A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[mvp 78]

18 minutes ago, notin said:

Thats only one part of a bench player’s job, and IKF can do that.

Yoshida is a better option than Eaton’s for giving outfielders a day off and a better long term replace than Eaton should someone get hurt…

Not sure I want Masa in the field for a long period of time. He has bad range, bad speed and a horrible arm. Eaton is closer to average across the board with elite sprint speed. 

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Not sure I want Masa in the field for a long period of time. He has bad range, bad speed and a horrible arm. Eaton is closer to average across the board with elite sprint speed. 

Masa would DH and push Duran to the field.  This isn’t rocket surgery.

Also Eaton’s arm is well above average.  Top five among all outfielders in MLB easily…

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

Masa would DH and push Duran to the field.  This isn’t rocket surgery.

Also Eaton’s arm is well above average.  Top five among all outfielders in MLB easily…

If you're looking for a DH, you cross your fingers and hope Casas gets healthy. That's a much better option than weak hitting Masa. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

11 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If you're looking for a DH, you cross your fingers and hope Casas gets healthy. That's a much better option than weak hitting Masa. 

How can you-- Yoshi just hit a golf ball over the dwarf red maples in his own backyard!

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

How can you-- Yoshi just hit a golf ball over the dwarf red maples in his own backyard!

He should stay there if he likes it so much. 😇

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

If you're looking for a DH, you cross your fingers and hope Casas gets healthy. That's a much better option than weak hitting Masa. 

Cross fingers?  Never a good strategy.

Right now, Yoshida is depth, and that’s a good thing to have.  By the time Casas is ready to activate, someone else will probably already be injured.

 

[moonslav59]

29 minutes ago, notin said:

Cross fingers?  Never a good strategy.

Right now, Yoshida is depth, and that’s a good thing to have.  By the time Casas is ready to activate, someone else will probably already be injured.

 

So, crossing your fingers on Casas returning?

[notin]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

So, crossing your fingers on Casas returning?

No rush there since we don’t need him yet and actually have kind of a starting crunch.

At some point he will be back, and likely after a few injuries have cleared a path to playing time…

[UtahSox]

Masa doesn’t have a role on this team. It’s becoming more and more glaring everyday. I saw a trade on BTV that sent M Yoshida + Narvaez to Angels for O’Hoppe… at first, I was like that’s crazy, but as I’ve thought about it. I like O’Hoppe swing in Fenway. And he’s younger than Carlos. I disagree that Angels would take the deal straight up, I think it would take a lot of cash 10-15, as I think BTV over values Carlos a little, and under values Logan.

we know that LA market loves Japanese players. And angels need LH outfielders…… I’d be down.
 

Another problem is they already have a DH and Yoshida in the OF is terrible. Put him in left, Teodosio has amazing range in CF, and Adell in RF? 

There is no hitter. I’m rooting for more in the WBC than Yoshida. Hopefully some team just thinks we screwed him up, and takes a flyer on him?

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, UtahSox said:

Masa doesn’t have a role on this team. It’s becoming more and more glaring everyday. I saw a trade on BTV that sent M Yoshida + Narvaez to Angels for O’Hoppe… at first, I was like that’s crazy, but as I’ve thought about it. I like O’Hoppe swing in Fenway. And he’s younger than Carlos. I disagree that Angels would take the deal straight up, I think it would take a lot of cash 10-15, as I think BTV over values Carlos a little, and under values Logan.

we know that LA market loves Japanese players. And angels need LH outfielders…… I’d be down.
 

Another problem is they already have a DH and Yoshida in the OF is terrible. Put him in left, Teodosio has amazing range in CF, and Adell in RF? 

There is no hitter. I’m rooting for more in the WBC than Yoshida. Hopefully some team just thinks we screwed him up, and takes a flyer on him?

Im with Notin, we moved out from password.  A couple injuries and we could find ourselves wishing we had a Yoshida.  Im not sure how it will all shake out.  Who will get hurt, how many players will get hurt , if other depth options will prove that they are ready....I have seen some good springs out of position players, enough to be encouraged.  Even guys like KC are having good at-bats.  

But still we dont know what the twists and turns of the season will be and I dont need the roster to be clear with defined roles on March 3rd.  Because there will be twists / turns , guys will get hurt, guys will get moved around, guys will fade, guys will come from nowhere.  

Im not in a rush to shed options and depth just because the roster will look more clean with everybody having a set role.  To me, theres very little value in that because even if after we trade Yoshida and its like okay, now the roster looks clean/neat Duran is a DH everyone has a set role....Then injuries , slumps, and breakouts will punch your perfect / neat roster in the mouth.

I say, stay versatile.  Positions are suggestions.

