A Realistic View at the 2027 Red Sox Part I

[mvp 78]

On 10/9/2026 at 4:46 PM, JoeBrady said:

Which is why he will be our 2B.  I mean, if we sign Sato to be our DH/backup 1B/2B/3B/LF, I won't hate it.  But I am not sure it will be the upgrade people think it will be.

He won't be the 2b because he's an awful 2b and they value defense. 

[mvp 78]

14 hours ago, notin said:

I’d bring Gray back on his mutual option, but I’d be hesitant on a multiyear deal for a 37yo pitcher coming off a career low fastball velocity…

Gray can opt out, take the 10M from the Sox and get 21 AAV from somebody else to come out ahead. 

[notin]

3 hours ago, UtahSox said:

I saw a trade on BTV that has really sat with me for last day:

Big pieces: Arias and Abreu for Elly De La Cruz. You could then sign a Taylor Ward to play left and move Roman back to right. 

Or Arias and Anthony for Elly De La Cruz. Ward in LF  

Seeing Elly De La Cruz mentioned a lot out here.  Not sure why anyone thinks the first year arb SS will be available…

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

Seeing Elly De La Cruz mentioned a lot out here.  Not sure why anyone thinks the first year arb SS will be available…

Because the Sox and Reds were in active trade talks at the deadline. 

[notin]

11 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Gray can opt out, take the 10M from the Sox and get 21 AAV from somebody else to come out ahead. 

True.  
 

I don’t care what the Sox pay him, I just prefer that if they re-sign him, the deal is not for very long.  One year? Fine.  Two years? Acceptable.  Three? Prefer they don’t…

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, notin said:

True.  
 

I don’t care what the Sox pay him, I just prefer that if they re-sign him, the deal is not for very long.  One year? Fine.  Two years? Acceptable.  Three? Prefer they don’t…

2/50 is my guess

[NHNative]

What was done once can be again. Just need to figure out what happened at the end of the season. What was the real reason for it?

[Old Red]

20 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Because the Sox and Reds were in active trade talks at the deadline. 

It seems the Red Sox were just offering Minor League suspects, and the Reds wanted young major league talent, so the Reds rejected the deal, and the Red Sox turned to Baltimore, and got Rust Man.

[Old Red]

22 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

2/50 is my guess

It depends on how much longer Sonny wants to pitch also. If it’s only one year can he get more than the $30M option somewhere even with the $10M buyout?

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

It depends on how much longer Sonny wants to pitch also. If it’s only one year can he get more than the $30M option somewhere even with the $10M buyout?

He'd only have to get more than 20M to exceed the Red Sox. Could he get 1/21 somewhere else? Probably! 

[Old Red]

31 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Because the Sox and Reds were in active trade talks at the deadline. 

De LA Cruz also already has turned down a long contract extension from the Reds, so they probably figured it best to trade him now even with 3 more years of control left, and to get as much as they can for him. Some team will probably offer more than what the Red Sox apparently did.

[NHNative]

Is there rot in the organization?

https://talksox.com/news-rumors/boston-red-sox/a-clubhouse-of-folly-and-algorithms-what-led-to-red-soxs-early-playoff-exit-r3651/

 

[Old Red]

26 minutes ago, NHNative said:

Is there rot in the organization?

https://talksox.com/news-rumors/boston-red-sox/a-clubhouse-of-folly-and-algorithms-what-led-to-red-soxs-early-playoff-exit-r3651/

 

I heard Chris Cotillo say the other day like some on here have said that the Red Sox would have been better off long term if they hadn’t have gone on that 32-5 run to make the postseason , and sold off some pieces. Who knows what would have happened, but I think it changed how the Red Sox did things instead like going out, and getting Rust Man for some suspects.

[NHNative]

3 minutes ago, Old Red said:

but I think it changed how the Red Sox did things instead like going out, and getting Rust Man for some suspects.

What does this mean?

[moonslav59]

5 hours ago, UtahSox said:

I was new here a year ago but Moon definitely wanted Alonso… but was definitely more nervous than some other people about years 3-5. I think his biggest thing was the Red Sox weren’t going to spend beyond where they did/ nor get a guy aging in his 30’s. (Moon was right) 

Myself and a few others had convinced ourselves that Red Sox were gonna full send back into top 4 in spending based on Breslow comments late October 2025. That we were gonna get Alonso, resign Bregman, and get a Suarez type guy (But via trade). I wanted Alcantara. 

