narvaez 1, Wong 2 (maybe Contreras 3?)

1B Contreras 1 (Maybe Casas 2? Romy??

2B/3B _____ & Mayer/Romy (DHam/Sogard/Eaton)

SS Story 1

LF Anthony 1, Duran 2

CF Rafaela 1, Duran/Anthony 2

RF Abreu 1, Anthony 2

DH Duran 1, Masa 2 (Casas/Romy 3 and others a distant 4th)

 

 

[moonslav59]

There is a chance Cora's loyalty quirk will force him to DH Anthony as much as Duran.

I'm giving my opinion. Anthony is better on defense, and he will play some RF, when Abreu sits. I'd DH Duran more than Anthony and Masa combined.

[moonslav59]

Ooops, I said the "C" word.

[drewski6]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

There is a chance Cora's loyalty quirk will force him to DH Anthony as much as Duran.

I'm giving my opinion. Anthony is better on defense, and he will play some RF, when Abreu sits. I'd DH Duran more than Anthony and Masa combined.

Maybe when Cora does things you wouldnt do, its not because hes blinded by loyalty, or stubborn or whatever

Maybe he knows something you dont?

Not a knock on you, I trust your opinion/projections/accumen on all things red sox more than I do 99.99% of folks

But Cora is in that .001%

[drewski6]

I trust you over Breslow, Moon

[drewski6]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed, but because he will be traded.

For a #2 pitcher? Probs

[drewski6]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Nobody is disagreeing that things can and will go wrong. Injuries will happen. Someone might drop off a cliff and be benched.

My point is that you go into a season with an idea or framework of who is your best 9. Maybe you plan for a platoon or two. Maybe you plan on one player sitting out more than others, but in general you plan on certain players to play certain positions until something changes your initial plan.

Maybe if I word it this way, you'll be more okay with the statement?

These positions will see this player start there most often, barring injuries:

C Narvaez 1, Wong 2 (maybe Contreras 3?)

1B Contreras 1 (Maybe Casas 2? Romy??

2B/3B _____ & Mayer/Romy (DHam/Sogard/Eaton)

SS Story 1

LF Anthony 1, Duran 2

CF Rafaela 1, Duran/Anthony 2

RF Abreu 1, Anthony 2

DH Duran 1, Masa 2 (Casas/Romy 3 and others a distant 4th)

 

Yes and Duran2 at lf does not mean anthony is hurt.  It may simply they wanna keep duran sharp in the field in case theres an injury.

I understand guys have primary/desired positions. Its just more fluid and not as locked in/rigid is it use to be.  Versatility is big right now. And I embrace it.

[drewski6]

I think if we face a righty on opening night, it will be Roman at DH.

[mvp 78]

13 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

seabeachfred 

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Maybe when Cora does things you wouldnt do, its not because hes blinded by loyalty, or stubborn or whatever

Maybe he knows something you dont?

Not a knock on you, I trust your opinion/projections/accumen on all things red sox more than I do 99.99% of folks

But Cora is in that .001%

I've said the same thing about myself several times. I often say Cora knows way more than I do.

Note: My suggestion is not a projection.

Note: I do think Cora has a loyalty issue that is not necessarily a bad thing. His players will march through Hell for him. I think, and yes, it's just my opinion, he sometimes plays players over others, or chooses the positions based on loyalty to his vets rather than what is the better option. Even saying this, it does not mean he's wrong, and when I say that, it sets Ole Red off like a smoke alarm.

IMO, when we got Story, he should have played SS and Bogey 2B (or 3B with devers at 1B) but Cora chose not to rock the boat. Story had no issues playing 2B, so I'm not claiming Cora was wrong. I just think I'd have chose otherwise.

IMO, Cora resisted talking to devers about playing 1B out of loyalty or "keeping the peace" and it kinda back-fired. Again, just my opinion, and I have no idea if it was the right or wrong thing to do. It's just what I would not have done (or not- not done in this case.)

I'm a huge Cora fan. I don't agree with anyone 100%, although I'm on a long streak with Joe, recently.

 

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I think if we face a righty on opening night, it will be Roman at DH.

IDK, because these guys are so versatile they should go with:

Hamilton to 2b.

Mayer to SS. 

Duran/Abreu/Anthony OF.

Masa DH.

Eaton to 3B. 

Anyone to platoon C?

Stuck with Contreras at 1B I guess.

Probably have to sit Rafaela against RHP all year. He's even worse against LHP so may have to sit him against those too. 

[drewski6]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I've said the same thing about myself several times. I often say Cora knows way more than I do.

Note: My suggestion is not a projection.

Note: I do think Cora has a loyalty issue that is not necessarily a bad thing. His players will march through Hell for him. I think, and yes, it's just my opinion, he sometimes plays players over others, or chooses the positions based on loyalty to his vets rather than what is the better option. Even saying this, it does not mean he's wrong, and when I say that, it sets Ole Red off like a smoke alarm.

IMO, when we got Story, he should have played SS and Bogey 2B (or 3B with devers at 1B) but Cora chose not to rock the boat. Story had no issues playing 2B, so I'm not claiming Cora was wrong. I just think I'd have chose otherwise.

IMO, Cora resisted talking to devers about playing 1B out of loyalty or "keeping the peace" and it kinda back-fired. Again, just my opinion, and I have no idea if it was the right or wrong thing to do. It's just what I would not have done (or not- not done in this case.)

I'm a huge Cora fan. I don't agree with anyone 100%, although I'm on a long streak with Joe, recently.

 

Gross

[Behindenemylines]

27 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Its not my top choice either, I wanted Schwarber to everyday DH

But Duran will not be the everyday DH on this team in 2026

Its the team we have.

