A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[notin]

10 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They already have 3 C's on the roster. Why not make clogs all over the place? 

I'm not in on acquiring any expiring contracts. 

Also the Sox have players that can’t hit all over the place.  Adell is a perfect fit!

And, if you like pull-happy s***** outfielders that bat right-handed and are a couple miles south of a .700 OPS, Nick Castellanos was just DFAd by the Padres and is therefore even cheaper than Adell…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, notin said:

If we get to go by last year’s numbers, a lot of our hitters look much better and we don’t need Adell at all.

And we don’t…

Need something -- two of our top four returning Slugging leaders from last year are on the IL and when they weren't, they were over a hundred points lower than '25 (I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt that injuries were affecting production). 

And it may be folly to expect either Anthony or Story to return to '25 status when/if they return in '26. Roman has "a Casas injury" -- incurred from doing his job swinging the bat... and Old Man Story has to recover from a hernia op and resume being an elite professional athlete in his 30s.

Has anyone here had a hernia op and just tried getting out of bed and walking down the stairs? Let's put it this way: I played hurt all my life with pulls, strains, sprains and fractures, and my double hernia operation was more painful than the actual hernia.

Gleybar could help, but he's not going to put this club in contention by himself. If Brez can't trade for a guy who's going to be part of the solution when they intend to go for it again next year, then what's the point?

Oh, yeah: make a move to pretend to fans... 

[mvp 78]

 

[notin]

33 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Need something -- two of our top four returning Slugging leaders from last year are on the IL and when they weren't, they were over a hundred points lower than '25 (I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt that injuries were affecting production). 

And it may be folly to expect either Anthony or Story to return to '25 status when/if they return in '26. Roman has "a Casas injury" -- incurred from doing his job swinging the bat... and Old Man Story has to recover from a hernia op and resume being an elite professional athlete in his 30s.

Has anyone here had a hernia op and just tried getting out of bed and walking down the stairs? Let's put it this way: I played hurt all my life with pulls, strains, sprains and fractures, and my double hernia operation was more painful than the actual hernia.

Gleybar could help, but he's not going to put this club in contention by himself. If Brez can't trade for a guy who's going to be part of the solution when they intend to go for it again next year, then what's the point?

Oh, yeah: make a move to pretend to fans... 

Even an addition like Gleyber might help.  The Sox are 3.5 games out with 102 games left to play - hardly insurmountable.  Are we supposed to already start that Magic Number countdown until elimination?

And it’s not just about Torres.  Duran is hitting again.  Durbin is hitting now.  They can keep Gasper at DH until he runs out of steam (or Anthony returns). And lately, this team has been scoring runs.  Although to some, it seems to have evoked a “the Sox will never fix this offense if this team keeps scoring” attitude. 
 

They have the pitching and defense.  Even an average offense might make a significant difference.  Although another reliever would be nice, too.  Maybe Kahnle and Bello can be the bullpen fix this team also needs…

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

Even an addition like Gleyber might help.  The Sox are 3.5 games out with 102 games left to play - hardly insurmountable.  

3.5 games out from last place in the AL too FWIW. Somehow, the AL is going to get a team below .500 into the playoffs. 

Even though this team should be better, what would be the point in trying to drag THIS team to the playoffs. It's clear that this team doesn't have the juice. 

[mvp 78]

36 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

 

 

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

3.5 games out from last place in the AL too FWIW. Somehow, the AL is going to get a team below .500 into the playoffs. 

Even though this team should be better, what would be the point in trying to drag THIS team to the playoffs. It's clear that this team doesn't have the juice. 

Whats the point in not trying to get to the postseason?  Better draft pick?  Hey that might help the 2031 team!  
 

And if the goal is 2027, why would the Sox consider adding players like Adell, whose biggest hope at this point is that maybe someday, someone somewhere might consider him mediocre?

Do some quick, temporary fixes that don’t create future problems the way that acquiring Chapman, Semien or Adames will.

And leave Adell in Anaheim…

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, notin said:

Whats the point in not trying to get to the postseason?  Better draft pick?  Hey that might help the 2031 team!  
 

And if the goal is 2027, why would the Sox consider adding players like Adell, whose biggest hope at this point is that maybe someday, someone somewhere might consider him mediocre?

Do some quick, temporary fixes that don’t create future problems the future the way that acquiring Chapman, Semien or Adames will.

And leave Adell in Anaheim…

I don't think they should add Adell. Parades? Maybe. If they get into the playoffs? Fine. I just wouldn't sell just to get some quick fix solely for THIS year. I don't see the point. That sounds more like saving the CBO's job than doing what is right for the org. 

Crochet - out

Anthony - out

Two of the biggest contributors to your team aren't projected to be here for a while. It just doesn't seem to be the year to be cashing in chips. I also see more folly in scratching and clawing for a 6th place finish just to get stomped in the playoffs. Let's wait until the Sox actually field a competitive team. This isn't one of them. This team isn't even '22 or '23 that people on here tried to sell me on prior to the deadline! 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I don't care how close we are to a wild card. Can we at least win a few series at home, and maybe string together a five-game winning streak before Brez uses his putty knife to smear some compound in the holes in the sheetrock.

[notin]

19 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I don't think they should add Adell. Parades? Maybe. If they get into the playoffs? Fine. I just wouldn't sell just to get some quick fix solely for THIS year. I don't see the point. That sounds more like saving the CBO's job than doing what is right for the org. 

Crochet - out

Anthony - out

Two of the biggest contributors to your team aren't projected to be here for a while. It just doesn't seem to be the year to be cashing in chips. I also see more folly in scratching and clawing for a 6th place finish just to get stomped in the playoffs. Let's wait until the Sox actually field a competitive team. This isn't one of them. This team isn't even '22 or '23 that people on here tried to sell me on prior to the deadline! 