I even preferred Alonso to Bregman.

I'm still glad we didn't bid higher for AB.

[Old Red]

2 minutes ago, NHNative said:

What does this mean?

Instead of selling off players like Gray, and Chapman they went out, and got Rust Man instead. The Red Sox needed a catcher for sure, but without the 32-5 run they would probably still be looking for one. From selling to buying the story I believe changed, and went.

 

 

 

 

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I even preferred Alonso to Bregman.

I'm still glad we didn't bid higher for AB.

I did too, but Bregman would have been a bigger help this year.

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

2/50 is my guess

I’d be ok with that…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

I’d be ok with that…

But can you still get guys out the third time through the order?

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

But can you still get guys out the third time through the order?

No chance notin can get guys out the third time through. 

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Because the Sox and Reds were in active trade talks at the deadline. 

For EDLC?

Were they along the lines of:

Breslow:  What would it take to pry Elly De La Cruz from your team?

Krall:  Your first born.

 

And even if it got further than that, that was back when the Sox still had Eyanson, Witherspoon, Rivas, etc.  Fairly sure at least one of those three would have been necessary…

 

[notin]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

No chance notin can get guys out the third time through. 

I think you underestimate how devastating my 52mph “fast”ball can be, especially when I can throw it over anything except the plate on any given pitch….
 

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

For EDLC?

Were they along the lines of:

Breslow:  What would it take to pry Elly De La Cruz from your team?

Krall:  Your first born.

 

And even if it got further than that, that was back when the Sox still had Eyanson, Witherspoon, Rivas, etc.  Fairly sure at least one of those three would have been necessary…

 

They were working on a trade that didn't include Arias. Once the Sox got Adley, the Sox moved on.

[notin]

30 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I heard Chris Cotillo say the other day like some on here have said that the Red Sox would have been better off long term if they hadn’t have gone on that 32-5 run to make the postseason , and sold off some pieces. Who knows what would have happened, but I think it changed how the Red Sox did things instead like going out, and getting Rust Man for some suspects.

Deep insight.  Right now you can say the same thing about the Yankees, White Sox, Padres, Astros, Cubs, Braves, Phillies, etc.  And eventually three from the Dodgers, Brewers, Guardians and Rays…

[notin]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They were working on a trade that didn't include Arias. Once the Sox got Adley, the Sox moved on.

But who did it include and why did it collapse?

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They were working on a trade that didn't include Arias. Once the Sox got Adley, the Sox moved on.

I didn’t see any report on who the Red Sox offered, or didn’t offer only that it was minor league suspects.

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

But who did it include and why did it collapse?

We do not know. 

[Old Red]

45 minutes ago, notin said:

Deep insight.  Right now you can say the same thing about the Yankees, White Sox, Padres, Astros, Cubs, Braves, Phillies, etc.  And eventually three from the Dodgers, Brewers, Guardians and Rays…

Huh? Not many of those other teams are going to be saying gee it wasn’t worth it to get into the postseason. Outside of the 32-5 run the Red Sox were a losing team that wasn’t that good. 

[Old Red]

10 minutes ago, notin said:

But who did it include and why did it collapse?

That’s an easy one. Suspects instead of MLB players.🙈

[drewski6]

On 10/8/2026 at 10:54 AM, mvp 78 said:

PIT - 4th in OBP

MIA - 6th in OBP

COL 7th in OBP

WSN - 8th in OBP

DET - 10th in OBP

OBPee aint what it use to be.  One of the sox issues is that they needed an average of 3 hits+walks to score a run, among the bottom of the majors.  King of leaving runners on first and third.  

I dont need to chase HR, but I strongly believe in extra base hits. Driving the ball.  When you focus on singles and walks, you leave too many on in this era, cuz of all the strikeouts in modern game and the pitcher dominance.  Right now, due to very recent changes, hitters need to hunt and punish mistakes."

Also triples with one outs and doubles with no outs allow you to small ball a guy home.  And in a 3,4 run /game era, that can be the difference.

OBP was certainly king for a while, but I think we have entered a new era.  Moneyball was forever ago, now.