A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[moonslav59]

15 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

The question is, does he get the pitch movement back after the surgery? 
if yes, he was a decent pitcher. 
if no, there is always the bullpen. 

It does happen, sometimes that pitchers regain their form after surgery. Sometimes it takes longer than our short term deals cover, and we miss out. Sometimes, they don't ever get back to even close to previous levels. That may happen with Sandoval and Crawford.

Let's see. I'm glad we have Harrison, Tolle & Early in case they don't.

[Larry Cook]

Assuming we resign Bregman, does bres-slow still pursue signing a lefty reliever ???

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Larry Cook said:

Assuming we resign Bregman, does bres-slow still pursue signing a lefty reliever ???

He'll trade Duran for a RP'er and prospect for the $7M savings that keeps us under line 2.

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

Assuming we resign Bregman, does bres-slow still pursue signing a lefty reliever ???

A good question.  I'm thinking he probably should, but there might be room for a combination of Harrison, Drohan, and/or Samaniego.  I'm guessing that, unless he is lights-out in ST, that Harrison definitely starts off in the BP.  Would they need another lefty after him and Chapman? 

[moonslav59]

31 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

A good question.  I'm thinking he probably should, but there might be room for a combination of Harrison, Drohan, and/or Samaniego.  I'm guessing that, unless he is lights-out in ST, that Harrison definitely starts off in the BP.  Would they need another lefty after him and Chapman? 

I'm not sure it's a big worry:

Career splits:

Whitlock: .648 v L/ .668 v R

Slaten: .542 v L/ .606 v R

Weissert .711 v L/ .665 v R, but .606 v L in '25/.673 v R

[notin]

49 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

A good question.  I'm thinking he probably should, but there might be room for a combination of Harrison, Drohan, and/or Samaniego.  I'm guessing that, unless he is lights-out in ST, that Harrison definitely starts off in the BP.  Would they need another lefty after him and Chapman? 

It could just be posturing, but they seem to be talking up Jovani Moran.  Now Moran is seriously talented , but is one of those guys who can never put it all together as well as stay healthy…

[notin]

12 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm not sure it's a big worry:

Career splits:

Whitlock: .648 v L/ .668 v R

Slaten: .542 v L/ .606 v R

Weissert .711 v L/ .665 v R, but .606 v L in '25/.673 v R

Getting lefty reliever is outdated anyway.  Just get a good reliever.  The 3 batter minimum rule obsoleted LOOGYs and killed the lefty vs lefty strategies…

[moonslav59]

20 minutes ago, notin said:

It could just be posturing, but they seem to be talking up Jovani Moran.  Now Moran is seriously talented , but is one of those guys who can never put it all together as well as stay healthy…

He's like Hendriks, and Sandoval is like Paxton.

[Randy Red Sox]

13 hours ago, Hugh2 said:

The thing about Sandoval is the Red Sox signed him.  They signed him two offseasons ago with the knowledge at the time that it was going to be all about the 2026 season.  There might of been some hope that he possibly could contribute in the bullpen at the end of 2025 but for the most part, it was about 2026. 

We don't with any real clarity or precision how teams internally evaluate players.  We don't fully know what the Sox liked about or saw in Sandoval, except that they did.  People love to reference what Patrick has done, but that doesn't illustrate what the Sox think he is. 

Do they think he can take a step forward with them? do they think they can tinker with his arsenal? Do they think he's a #5 or a guy who if they can do what they hope to do with him is a #2? 

Now, things can change, maybe they don't like what theyv'e seen in his rehab, and hearts change over time perhaps they roll into 2026 thinking they have 5 legit better options than him. 

But penciling Sandoval into the 2026 rotation has always made complete absolute sense to me, and I say that as someone who wouldn't be completely shocked if he's not one of their main 5 starting pitchers in 2026 either. 

way to cover your you know what lol

[moonslav59]

Aren't we due getting one of these rehab pitcher right, for once?

[Larry Cook]

32 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Aren't we due getting one of these rehab pitcher right, for once?

I thought giolita was a win until he broke down on us. 

[moonslav59]

18 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

I thought giolita was a win until he broke down on us. 

He does not count. He was healthy when we signed him. He was reversed.

[mvp 78]

14 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

Assuming we resign Bregman, does bres-slow still pursue signing a lefty reliever ???

Wilson signed for 2M last season. Not sure he'd break the bank this year.

[mvp 78]

10 hours ago, notin said:

It could just be posturing, but they seem to be talking up Jovani Moran.  Now Moran is seriously talented , but is one of those guys who can never put it all together as well as stay healthy…

Moran had one good season in '22. Hard to rely on that really. They do have Harrison (for now), Mullins, Sameniego and Drohan to move through the bullpen too. 