And that’s the point.  They’re getting better even without Crochet and Anthony.  So why give up and hope no one gets hurt in 2027?

To me, Torres is a no brainer.  He had negative BTV value, so if he can be had for a 0.0 value A baller, why not? The whole purpose here is to buy time for Mayer in AAA.  

I’m ok with longer term fixes, as long as they’re not stupid…

[notin]

1 minute ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I don't care how close we are to a wild card. Can we at least win a few series at home, and maybe string together a five-game winning streak before Brez uses his putty knife to smear some compound in the holes in the sheetrock.

If the Sox are a wild card team, winning at home is a less important skill.  

[mvp 78]

Just now, notin said:

And that’s the point.  They’re getting better even without Crochet and Anthony.  So why give up and hope no one gets hurt in 2027?

To me, Torres is a no brainer.  He had negative BTV value, so if he can be had for a 0.0 value A baller, why not? The whole purpose here is to buy time for Mayer in AAA.  

I’m ok with longer term fixes, as long as they’re not stupid…

They are getting better? They are still 8 games under .500. That's getting better?!?!? They are 16-17 since Tracey took over. 

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

And that’s the point.  They’re getting better even without Crochet and Anthony.  So why give up and hope no one gets hurt in 2027?

To me, Torres is a no brainer.  He had negative BTV value, so if he can be had for a 0.0 value A baller, why not? The whole purpose here is to buy time for Mayer in AAA.  

I’m ok with longer term fixes, as long as they’re not stupid…

Would they really send Mayer down? I'm not so sure. I think they'd just throw Torres at 2b. 

[notin]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They are getting better? They are still 8 games under .500. That's getting better?!?!? They are 16-17 since Tracey took over. 

Isnt 16-17 with Tracy an improvement over 10-17 with Cora?

[notin]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Would they really send Mayer down? I'm not so sure. I think they'd just throw Torres at 2b. 

It’s AA possibility, but I have no idea.  Someone has to play SS until Story returns.  Right now IKF is doing a pretty good Vern Stephens impression, but that should end abruptly any day now…

[mvp 78]

 

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

Isnt 16-17 with Tracy an improvement over 10-17 with Cora?

🤩

[notin]

19 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

🤩

Plus they’ve scored 8 runs or more 4 times in the past 7 games as opposed to scoring 8 or more only 5 times in the first 53.  Arguing whether or not thr offense is good now is one thing, but it’s not very easy to argue that it isn’t any better recently…

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

Plus they’ve scored 8 runs or more 4 times in the past 7 games as opposed to scoring 8 or more only 5 times in the first 53.  Arguing whether or not thr offense is good now is one thing, but it’s not very easy to argue that it isn’t any better recently…

They ended April at 7 below. They ended May at 8 below. They are currently 8 below. 

The offense wasn't going to be bottom of the league forever, but they are still playing not better than .500 ball going back to mid May when the offense started to pick up. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, notin said:

If the Sox are a wild card team, winning at home is a less important skill.  

If they have a losing record at home all summer they're not getting to the postseason. 

But even if the current top four batters in the lineup do damage, there are going to be plenty of nights when they don't. That's when someone with longball muscles can change the game with one swing (I know, we've got loads of guys who can incinerate rallies with DP grounders or Ks with runners on 3rd, but the one swing being described in my 16-year old head begins thusly: "It's a long drive... if it stays fair...").

[Bellhorn04]

Everybody just needs some more Vitamin W.  It's the cure for all ills.

[UtahSox]

1 hour ago, notin said:

And that’s the point.  They’re getting better even without Crochet and Anthony.  So why give up and hope no one gets hurt in 2027?

To me, Torres is a no brainer.  He had negative BTV value, so if he can be had for a 0.0 value A baller, why not? The whole purpose here is to buy time for Mayer in AAA.  

I’m ok with longer term fixes, as long as they’re not stupid…

Neto for Marcelo Mayer + Eyanson+ Jake Bennett? Essentially Mayer for Neto and 2 suspects?

[mvp 78]

27 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Everybody just needs some more Vitamin W.  It's the cure for all ills.

Taken too many L's lately. 

[mvp 78]

14 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

Neto for Marcelo Mayer + Eyanson+ Jake Bennett? Essentially Mayer for Neto and 2 suspects?

Swap Eyanson for a different pitcher? I guess that's what gets it done. I haven't seen a lot of Neto, but that's the type of guy the Sox need TBH. 

Is Neto a better fit at 2b or 3b? 

[vegasbob]

3 hours ago, notin said:

Whats the point in not trying to get to the postseason?  Better draft pick?  Hey that might help the 2031 team!  
 

And if the goal is 2027, why would the Sox consider adding players like Adell, whose biggest hope at this point is that maybe someday, someone somewhere might consider him mediocre?

Do some quick, temporary fixes that don’t create future problems the way that acquiring Chapman, Semien or Adames will.

And leave Adell in Anaheim…

What is funny is that you clowns are still jumping  on Adell. I only put his name out since I see it daily in my region. He typifies some yesteryear RS pickups of big swinging K artists.

Yes, leave Adell in Anaheim so we SoCal residents can enjoy the product of 5 years of MLB potential with no real upside..Keep Bello though.He'll be great out of the bullpen

[mvp 78]

6 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

They got Canseco after he donked a HR off his head. Time to bring Adell in too. 

Adell! Adell! Adell!!!

I want him to play LF and have him head a ball over the Monster.