[UtahSox]

4 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

Masa doesn’t have a role on this team. It’s becoming more and more glaring everyday. I saw a trade on BTV that sent M Yoshida + Narvaez to Angels for O’Hoppe… at first, I was like that’s crazy, but as I’ve thought about it. I like O’Hoppe swing in Fenway. And he’s younger than Carlos. I disagree that Angels would take the deal straight up, I think it would take a lot of cash 10-15, as I think BTV over values Carlos a little, and under values Logan.

we know that LA market loves Japanese players. And angels need LH outfielders…… I’d be down.
 

Another problem is they already have a DH and Yoshida in the OF is terrible. Put him in left, Teodosio has amazing range in CF, and Adell in RF? 

There is no hitter. I’m rooting for more in the WBC than Yoshida. Hopefully some team just thinks we screwed him up, and takes a flyer on him?

Also caveat this with assuming JH and beta Breslow go out and add to this roster with opened up payroll savings. 

[UtahSox]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

Im with Notin, we moved out from password.  A couple injuries and we could find ourselves wishing we had a Yoshida.  Im not sure how it will all shake out.  Who will get hurt, how many players will get hurt , if other depth options will prove that they are ready....I have seen some good springs out of position players, enough to be encouraged.  Even guys like KC are having good at-bats.  

But still we dont know what the twists and turns of the season will be and I dont need the roster to be clear with defined roles on March 3rd.  Because there will be twists / turns , guys will get hurt, guys will get moved around, guys will fade, guys will come from nowhere.  

Im not in a rush to shed options and depth just because the roster will look more clean with everybody having a set role.  To me, theres very little value in that because even if after we trade Yoshida and its like okay, now the roster looks clean/neat Duran is a DH everyone has a set role....Then injuries , slumps, and breakouts will punch your perfect / neat roster in the mouth.

I say, stay versatile.  Positions are suggestions.

That’s where Masa pigeon holds himself more than anybody else, he’s only a DH so you can replace him with Durbin (similar bat to ball metrics), Casas, Monasterio, Romy (if he comes back) Campbell, or JD. 

[drewski6]

9 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

That’s where Masa pigeon holds himself more than anybody else, he’s only a DH so you can replace him with Durbin (similar bat to ball metrics), Casas, Monasterio, Romy (if he comes back) Campbell, or JD. 

Fair but its not a problem right now.  Lets make sure we get everyone back healthy from WBC before we cut into our depth (my opinion).  I everyone comes back healthy and we need to open a spot on the 26 man or 40 man for a player who we need more and Masa is in the way of that, okay, then move him out.

Right now, we have nowhere to put Masa isnt a problem to me.

[notin]

36 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

Masa doesn’t have a role on this team. It’s becoming more and more glaring everyday. I saw a trade on BTV that sent M Yoshida + Narvaez to Angels for O’Hoppe… at first, I was like that’s crazy, but as I’ve thought about it. I like O’Hoppe swing in Fenway. And he’s younger than Carlos. I disagree that Angels would take the deal straight up, I think it would take a lot of cash 10-15, as I think BTV over values Carlos a little, and under values Logan.

we know that LA market loves Japanese players. And angels need LH outfielders…… I’d be down.
 

Another problem is they already have a DH and Yoshida in the OF is terrible. Put him in left, Teodosio has amazing range in CF, and Adell in RF? 

There is no hitter. I’m rooting for more in the WBC than Yoshida. Hopefully some team just thinks we screwed him up, and takes a flyer on him?

As it stands, Yoshida would be the bench OF.  The Sox four man bench beyond him is likely IKF, Monasterio (eventually Romy), and Wong..,

[notin]

18 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Fair but its not a problem right now.  Lets make sure we get everyone back healthy from WBC before we cut into our depth (my opinion).  I everyone comes back healthy and we need to open a spot on the 26 man or 40 man for a player who we need more and Masa is in the way of that, okay, then move him out.

Right now, we have nowhere to put Masa isnt a problem to me.

Agree.  Not sure what the problem is.   If they trade or DFA Yoshida, what’s the benefit?  More playing time for Nate Eaton?

[drewski6]

10 minutes ago, notin said:

Agree.  Not sure what the problem is.   If they trade or DFA Yoshida, what’s the benefit?  More playing time for Nate Eaton?

That would be the direct benefit, yes.  And I wouldnt sneeze at that, either.  But lets get everybody back healthy from WBC before we worry about how we get Nate Eaton on this roster.  Lets also make sure Nate Eaton doesnt go ice cold between now and then.  Also, Im not sure the nuances of the rules if Yoshida declines a AAA demotion, for example....are we still on the hook for the money? Are we sure he would decline?