Unsigned LHP relievers:

Justin Wilson

Danny Coulombe

Andrew Chafin

Jalen Beeks

Brent Suter

Joey Lucchesi

and a lot of also rans

The best unsigned reliever left may be RHP Seranthony Dominguez. May be out of the Sox price range. 

[moonslav59]

18 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Moran had one good season in '22. Hard to rely on that really. They do have Harrison (for now), Mullins, Sameniego and Drohan to move through the bullpen too. 

I think we will look to Harrison and Crawford to help the pen by taking bulk innings. A lot of that depends on how healthy the other SP'ers are and can stay. Last year, we looked 11-12 deep and even traded away Priester, thinking we had more than enough depth. 

We ended up trading for D May, starting Criswell, de Leon and some "opener" starts, as well. Then, we ended up promoting rookies, Tolle & Early and ran short of starters in the playoffs.

I see Tolle & Early as the guys we most trust to fill in rotation slots. They might not be the first two tried, but if we begin the year with Harrison & Crawford in the pen, they might be used first.

Drohan, Uberstine & Sandlin seem like fringe options, to me, and all may best be used from the pen, but they will start the year in the AAA rotation. The AAA pen looks kinda light compared to 2025, but the winter additions are not complete.

If everyone is healthy, Kelly may begin at AAA, as Moran & Watson are out of options or Rule 5. Then, we have Mullins, Samaniento & Song. I'm not sure mentioning Harris, Gamboa & Berrios is worth it. Some AA pitchers might jump over them.

[Larry Cook]

So if Crawford and Sandoval start the year on the DL, who is our 5th starter? (Assuming crochet, gray, bello and Oviedo are the first 4) 

[JoeBrady]

24 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

So if Crawford and Sandoval start the year on the DL, who is our 5th starter? (Assuming crochet, gray, bello and Oviedo are the first 4) 

Duran.  Unless we trade him for a #2 SP.

[moonslav59]

57 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

So if Crawford and Sandoval start the year on the DL, who is our 5th starter? (Assuming crochet, gray, bello and Oviedo are the first 4) 

Harrison.

[mvp 78]

17 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

So if Crawford and Sandoval start the year on the DL, who is our 5th starter? (Assuming crochet, gray, bello and Oviedo are the first 4) 

Early

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Early

How much they need Harrison in the pen might be the deciding factor.

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

How much they need Harrison in the pen might be the deciding factor.

I think Early is just a better pitcher right now and they should go with him.

[Bellhorn04]

3 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Early

Yes, a bit too Early to say. 😉

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Yes, a bit too Early to say. 😉

Well, I was sitting here working on my Crochet, drinking Sweet Brown Coffey while singing a Song and couldn't Delay my decision any longer. Thought you Hicks caught me in a Webb, huh? Wehunt Gray and White Falcon here. Is that a good enough Story for you? Moran...

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

I think Early is just a better pitcher right now and they should go with him.

He very well might be. Going by the short sample from 2025, he looks way better.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He very well might be. Going by the short sample from 2025, he looks way better.

I also just like his pitch mix better. 

[moonslav59]

11 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I also just like his pitch mix better. 

He certainly seems to have a better mix. I'd be fine with him starting in the MLB rotation in April.

I also think we could use Harrison in the pen, and I would not want to mess with Early in the pen.

That being said, I think Brez might have Harrison be the #5.

[mvp 78]

24 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He certainly seems to have a better mix. I'd be fine with him starting in the MLB rotation in April.

I also think we could use Harrison in the pen, and I would not want to mess with Early in the pen.

That being said, I think Brez might have Harrison be the #5.

I'm not so sure. We've heard a lot of noise about the offseason work of Early. We've heard nothing about Harrison. More likely he's traded than in the rotation. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

I'm not so sure. We've heard a lot of noise about the offseason work of Early. We've heard nothing about Harrison. More likely he's traded than in the rotation. 

He may be that LHP in the pen some are calling for.

[moonslav59]

What if we signed nobody and made these two BTV approved trades while keeping Duran:

Mayer to CIN for Lodolo & McLain

Campbell & DHam to HOU for Paredes and Sousa

1. L Anthony LF

2. R Contreras 1B/C

3. L Duran DH

4. R Paredes 3B

5. L Abreu RF

6. R Story SS

7. R McLain 2B

8. L Casas 1B/R Narvaez C

9. R Rafaela CF

SP: Crochet, Lodolo, Gray, Bello, Sandoval/Oviedo

RP: Chapman, Whitlock, Slaten, Sousa, Weissert, Harrison, Crawford, Hicks/Moran

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

What if we signed nobody and made these two BTV approved trades while keeping Duran:

Mayer to CIN for Lodolo & McLain

Campbell & DHam to HOU for Paredes and Sousa

Sounds good, but neither trade is happening.

Reds don't want Mayer as they have De La Cruz, Stewart and McLain. I don't believe the Astros are going to tank their season just yet.