A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Beating up on bad teams doesn't do much for me.

This 11-2 stretch includes 10 games against teams > .500.

[JoeBrady]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Whether they stay the course, buy or sell, just don't make any stupid moves. That's all I ask

Nothing unreasonable here.  In fact, I'd go slow as well.  But still see no reason not to trade a non-premium prospect for someone like Adell.

[UtahSox]

3 hours ago, Old Red said:

The word on the street is that the Red Sox sent little pinky Anthony down to Florida to get him away from his pinky swear buddy Marshmallow Mayer, and the Boston nightlife.🤫

Another reason I wish they didn’t pay Roman/KC/Bello/ (tried to pay Tristan), They took a player made him less motivated/ more distracted. If anyone is wondering I’ve yet to see one of these deals work out for Red Sox. They raise AAV for the team paying luxury tax, It makes trading them a lot riskier/ devalue than Arb deals.
 

Roman deal is really weird right now, I have a hard time believing he is better served being away from team…. Unless they are trying to motivate him. 

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Nothing unreasonable here.  In fact, I'd go slow as well.  But still see no reason not to trade a non-premium prospect for someone like Adell.

He's a below average hitter and fielder and doesn't have the crazy pull % that would pop at Fenway. This is just making a move to make a move. Is he playing DH or LF? 

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

Roman deal is really weird right now, I have a hard time believing he is better served being away from team…. Unless they are trying to motivate him. 

1. Keeps him away from the North End.

2. Keeps him out of the already overcrowded trainer's room at Fenway.

3. Takes some pressure off of him.

[Old Red]

15 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

This 11-2 stretch includes 10 games against teams > .500.

The Yankees have been floundering for many games, and the White Sox are still the White Sox despite being over 500 in a watered down league. Somebody has to win the games, which maybe is what the Red Sox are doing now.🤔

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

1. Keeps him away from the North End.

2. Keeps him out of the already overcrowded trainer's room at Fenway.

3. Takes some pressure off of him.

1A. Separate him from Mayer.

[UtahSox]

IDK why I think this but hear me out: 2 1/2 out of WC. Knowing if we get in, we have Crochet, Suarez, Gray, with Tolle, Bennett and Sandoval helping that’s such a great postseason rotation. We have Durbin mashing now at 3b, WC40 crushing it at 1b, get Roman back playing baseball, and add a 2b/SS (Bichette) for nothing. This team could do some damage. “Chip and chair”

[Maxbialystock]

16 hours ago, Old Red said:

But still another bat was needed before the season started, and before everything has played out. Brez thought that bat was Bregman’s.

This is getting old, very old.  Are you unaware that so far Durbin has been better than Bregman this season?   Better hitting and better fielding.  Right now I'd have to say that letting Devers go and not re-signing Bregman for 5 x $35M were both good moves.  

Do I need to remind you that Breslow is stuck with two high-priced but lousy hitters thru next season thanks to Chaim Bloom and JH? 

Also Breslow did sign a good hitter by the name of Contreras, who has also been pretty handy at 1b.  

Duran is not having a good season, which underscores why Breslow couldn't get another team to take him.  That said, Duran is handy in LF despite his lousy OPS, because Anthony has the worst finger in the history of MLB.  If you will recall, Anthony was huge last year in July and August. After he was injured on 3 Sep, the Sox struggled to score runs.  Duran so far has the 4th most total bases on the Sox, the 2d most rbi's, the 2d most dingers, the most SB's, and 5 assists with 0 errors.  

Don't get me wrong because I completely agree good bats are important, especially when the Fens is your home park.  

My point is that I don't think Brewlow is the bad guy in all this.  Chaim Bloom signed Yoshida and Story, who together have stunk this season and in earlier seasons although Story was good last season.  

Meanwhile, right now watching the Sox play defense and back up excellent pitching is kind of fun to watch.  

What makes that even more fun is that right now the Sox are 2.5 games out of the Wild Card.  The Amnerican League has entered the Twilight Zone with lots of weird stuff happening.  