Also, its possible that an infielder gets dinged up or that Eaton makes it over Monasterio.

[drewski6]

Sending Nate Eaton down can be undone (assuming he has options) shipping out masa cant be undone.  

[notin]

5 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

That would be the direct benefit, yes.  And I wouldnt sneeze at that, either.  But lets get everybody back healthy from WBC before we worry about how we get Nate Eaton on this roster.  Lets also make sure Nate Eaton doesnt go ice cold between now and then.  Also, Im not sure the nuances of the rules if Yoshida declines a AAA demotion, for example....are we still on the hook for the money? Are we sure he would decline?

Also, its possible that an infielder gets dinged up or that Eaton makes it over Monasterio.

If Yoshida declines a demotion, he cannot be demoted.  Money only enters the picture if they DFA/release him.  Then, yes, since he will go unclaimed, Boston will be on the hook for 100% of his salary until he signs elsewhere.  At that point, the signing team pays the league minimum and Boston pays the balance…

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

No rush there since we don’t need him yet and actually have kind of a starting crunch.

At some point he will be back, and likely after a few injuries have cleared a path to playing time…

Agreed. With 4 OF'ers, all seeking FT play, the DH slot looks filled.

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Cross fingers?  Never a good strategy.

Right now, Yoshida is depth, and that’s a good thing to have.  By the time Casas is ready to activate, someone else will probably already be injured.

 

"Someone else will probably already be injured." Now that's some good team building. 

[drewski6]

46 minutes ago, notin said:

If Yoshida declines a demotion, he cannot be demoted.  Money only enters the picture if they DFA/release him.  Then, yes, since he will go unclaimed, Boston will be on the hook for 100% of his salary until he signs elsewhere.  At that point, the signing team pays the league minimum and Boston pays the balance…

Well, he could prob get more than minimum, right? Even if its 1 yr/ 4m , its possible that if he declines AAA, sox outright waive him, he could sign 4m....Then the other team pays 4m+min and sox pay 18m - minimum?

I dont really care on getting the financials right (in this post) other than to illustrate my belief that he has negative incentive to take the AAA so thats prob out.  Sounds like he has nothing to gain from that but could get a couple mil extra if he hits open market so I dont see him accepting it. 

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Agree.  Not sure what the problem is.   If they trade or DFA Yoshida, what’s the benefit?  More playing time for Nate Eaton?

No chance I'd cut him.  All it takes is one injury to any of our 4 outfielders to make Masa a decent DH.  Eaton has 2 career HRs and a .610 OPS.

[moonslav59]

I think someone might pay him $4-6M x 2 years. Maybe, if someone gets hurt, this spring, Brez will get a call.

I would not cut Masa, until we know the status of Casas, Contreras, and our 4 OF'ers.

We could ask if he'd take a 2-4 week stint in the minors, but if he says no, we might decide to just pull the plug.

[mvp 78]

If Masa is DFA'd, he'll either go back to Japan or grab a one year MLB minimum deal to play at his preferred location. No way is he signing a multi-year deal right after being DFA'd.

[drewski6]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If Masa is DFA'd, he'll either go back to Japan or grab a one year MLB minimum deal to play at his preferred location. No way is he signing a multi-year deal right after being DFA'd.

Could he sign a 1 yr / 4m deal. Is there a rule that if you are outright waived , you can only sign a min contract?

If we outright waive him, a team that has a decent pitching staff and lacking offense might think hes worth 1 yr/3m for them....Like Cincy for exmple.  He could even hit behind Elly in that lineup.

[mvp 78]

@moonslav59

 

[moonslav59]

35 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If Masa is DFA'd, he'll either go back to Japan or grab a one year MLB minimum deal to play at his preferred location. No way is he signing a multi-year deal right after being DFA'd.

I meant someone might take Masa from us, with us paying all but $4-6M a year. (maybe $3M)

[moonslav59]

25 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Could he sign a 1 yr / 4m deal. Is there a rule that if you are outright waived , you can only sign a min contract?

The team claiming him would pay the min salary, and BOS would pay the rest.

[moonslav59]

26 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

If we outright waive him, a team that has a decent pitching staff and lacking offense might think hes worth 1 yr/3m for them....Like Cincy for exmple.  He could even hit behind Elly in that lineup.

I still think maybe a Hicks type of deal, where we add on a decent prospect might get a richer team to take on some of Masa's contract. I doubt anyone pays near half.

Another way might be to trade him for an equal sunken contract, but a guy who plays some where other than DH.

[drewski6]

13 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

The team claiming him would pay the min salary, and BOS would pay the rest.

But what if hes outright released and 2 teams want him and one goes up to 2m....Why are we assuming he'd only get minimum?