A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[notin]

8 hours ago, MADSTORK said:

You don’t trade SP especially 25 and younger

Harrison Preister now Early for garbage!

Pitching is what got you back in race now you deplete the Staff with the talk of Crochet not returning this year.

one step forward two back

fools gold

 

 

Clearly the stork has forgotten how we got Harrison and Priester in the first place…

[moonslav59]

This recent trade really helped to balance the team, but I do not think Brez is done. The need for a pitcher to eat some innings is greater now than before the trade, and maybe we trade for a big salary, so it offsets the need for giving up a top prospects- someone like Lugo.

I'd still like to see us get a SS, but the 2B need is likely not high on the list, if on the list at all. I don't think this trade makes an Arias trade less likely, but I think we hold onto him, even if we deal for a SS.

Catcher is clearly above 2B now.

A SP'er is almost a given, even if it's someone like the 2025 Dustin May (eeek) trade. (BTW, he's not doing horribly this year.)

I'm not sure about the Neto rumors, of if this trade nullifies our pursuit, but this would be a formidable infield:

1B Contreras (Mead/Romy)

2B Mead (Romy/Seigler) or Durbin (Arias in '27?)

SS Neto (Cheng/Monasterio) Arias in '27?

3B Durbin or Mead

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Clearly the stork has forgotten how we got Harrison and Priester in the first place…

Or how much everybody here was so thrilled to have them. The Stork probably poo-poo'd the Yorke for Priester trade and the Devers for Harrison trade, too.

[moonslav59]

2026 OBP

.389 Contreras

.358 Wong (just 152 PAs)

.352 Mead

.341 Yoshida

.333 Siegler (115)

.326 Abreu

.322 Rafaela

Does this make Mead our lead-off hitter?

I'd say Siegler and Wong are not really options.

1. R Mead 2B/3B/DH/LF????

2. R Rafaela CF

3. L Abreu RF

4. R Contreras 1B

5. L Yoshida DH/LF or L Romy DH/2B

6. R Durbin 3B/2B

7. L Duran LF or L Yoshida/ L Romy

8. S Monasterio/ R Cheng SS

9. R Narvaez or R Wong (I'd put L Duran here.)

 

[mvp 78]

I don’t see them moving Durbin off 3b.

[notin]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I don’t see them moving Durbin off 3b.

Why not?  Is everything ok?  

Did a frozen iguana knock your glasses off?  Get bitten in the ocular nerve by a Burmese Python?  

Tell me it’s not swamp puppy related!!!

[notin]

19 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

2026 OBP

.389 Contreras

.358 Wong (just 152 PAs)

.352 Mead

.341 Yoshida

.333 Siegler (115)

.326 Abreu

.322 Rafaela

Does this make Mead our lead-off hitter?

I'd say Siegler and Wong are not really options.

1. R Mead 2B/3B/DH/LF????

2. R Rafaela CF

3. L Abreu RF

4. R Contreras 1B

5. L Yoshida DH/LF or L Romy DH/2B

6. R Durbin 3B/2B

7. L Duran LF or L Yoshida/ L Romy

8. S Monasterio/ R Cheng SS

9. R Narvaez or R Wong (I'd put L Duran here.)

 

Personally I swap Yoshida and Mead there.  

But Tracy has recently blocked my texts, so my input is once again minimal…

[moonslav59]

26 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I don’t see them moving Durbin off 3b.

I guess Tracy has already said Mead to 2B.

YEAH!!!!

[moonslav59]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

Personally I swap Yoshida and Mead there.  

But Tracy has recently blocked my texts, so my input is once again minimal…

Mead does have more power and Yoshida's OBP is close and has improved over 2026, so I could see it.

I'm not sure about Yoshida batting first v LHPs.

[notin]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Mead does have more power and Yoshida's OBP is close and has improved over 2026, so I could see it.

I'm not sure about Yoshida batting first v LHPs.