I understand that if you have a true DH , you cant really play em in the field. Alvarez, Papi, Rooker, Ohtani (energy conservation). I get that.

But everything is case by case, and in our case - they just arent going to make duran the full time dh.

Roman was DH'ing quite a bit last year.  Mister: we only rotated because something to do with yoshi and devers or whatever you said that i barely paid attention to 

Injuries and hot bats will have a lot to do who is in the daily lineup. What looks like extra bodies now, usually takes care of itself.

[drewski6]

4 minutes ago, Behindenemylines said:

Injuries and hot bats will have a lot to do who is in the daily lineup. What looks like extra bodies now, usually takes care of itself.

Exactly.  

[drewski6]

10 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

IDK, because these guys are so versatile they should go with:

Hamilton to 2b.

Mayer to SS. 

Duran/Abreu/Anthony OF.

Masa DH.

Eaton to 3B. 

Anyone to platoon C?

Stuck with Contreras at 1B I guess.

Probably have to sit Rafaela against RHP all year. He's even worse against LHP so may have to sit him against those too. 

Are you being serious?

I lean yes, but want to make sure.

[Old Red]

12 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I've said the same thing about myself several times. I often say Cora knows way more than I do.

Note: My suggestion is not a projection.

Note: I do think Cora has a loyalty issue that is not necessarily a bad thing. His players will march through Hell for him. I think, and yes, it's just my opinion, he sometimes plays players over others, or chooses the positions based on loyalty to his vets rather than what is the better option. Even saying this, it does not mean he's wrong, and when I say that, it sets Ole Red off like a smoke alarm.

IMO, when we got Story, he should have played SS and Bogey 2B (or 3B with devers at 1B) but Cora chose not to rock the boat. Story had no issues playing 2B, so I'm not claiming Cora was wrong. I just think I'd have chose otherwise.

IMO, Cora resisted talking to devers about playing 1B out of loyalty or "keeping the peace" and it kinda back-fired. Again, just my opinion, and I have no idea if it was the right or wrong thing to do. It's just what I would not have done (or not- not done in this case.)

I'm a huge Cora fan. I don't agree with anyone 100%, although I'm on a long streak with Joe, recently.

 

I don’t think Cora has a loyalty issue at all. What you may think is a better option like Raffy at 1B, which I disagree with, and I think Cora saw it the same way. I never have believed Cora didn’t talk to Raffy about it, because of loyalty. No I wouldn’t have put Bogey at 2B either for Story, and Cora didn’t do it either, and I don’t think Cora was worried about rocking any boat. What backfired about Raffy is not having his bat in the lineup, and now NO Bregman either, so we agree on a backfire. I’ll finish on this that I’m not even a big Cora fan just like I was never a Devers Forevers guy.👋

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'll play devil dog advocate.: most posters and many fans (my son included) can't stand the thought of Masataka Yoshida on the 2026 Red Sox. Be careful what you wish for.

First, this offense might be ok: Anthony might be a star, Contreras might hit 25 homers for the first time, Story might play another full year, Rafaela and Abreu might repeat clutch, and Duran might still be here.

We can only hope.  Returning Red Sox 2024-2025 RBIs: Duran 159, Rafaela 138, Abreu 127, Story 106

But even all that may not be enough. Even if it is, this line-up is laden with strikeout whiffers.

This is at least where Yoshida can help. We all know Masa can't go yard or run fast or throw hard or stop liners from smashing lights on the Monster. But he can hit... for non-returning Romans, his career batting average is the highest on the team and his K-rate is the lowest.

Maybe he's finally healthy from a shoulder injury and surgery which may very well have sapped his strength. People forget last year Yoshi hit .333 in September and October and .571 in the playoffs, where his single up the middle should've eliminated the Yankees (except a baserunner going on the pitch didn't score from 2nd).

The Sox owe it to themselves to at least see how he does in the WBC before crossing him off as an option.

 

[moonslav59]

Would you trade Duran for CJ Abrams?

BTV accepted it as well as Duran + Crawford.

Story to 2B and Mayer to 3B.

[drewski6]

10 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

IDK, because these guys are so versatile they should go with:

Hamilton to 2b.

Mayer to SS. 

Duran/Abreu/Anthony OF.

Masa DH.

Eaton to 3B. 

Anyone to platoon C?

Stuck with Contreras at 1B I guess.

Probably have to sit Rafaela against RHP all year. He's even worse against LHP so may have to sit him against those too. 

I think youre being serious.

The lineup you present without Cedanne will surely be a lineup that I would use in a situation (assuming Masa makes the 26 man, but he prob does for me if Casas is on 60 day IL)

I would use it if Im down and need runs, if Cedanne was ice cold at the plate, if Masa was hot at the plate, if Cedanne was healthy enough to play but not 100% , if duran hasnt played in the filed all week and i want to keep him sharp and cedanne hasnt had a day off in a while, same thing as i just said for duran but sub in roman. Im sure there are others.

There are multiple different reasons why you would use thislineup. I wouldnt use it everyday or even everyday against righties, even if everyone was 100% healthy.  A reason why I may not use it: If Im going against an ace, i might start cedanne cuz im only winning if its 2-1 and so i wanna chess match in my run prevention team cuz im expecting a low scoring battle.

Who I play and where is situational based on that game and its truly a nightly decision, and i think you are seeing the shift towards situational approach to problem solving and matchup exploitation > set of rigid rules (e.g. player x is my second baseman)

Hard rigid rules and management via cliches/folklore are crutches for those who cant assess on the fly.  Any business consultant worth their weight will tell you that.