A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[moonslav59]

40 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

I think Durbin would fit this team really well IF we get 2 more + power bats for 2027. His defense has been nothing less than incredible. 

I'd like a better bat at 3B, but I think we won't be looking to add a 3Bman.

We do need 2 major bats- 3 good ones would be fine, too.

Assuming we trade Duran and only count Story and Yoshida at best as depth, I see the following positions as the best areas to focus on:

***SS

 

*** Catcher

Then....

DH/OF (if 2B/3B instead, the DH might be Romy/Anthony/Duran, if not traded)

or

2B/3B with Durbin/RomyMayer filling the other.

Getting all 4 would be nice, but we are talking Brez, JH & Co. here. 3 is probably a pipe dream.

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

If you are referring to Bregman, there is a -0- chance that you move a GG 3B to 1B to accommodate Devers glove at 3rd.

I'd never even consider moving Bregman to 2B, let alone 1B.

I was for moving Devers to 1B over 3-4 years ago. Even when Casas looked promising, he sucked at 1B defense, and I suggested Casas to DH and Devers to 1B. Thatw as before we even had a decent replacement at 3B.

[moonslav59]

21 hours ago, notin said:

Do you think the Braves are happy with Murphy and Riley? 

Of course not, and that is the main reason they may take on salary dumps rather than pay part of their deals to trade them away. They might actually start Story, once healthy, and we know their luck with injury-prone ex Sox players is grand!

They may not mind Yoshida at DH, either. Their current PA  leader at DH is Dominic Smith (192) hitting .715. They could use Murphy at DH, but if you think Riley has declined too much to want, Murphy has batted .663 since 2024, so I'm not sure ATL wants him either. Yoshida has hit better than that and costs about the same AAV. (Murphy has 1 more year of control, I believe, so would cost more in total.)

We could send them Wong to offset losing Murphy, if they want him, but they already have Baldwin, Bart and others on their roster.

I'm not sure I want to bet on a Riley turn around and take on that massive contract, though. I think the Sox would say no. Maybe ATL, too.

[Old Red]

34 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Of course not, and that is the main reason they may take on salary dumps rather than pay part of their deals to trade them away. They might actually start Story, once healthy, and we know their luck with injury-prone ex Sox players is grand!

They may not mind Yoshida at DH, either. Their current PA  leader at DH is Dominic Smith (192) hitting .715.

We could send them Wong to offset losing Murphy, if they want him, but they already have Baldwin, Bart and others on their roster.

I'm not sure I want to bet on a Riley turn around and take on that massive contract, though. I think the Sox would say no. Maybe ATL, too.

Murphy! 🙈🤭👎🤮

[moonslav59]

BTV accepts:

Gray (0.5 yrs), Chapman (1.5) & Duran (1.5) for Josh Hader (2.5 yrs) & Paredes (1.5 yrs) & $3M

Gray (0.5 yrs), Chapman (1.5) & Duran (1.5) & $3M for T Shaw (3.5) Swanson (3.5) & P Maton (1.5)