A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

By the time the deadline arrives, we'll be sellers not buyers.

That's why Brez has to move now.  He doesn't seem like a "sit on your hands" type.  And this is Year 3 of his 4 year window LOL.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, notin said:

We don’t need a first baseman…😉

I'd start him at 3rd and not think twice.  But first you need to convince Posey to take back Masa, take a decent, non-premium prospect, and eat another ~ $60-70M.  No GM ever likes to look that bad, that soon.

Keep in mind, Devers is starting to hit.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Nah, we need a righty bat. 😉

Re-visit Paredes.  He's not doing anything special, so the ask might only be a decent+ prospect, which is fair.

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Some cherry-picked SP'er sample sizes:

ERA/FIP

0.00/1.44 Suarez last 2 starts (12 IP) 1.17/2.45 last 5 starts (30.2 IP)

0.82/3.65 Gray last 2 starts (11 IP)

1.35/1.76 Bello last 2 games (13.1 IP) 1.32/3.47 last 3 starts (13.2 IP)

2.25/2.69 Tolle last 2 starts (12 IP) & 2.78/2.80 season (4GS and 22.2 IP)

3.16/4.35 Early for the season (8GS 42.2 IP) last start 0.00 ERA over 7 IP

Aside from Crochet and Bello, the rotation has held up.

Suarez 2.77 ERA

Tolle 2.78 ERA

Early 3.16 ERA

Gray 3.18 ERA

[mvp 78]

24 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

That's why Brez has to move now.  He doesn't seem like a "sit on your hands" type.  And this is Year 3 of his 4 year window LOL.

He did sign a 5 year contract. Maybe he sees that elusive 5th season!

🐶🐶

[moonslav59]

19 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Re-visit Paredes.  He's not doing anything special, so the ask might only be a decent+ prospect, which is fair.

The talk here in HOU is "fire sale."

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Aside from Crochet and Bello, the rotation has held up.

Suarez 2.77 ERA

Tolle 2.78 ERA

Early 3.16 ERA

Gray 3.18 ERA

Yup, and Bello's recent two games is a little encouraging.

Bennett looked okay, which helps, since Oviedo, Crawford and Sandoval are all pretty much crossed off my 2026 help list.

Getting back a healthy and strong Crochet could give a big boost and also help the pen out (no more pen games.)

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yup, and Bello's recent two games is a little encouraging.

Bennett looked okay, which helps, since Oviedo, Crawford and Sandoval are all pretty much crossed off my 2026 help list.

Getting back a healthy and strong Crochet could give a big boost and also help the pen out (no more pen games.)

Going back to ST, Crochet had been off. Not sure if it was the increase in IP last season, an injury or something else. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

The talk here in HOU is "fire sale."

Then go hard after Yordan Alvarez. If he's even remotely available, there's no one else in baseball like him to help solve what ails Boston.

Keep our own A's: Anthony, Abreu, Arias -- not to be unreasonable, but because Red Sox position players throughout the system are either not that good or at least overrated in New England.

Houston needs pitching to reboot, and that's Boston's strength. Come on, Brez -- you drafted 89 D1 arms for this moment.

[urban cowboy]

23 hours ago, drewski6 said:

After last year, plenty.  THere was opt out buzz.

yep! but always difficult to "sell high" -- maybe they have turned the corner and this is real?

[Duran Is The Man]

5 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

But why do we need to eat now when we'll just be hungry later? Who needs to wear clean clothes when they're just going to get dirty? What's the sense in combing my hair when someday it's all going to fall out.

that's what i tell me wife when she says i need to clean my jeep: "why? it's just going to get dirty again."

[Old Red]

49 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Going back to ST, Crochet had been off. Not sure if it was the increase in IP last season, an injury or something else. 

I said back in the offseason it would be something to watch on Cro Man to see if his first heavy workload last year would have any effect on him this year, so it could be that, or a combination of things.

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Then go hard after Yordan Alvarez. If he's even remotely available, there's no one else in baseball like him to help solve what ails Boston.

Keep our own A's: Anthony, Abreu, Arias -- not to be unreasonable, but because Red Sox position players throughout the system are either not that good or at least overrated in New England.

Houston needs pitching to reboot, and that's Boston's strength. Come on, Brez -- you drafted 89 D1 arms for this moment.

The talk about Alvarez is that a trade would be Juan Soto like in terms of the return. 

[mvp 78]

45 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

that's what i tell me wife when she says i need to clean my jeep: "why? it's just going to get dirty again."

🦆

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Going back to ST, Crochet had been off. Not sure if it was the increase in IP last season, an injury or something else. 

Agreed. I even mentioned he might end up on the IL a week or so before he did.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Then go hard after Yordan Alvarez. If he's even remotely available, there's no one else in baseball like him to help solve what ails Boston.

Keep our own A's: Anthony, Abreu, Arias -- not to be unreasonable, but because Red Sox position players throughout the system are either not that good or at least overrated in New England.

Houston needs pitching to reboot, and that's Boston's strength. Come on, Brez -- you drafted 89 D1 arms for this moment.

Yordan is the guy most talked about, but the feeling seems to be more about building around him, which would mean the expectation is a short rebuild or a Yordan extension.

HOU really likes Abreu, so he'd likely be the first guy they ask for.

Paredes is the most likely guy we get, especially if it happens, this year.

IMO, I think we are not going to be buyers, this summer, and talk of trades now is a long shot. Now, Devers was traded way before the deadline, but those deal types are unique.

[drewski6]

2 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I'd start him at 3rd and not think twice.  But first you need to convince Posey to take back Masa, take a decent, non-premium prospect, and eat another ~ $60-70M.  No GM ever likes to look that bad, that soon.

Keep in mind, Devers is starting to hit.

Breslow wouldnt take him if he was free.  Once you cross the dictator, theres no coming back.