A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

If HOU is looking for a quick rebuild, they may want more immediate value, but that looks like a formidable starting offer.

Pena will be a FA, soon, so maybe they'd want Mayer or Arias.

I know they really like Abreu, but I think he only adds one more year of control to what Yordan has, so maybe that's not a big demand.

I'm sure they'd start with Anthony and Tolle/Early and Mayer/Arias, but I think they'd take less.

I'm thinking more about Paredes and what they may take, now vs their winter demands...

Durbin, Witherspoon and Bennett?

Houston will demand Durbin? They might demand he's not in the package... But your two pitching prospects are a fair offer for Paredes.

And of course the Astros will ask every team for their top 3 overall prospects first for Alvarez. But this isn't Juan Soto at age 25, when the Yankees got him and Trent Grisham for five guys, including two top pitching prospects...

... which is what I'm offering, along with a new monster-sized hitting prospect, for Yordan, who next month will be 29.

But people can forget about Houston getting a haul like Washington did when Soto was 24.

[moonslav59]

14 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Houston will demand Durbin? They might demand he's not in the package... But your two pitching prospects are a fair offer for Paredes.

And of course the Astros will ask every team for their top 3 overall prospects first for Alvarez. But this isn't Juan Soto at age 25, when the Yankees got him and Trent Grisham for five guys, including two top pitching prospects...

... which is what I'm offering, along with a new monster-sized hitting prospect, for Yordan, who next month will be 29.

But people can forget about Houston getting a haul like Washington did when Soto was 24.

No, they won't demand Durbin, but Correa is out for the year, and losing Paredes leaves a hole. (He's a throw in. Sub Romero, if you prefer.)

[drewski6]

27 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

No, they won't demand Durbin, but Correa is out for the year, and losing Paredes leaves a hole. (He's a throw in. Sub Romero, if you prefer.)

If they are firesaling theyll take a bandaid but not pay much in return value for one.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, drewski6 said:

If they are firesaling theyll take a bandaid but not pay much in return value for one.

The other players were the value.

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I never played on grass, but had a beer sometimes in between games of a hot doubleheader.

But I've been sober all day, and would give up a package of just about any Red Sox for Yordan. He could be one of the few gamechangers in his absolute prime that puts this group back into contention. 

Paredes or another guy like him just won't be enough to save this offense. If you don't want to waste what may be the last Crochet-Chapman year, gotta go big.

For the current and future core, I have to keep Abreu, Anthony and Arias; sorry, the infield is just too unstable going forward -- maybe only Mayer is a key guy going forward.

Otherwise, how would Houston feel about this trio for Alvarez: Eyanson, their choice of Tolle or Early, and Justin Gonzales? They'd get this year's breakout minor league pitcher, another MLB rookie starter, and a future Yordan who just made the Top 100 Prospects list...

I'd say it would definitely get their attention.  But I'd hate to lose Tolle.

I wonder if Houston could add Paredes and we give them Duran, but keep Eyanson 

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

for Yordan, who next month will be 29.

But people can forget about Houston getting a haul like Washington did when Soto was 24.

Unless extending a guy is part of the deal, there is very little difference between being 24 and being 29.  Soto was always healthier than Alvarez, but I am not concerned about either one declining.  FWIW, has anyone ever seen this much red?

 

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/yordan-alvarez-670541?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb