Should the Boston Red Sox Shift Their Sights from the Lineup to the Rotation?

[Matthew Lenz]

L.A.A.B. - Life After Alex Bregman. That's where the Red Sox are in their offseason after losing out on the superstar third baseman to the Chicago Cubs. While many expect the club to shift its sights to Bo Bichette, Eugenio Suarez, or another impact bat, Rob Bradford of WEEI suggests a different approach.

In a recent tweet, Bradford suggested that the Red Sox "re-engage with higher-end pitching while still looking to acquire a lower-tier bat." Of course, Bichette and Suarez would not fit in the "lower-tier" category, so Bradford is merely suggesting to bolster the pitching staff's ability to prevent runs rather than the offense's ability to produce runs.

After acquiring Sonny Gray earlier this offseason, the Red Sox's rotation is the strength of their team. Even with Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck on the shelf for most of 2025, pitchers three through five of the rotation are among the strongest in all of baseball. Additionally, the bullpen will look to continue to be good after a successful 2025 campaign. That really begs the question...just how big of a pitcher do they need to land for it really to make an impact on the outlook of the club? Would adding a #2 starter that bumps Patrick Sandoval out of the rotation really be better than adding a middle-of-the-order bat? Would adding another high-leverage arm that bumps a low-leverage arm like Jovani Moran off the roster or at least to Triple-A Wincester really be better than Bo Bichette? These are all things that the Red Sox need to weigh as they look to get back into the good graces of a fan base left in despair after Bregman bolted for the Windy City.

Do you think the Red Sox should add pitching or hitting? Let us know in the comments!

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[moonslav59]

To me, we've needed a #2 all long, even after the Gray signing.

The big bat is still #1 in my mind.

[Larry Cook]

Yes! Filling the Grand Canyon size hole at the number 2 spot in the rotation should be our first priority!! 
the sox were willing to go up to 165 million for Bregman, we have budget for gallen or framber!  If bres-slow deems them good enough for the number 2 spot in the rotation! 

in addition: 

Moving Sandoval (provider he is healthy) to the bullpen solves our need yo acquire another lefty reliever!!  Keeping Harrison in the bullpen also eliminates the need for us to keep Jovani on the 40 man! 

[moonslav59]

46 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

Yes! Filling the Grand Canyon size hole at the number 2 spot in the rotation should be our first priority!! 
the sox were willing to go up to 165 million for Bregman, we have budget for gallen or framber!  If bres-slow deems them good enough for the number 2 spot in the rotation! 

in addition: 

Moving Sandoval (provider he is healthy) to the bullpen solves our need yo acquire another lefty reliever!!  Keeping Harrison in the bullpen also eliminates the need for us to keep Jovani on the 40 man! 

Sonny Gray >>> Gallen

Best fWAR seasons since 2023:

5.4 Gray '23

5.2 Gallen '23

4.4 Valdez '23

4.0 Valdez '25

3.8 Gray '24

3.7 Valdez '24

3.6 Gray '25

2.8 Gallen '24

1.1 Gallen '25

I'm not sure why people think the 30.5 year old Gallen is going to age well.

Now, Valdez> Gray, but he's had "issues" with the Astros and he might be the anti-Breg type guy for the clubhouse.

I'd rather have Ranger or trade for a Lodolo type.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Breslow is already singing if you can't be with the bat you love, then love your arms and D.

If you're down and confused, and you can't remember who you're talking to; Concentration slips away, because your Breggie is so far away

... better load up on power arms, since the Sox will need to win lots of 1-0 games.

[TedYazPapiMookie]

I think the rotation is the strength of this team.

Crochet is dominant, Early will be at Crochet's level very soon, Gray is a rock solid #2 or #3, Tolle if he gets an off-speed pitch is an excellent #4 compared to other teams and then the weak spot is the #5 hole but there are plenty of candidates until a guy like Witherspoon is ready.  Sandoval, Oviedo or even an over-rated Bello could take up the last spot and as long as Crochet, Early or Gray don't get hurt, this team will compete against anyone with its pitching.