Or batting at all vs LHP.  But that’s what Romy is for…

[UtahSox]

Doing math IF Arias is coming, Story, Mayer, Duran are odd men out. 

location trade proposal:

Pirates get>>>Marcelo Mayer, Jarren Duran, Dorian Soto or Azocar : BTV value 58

Red Sox get >>> O’Neill Cruz BTV value 22

sets us up with another big bat whose Savant analytics are off charts. Play him at DH/ LF with Roman. 

 

[notin]

22 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

Doing math IF Arias is coming, Story, Mayer, Duran are odd men out. 

location trade proposal:

Pirates get>>>Marcelo Mayer, Jarren Duran, Dorian Soto or Azocar : BTV value 58

Red Sox get >>> O’Neill Cruz BTV value 22

sets us up with another big bat whose Savant analytics are off charts. Play him at DH/ LF with Roman. 

 

And why does Pitt make that move?

[UtahSox]

Great Q: I think people in Pittsburgh are sort of tired of seeing the talent and it not translating, defensively he’s terrible in CF (effort?). But more than that, it would allow them to take a flyer on a former first round pick, who could play third base for them or second base. Pick up Duran who definitely could use a fresh start and get you a top five prospect. It feels like a move pirates might make. I don’t know. I could be just smoking something.

From a Red Sox perspective, I love what it does to the lineup. Hits the ball hard, strikes out a whole bunch, but similar to Duran puts a ton of pressure on bases + HR threat. Opposing teams don’t want him on base. I’m envisioning this line up
LHP/ RHP- August

1. Cruz- LF/Cruz- LF

2. Mead- 2b/ Mead- 2b 

3. Abreu- RF/ Abreu- RF

4. Contreras- 1b/ Contreras- 1b

5. Romy- DH/ Yoshida- DH

6. Durbin- 3b/ Durbin- 3b

7. Rafaela- CF/ Rafaela- CF

8. Wong or Narvaez- C

9. Monasterio or Cheng or Seigler- SS 

 

 

LHP/ RHP- End of September 

1. Cruz- LF or DH / Cruz- LF or DH

2. Mead- 2b/ Mead- 2b 

3. Abreu- RF/ Abreu- RF

4. Contreras- 1b/ Contreras- 1b

5. Anthony- LF or DH/ Anthony- LF or DH

6. Durbin- 3b/ Durbin- 3b

7. Rafaela- CF/ Rafaela- CF

8. Wong or Narvaez- C

9. Arias- SS 

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Or batting at all vs LHP.  But that’s what Romy is for…

Indeed. I assumed that was implied.

So, if we bat Yoshida first vs RHPs, do you lead Romy off vs lefties or do some line-up juggling?

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

And why does Pitt make that move?

They won't.

They may move Reynolds, but even that might not be too probable. When's the last time they had a playoff shot at the end of July?

They are 2 GB the last WC slot with just one team (STL) between them and AZ.

[JoeBrady]

On 7/24/2026 at 12:29 PM, notin said:

I know he has weak interpersonal skills, but that doesn’t mean every move he makes is guided solely by self-promotion…

Based on his off-season, I think he has the best interpersonal skills in BB.

[JoeBrady]

On 7/24/2026 at 12:30 PM, notin said:

Well that cover the first 110% of rumors…

Hence my point bout paying no attention to the rumors.  Did any of these writers nail the Mead/Early trade?

[JoeBrady]

On 7/24/2026 at 12:38 PM, mvp 78 said:

That's why I don't think they are going to come back with a huge piece that we are all talking about. 

'Huge pieces' are purple unicorns.  No one is sure if they exist.

[JoeBrady]

On 7/24/2026 at 2:26 PM, mvp 78 said:

Crochet was seen as a potential CY candidate. Is he planning on dealing top prospects for an MVP candidates? Haven't seen any listed! 

The original comment was about Breslow being reluctant to deal top prospects.  Since he has already traded away top prospects, then I feel comfortable saying he is NOT reluctant to trade away top prospects.  If the proof is in the pudding, and you actually have the pudding, then you also have the proof.