Consider the following.  In the AL the hands down best team are the Rays whose payroll is ranked 24th (high for them).  Lowest payroll is Cleveland's $80M, and they are 48-46.  28th White Sox are 47--45.  4th highest payroll, the Jays, are 44-49.    7th highest Astros are 46-49.  10th highest Detroit, 43-50.  However, the prize winner is the NL's Mets, who are 40-54 with the highest payroll in MLB.  

[UtahSox]

28 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He's a below average hitter and fielder and doesn't have the crazy pull % that would pop at Fenway. This is just making a move to make a move. Is he playing DH or LF? 

Adell probably wouldn’t cost much to get him hit 36 HR’s last year… absolutely RAKES LHP .919 OPS or something close. Plus at worst he could be a platoon with Duran in LF. Then if you move on from Duran you could have a solid 4th OF next year.  

[mvp 78]

43 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

IDK why I think this but hear me out: 2 1/2 out of WC. Knowing if we get in, we have Crochet, Suarez, Gray, with Tolle, Bennett and Sandoval helping that’s such a great postseason rotation. We have Durbin mashing now at 3b, WC40 crushing it at 1b, get Roman back playing baseball, and add a 2b/SS (Bichette) for nothing. This team could do some damage. “Chip and chair”

Will they have all those arms? Crochet is out. Ranger is out right now. Early is out. Tolle should be on an innings limit. Who is to say what happens with everyone else. Future is murky here.

Roman isn't even swinging a bat! 

Add Bichette? Why? He stinks! 

[mvp 78]

41 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Do I need to remind you that Breslow is stuck with two high-priced but lousy hitters thru next season thanks to Chaim Bloom and JH? 

 

A competent CBO can move bad contracts. Unfortunately, the Sox don't have one of those. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

1. Keeps him away from the North End.

2. Keeps him out of the already overcrowded trainer's room at Fenway.

3. Takes some pressure off of him.

There's no groupies in Florida? He's from Florida -- aren't they afraid his homies will want to hang with their best millionaire bud?

Maybe his family keeps him focused (mom never tweaked an oblique swinging her rolling pin).

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

1. Keeps him away from the North End.

2. Keeps him out of the already overcrowded trainer's room at Fenway.

3. Takes some pressure off of him.

Hey maybe he’s sleeping in his old room at mom’s house in Florida.  The one with the Christian Yelich Fathead on the wall…

[notin]

4 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

There's no groupies in Florida? He's from Florida -- aren't they afraid his homies will want to hang with their best millionaire bud?

Maybe his family keeps him focused (mom never tweaked an oblique swinging her rolling pin).

At least one of his homies is still playing this year…

[Hugh2]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

They are still well under .500 on 7/10. Their best pitcher has no timetable to come back. Roman Anthony is in Fort Myers and probably needs surgery. Ranger just went on the IL. They might be on a good run, but it just seems like there is enough weirdness this year that it most likely won't all come together for them.

Whether they stay the course, buy or sell, just don't make any stupid moves. That's all I ask. 

I can get on board with that.  

If I can come over to the "dark side" and join you for a moment: 

My concern is, they're going to play well enough to be in it but still clearly not a top contender.  They might be hovering right around .500 at the deadline with all the questions you have.  Then theyr'e stuck in that position of do we sell or do we buy, and they just HUG the line like they've done in years past. 

Losing sucks, but it almost made things easier before they went on this recent run.  At least you knew what they should do.  It's kind of hard to justify selling a whole team off who is playing their asses off right now.  

I certainly don't envy Breslow, and at least we have a few more weeks to figure it out. 

[Hugh2]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

The Yankees have been floundering for many games, and the White Sox are still the White Sox despite being over 500 in a watered down league. Somebody has to win the games, which maybe is what the Red Sox are doing now.🤔

Well conversely someone has to lose games, which is what the Red Sox WERE doing then.  But here and now.....here and now they're winning games. 

[notin]

8 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Well conversely someone has to lose games, which is what the Red Sox WERE doing then.  But here and now.....here and now they're winning games. 

 

9 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I can get on board with that.  