The defense and hitting is a mess.  You have Cora playing the wrong outfielders in the wrong positions.  You have no 3B.  You have a SS who has been good 1 of 4 seasons.  You demoted and demoralized the 2B of the future.  You picked up a rapidly fading catcher turned 1B to replace an oft injured 1B of the future.  You have NO reliable catchers because Narvaez is coming off a career year that was very average and you have Wong who proved to be a one-year wonder like Narvaez is going to prove to be in 2026.  Add to this Cora's ineptitude in figuring out the outfield which should be Anthony in LF, Duran in CF and Rafaela in RF (the biggest outfield position).  Rafaela is so good and so much faster than Abreu that he will get to SO MANY balls Abreu can't dream about getting to.  Add to that the fact that Abreu hit .216 after April against mostly RH pitchers and very few LH pitchers (his weakness), he should start in the minors or be traded.

Without a 3B, C and giving Campbell another shot at 2B, this team is a weak hitting and fielding team.  Add the extremely fragile characteristics of guys like Story, Mayer, Casas, Contreras and all of Abreu's shortcomings, the pitching will need to be stellar for this team to finish ahead of Tampa Bay.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Teams based around pitching better have tight defense, especially in the infield. 

The Red Sox just lost their best infielder.

Maybe Mayer can play an entire season for the first time in his career. 

Contreras is supposed to be ok at 1B, though last year he had a negative dWAR for the first time -- even after leading the NL in errors at catcher in four different seasons.

[mvp 78]

36 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Teams based around pitching better have tight defense, especially in the infield. 

The Red Sox just lost their best infielder.

Maybe Mayer can play an entire season for the first time in his career. 

Contreras is supposed to be ok at 1B, though last year he had a negative dWAR for the first time -- even after leading the NL in errors at catcher in four different seasons.

Contreras had -1 DRS, 6 OAA and 4 FRV at 1B so not terrible TBH. Even good 1B don't have high dWAR on bREF (Moreland -3.5 career, Mientkiewicz -0.7 career, Keith Hernandez 1.3) as that position is kind of penalized. 

[moonslav59]

42 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Teams based around pitching better have tight defense, especially in the infield. 

The Red Sox just lost their best infielder.

Maybe Mayer can play an entire season for the first time in his career. 

Contreras is supposed to be ok at 1B, though last year he had a negative dWAR for the first time -- even after leading the NL in errors at catcher in four different seasons.

Contreras looked okay at 1B. He's way better than Casas, on D.

2025 DRS at 1B:

-2 Contreras

-9 Red Sox

We got better at 1B and likely WAY WORSE at 3B.

If Mayer/Romy play 2B they should be better than the -9 DRS the Sox had at 2B in 2025 (mostly due to Campbell's awful D.)

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Contreras looked okay at 1B. He's way better than Casas, on D.

2025 DRS at 1B:

-2 Contreras

-9 Red Sox

We got better at 1B and likely WAY WORSE at 3B.

If Mayer/Romy play 2B they should be better than the -9 DRS the Sox had at 2B in 2025 (mostly due to Campbell's awful D.)

I think DRS and OAA tell us more about the defense than dWAR does.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

15 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I think DRS and OAA tell us more about the defense than dWAR does.

Another way to shore up the D: Breslow and Bailey are collecting tall pitchers with big arm extensions for pitch-to-NO-contact.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

I think DRS and OAA tell us more about the defense than dWAR does.

Agreed, and it's also nice to have an emergency Catcher on the 26 man roster, too.

Our D still needs addressing, especially at 3B.

[mvp 78]

47 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed, and it's also nice to have an emergency Catcher on the 26 man roster, too.

Our D still needs addressing, especially at 3B.

If Mayer is the 3b, the defense is fine, but they need to acquire a 2b.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

If Mayer is the 3b, the defense is fine, but they need to acquire a 2b.

Agreed, but if we end up platooning Mayer with Romy, having Mayer at 2B works better.

I don't like this idea:

3B Platoon: Mayer & Eaton

2B Platoon: DHam & Romy

This looks way better:

3B: Paredes (or even Vientos)

2B: Mayer & Romy platoon

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed, but if we end up platooning Mayer with Romy, having Mayer at 2B works better.

I don't like this idea:

3B Platoon: Mayer & Eaton

2B Platoon: DHam & Romy

This looks way better:

3B: Paredes (or even Vientos)

2B: Mayer & Romy platoon

That's an if. 

I think Romy is taking the Refsnyder role, acting as a platoon DH and sometimes playing OF. Mayer is the fulltime 3b. They acquire Donovan via trade for 2b. 

[notin]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

That's an if. 

I think Romy is taking the Refsnyder role, acting as a platoon DH and sometimes playing OF. Mayer is the fulltime 3b. They acquire Donovan via trade for 2b. 

If the Sox are focusing on run prevention, then get a better SS.  Push Story back to 2b.  Mayer is fine at 3b…

[mvp 78]

Just now, notin said:

If the Sox are focusing on run prevention, then get a better SS.  Push Story back to 2b.  Mayer is fine at 3b…

I'd be fine with them just moving Story to 2b and putting Mayer to SS. That would be a huge step in the right direction IMO. 

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

That's an if. 

I think Romy is taking the Refsnyder role, acting as a platoon DH and sometimes playing OF. Mayer is the fulltime 3b. They acquire Donovan via trade for 2b. 

I think Romy as the FT 2Bman is a smaller if than trading for Donovan.

[notin]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

I'd be fine with them just moving Story to 2b and putting Mayer to SS. That would be a huge step in the right direction IMO. 

That’s another option.  
 

Theres not much available for good shortstops on both sides of the ball right now.

 

My prediction right now thr Sox will wind up with Alec Bohm at 3b.  I have mixed emotions there. Most of them are not good…

[mvp 78]

21 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I think Romy as the FT 2Bman is a smaller if than trading for Donovan.

Your if is no more moves. That seems unlikely TBH. 

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

That’s another option.  
 

Theres not much available for good shortstops on both sides of the ball right now.

 

My prediction right now thr Sox will wind up with Alec Bohm at 3b.  I have mixed emotions there. Most of them are not good…

He better be cheap. 

[moonslav59]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Your if is no more moves. That seems unlikely TBH. 

I am just talking 2B.

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

That's an if. 

I think Romy is taking the Refsnyder role, acting as a platoon DH and sometimes playing OF. Mayer is the fulltime 3b. They acquire Donovan via trade for 2b. 

Mayer’s glove will work no matter where he plays, but his bat is the biggest question. I think he needs more work down at Woo on that, but that most likely won’t happen.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

I'd be fine with them just moving Story to 2b and putting Mayer to SS. That would be a huge step in the right direction IMO. 

And just a few small steps away for both.

But the Red Sox don't need another Bohm at 3B.

Duran for Paredes -- All-Star outfielder for All-Star infielder -- solves two issues.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, notin said:

My prediction right now thr Sox will wind up with Alec Bohm at 3b.

If the Phillies sign Bichette, then I assume either Bohm or Stott have to go.  Either one would solve our problems.  Just like Arenado, Suarez, etc., they won't be elegant solutions, but not every problem needs a diamond star halo solution.

[moonslav59]

50 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

If the Phillies sign Bichette, then I assume either Bohm or Stott have to go.  Either one would solve our problems.  Just like Arenado, Suarez, etc., they won't be elegant solutions, but not every problem needs a diamond star halo solution.

I think we're a better team with just a decent addition at 3B (or 2B) but I was hoping for significantly more.

[notin]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

He better be cheap. 

Bleis and Romero?

[notin]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

If the Phillies sign Bichette, then I assume either Bohm or Stott have to go.  Either one would solve our problems.  Just like Arenado, Suarez, etc., they won't be elegant solutions, but not every problem needs a diamond star halo solution.

It won’t be Stott…

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Bleis and Romero?

That doesn't bother me.