If I can come over to the "dark side" and join you for a moment: 

My concern is, they're going to play well enough to be in it but still clearly not a top contender.  They might be hovering right around .500 at the deadline with all the questions you have.  Then theyr'e stuck in that position of do we sell or do we buy, and they just HUG the line like they've done in years past. 

Losing sucks, but it almost made things easier before they went on this recent run.  At least you knew what they should do.  It's kind of hard to justify selling a whole team off who is playing their asses off right now.  

I certainly don't envy Breslow, and at least we have a few more weeks to figure it out. 

I’m fully in Camp Sell.  I will enjoy this resurgence as long as it lasts, but I just think this team is too dependent on rookie pitchers and going for it and forcing them to overload could easily put next season at risk.

Sell Gray, Chapman Coulombe and Duran.

If there is time, add in Guerrero.

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Well conversely someone has to lose games, which is what the Red Sox WERE doing then.  But here and now.....here and now they're winning games. 

We agree. It’s not who’s playing the best, but which team is playing the worst, and someone has to win. You got it.

[Bellhorn04]

8 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Well conversely someone has to lose games, which is what the Red Sox WERE doing then.  But here and now.....here and now they're winning games. 

I think any sweep of 3 or more games is a job well done, in a game with this much randomness.

[moonslav59]

So Judge being hurt counts but 5 of our top 10 pitchers and Anthony out is immaterial.

[mvp 78]

14 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Then theyr'e stuck in that position of do we sell or do we buy, and they just HUG the line like they've done in years past. 

 

That middle fork in the road where they just buy a middle reliever or whatever is not helping anyone. It's not showing faith in the team to win and not showing the conviction to sell. That's Breslow cowering to save his job. 

[mvp 78]

15 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Well conversely someone has to lose games, which is what the Red Sox WERE doing then.  But here and now.....here and now they're winning games. 

A few teams will get hot. One of them could be the Sox. None of us really know. This year has been very odd to say the least.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, UtahSox said:

I’ve yet to see one of these deals work out for Red Sox.

Ceddanne is arguably the best CF in the AL right now.

Whitlock is probably a top-10 RP.

[UtahSox]

35 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Will they have all those arms? Crochet is out. Ranger is out right now. Early is out. Tolle should be on an innings limit. Who is to say what happens with everyone else. Future is murky here.

Roman isn't even swinging a bat! 

Add Bichette? Why? He stinks! 

OPS 857 since start of June…. 350 obp% 

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

So Judge being hurt counts but 5 of our top 10 pitchers and Anthony out is immaterial.

Roman Anthony is not Aaron Judge. Aaron Judge has carried the NYY franchise since he's been on that team. The last time they missed the playoffs was when Judge missed almost all of June and July in 2023. That lineup isn't the same when he's on the bench. 

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

He's a below average hitter and fielder and doesn't have the crazy pull % that would pop at Fenway. This is just making a move to make a move. Is he playing DH or LF? 

Primarily DH, but his work in LF is passable.  He had a 114 OPS+ last year, with 37 HRs, and mashes lefties.  It's a very good fit at what should be a reasonable price.

[mvp 78]

Just now, UtahSox said:

OPS 857 since start of June…. 

Ok. I also don't think his swing is a good fit for Fenway. He doesn't have that pull AIR swing that Durbin is now utilizing so effectively. 

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Primarily DH, but his work in LF is passable.  He had a 114 OPS+ last year, with 37 HRs, and mashes lefties.  It's a very good fit at what should be a reasonable price.

'25 -14 DRS, -12 OAA

'26 -3 DRS, -4 OAA

He is a bad fielder, unless you're entertained by balls bouncing off his head and into the stands. 

[Old Red]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

So Judge being hurt counts but 5 of our top 10 pitchers and Anthony out is immaterial.

Correct. Have the Red Sox really missed Crochet? Judge being out hurts the Yankees a lot more than all the pitchers being out for the Red Sox, and I’m not even going to put little pinky Anthony into the equation, because he was pretty much a NO SHOW, except for drawing walks before he went off into limbo.