Red Sox Offseason Mega Thread

[FredLynn]

13 hours ago, a700hitter said:

He can’t be serious about the offense.  At least, I hope he is not serious.

He's dead serious..............about not spending money to improve the offense. I am not sure there are free agents available that could fix it anyway. Last year there were and they were too cheap to get enough help. I don't think there will be baseball in April anyway. The owners seem set to dig in their heels about the salary cap and the players have said that will never happen. 

[notin]

1 hour ago, FredLynn said:

He's dead serious..............about not spending money to improve the offense. I am not sure there are free agents available that could fix it anyway. Last year there were and they were too cheap to get enough help. I don't think there will be baseball in April anyway. The owners seem set to dig in their heels about the salary cap and the players have said that will never happen. 

Do the owners really want a cap? It seems like if, say, the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees wanted one, they could consider not spending so much.  A self-imposed cap.

And a cap would naturally come with a floor, much to the chagrin of the cheaper owners.  Plus the revenue-sharing from the luxury tax would be adversely affected, cutting into those small market payouts.   How else are the Marlins’ owners getting money?  From those 600 tickets they sell each game?
 

What team owners really want a cap and why?

[mvp 78]

18 minutes ago, notin said:

What team owners really want a cap and why?

The why is easy. It makes the expenses more consistent from year to year so it's more of a safer investment to private equity.

[notin]

37 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

The why is easy. It makes the expenses more consistent from year to year so it's more of a safer investment to private equity.

Do individual teams need a league-wide mandate to control their expenses?

[NHNative]

2 hours ago, FredLynn said:

He's dead serious..............about not spending money to improve the offense. I am not sure there are free agents available that could fix it anyway. Last year there were and they were too cheap to get enough help. I don't think there will be baseball in April anyway. The owners seem set to dig in their heels about the salary cap and the players have said that will never happen. 

I sure hope you are wrong!

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Do individual teams need a league-wide mandate to control their expenses?

No, but it helps when they are looking to sell or attracting investors. 

[notin]

17 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

No, but it helps when they are looking to sell or attracting investors. 

 

But again, managing expenses doesn’t require a league-wide mandate.  If the Mets are worried about their ability to attract investors, restricting the Yankees ability to spend is immaterial…

[notin]

21 hours ago, FredLynn said:

He's dead serious..............about not spending money to improve the offense. I am not sure there are free agents available that could fix it anyway. 

So you’re angry Breslow won’t spend even when there is nothing worth buying?

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, notin said:

So you’re angry Breslow won’t spend even when there is nothing worth buying?

There are some guys worth buying, there's just not very many. 

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, notin said:

 

But again, managing expenses doesn’t require a league-wide mandate.  If the Mets are worried about their ability to attract investors, restricting the Yankees ability to spend is immaterial…

No, it doesn't "require it." I'm opposed to a cap for numerous reasons. 

[southpaw777]

On 11/8/2026 at 10:54 AM, Randy Red Sox said:

Houck should strictly be a reliever IMO. Crawford doesn't excite me at all and I just can't figure out Bello. He should be better.

Agree on all counts. Bello is a good change of scenery guy. Also frees up 9.5m AAV.

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

There are some guys worth buying, there's just not very many. 

And while several of them will likely be more expensive than they would in years with a good array of choices ( I’m looking at you, Adrian Morejon), it’s not like Breslow said payroll will be the same or less than last year.

If it means they’re going to avoid overpaying for Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki, I’m not sure why this is so controversial…

[notin]

39 minutes ago, southpaw777 said:

Agree on all counts. Bello is a good change of scenery guy. Also frees up 9.5m AAV.

I like Houck in the bullpen and always have, although he did surprise me with being as good as he was as a starter.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they made him or Bello fifth starter in 2027.  I think I’d be more surprised if both were immediately pushed into the bullpen.  The Sox really do not have much for starting depth right now with Crochet, Suarez, Tolle, Bennett and Paez as the only others on the 40 man, although the roles of Crawford (non-tender?) and Oviedo are TBD.  And some names (Wehunt, Mullins) might be added to keep them from Rule 5.

But SP is probably the deepest talent pool in tjis draft with Skubal, Rogers, Peralta, King, Gray, and Gausman all available…

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

No, it doesn't "require it." I'm opposed to a cap for numerous reasons. 

I actually like the cap/floor model.  It’s probably a big factor in keeping other sports as competitive as they are.   I just think the owners aren’t as much for it as they want to appear to be in negotiations.  I think they give it up if they can get a more advantageous revenue-sharing system or a cap on free agent contract lengths or some other advantage that better suits their needs…

[mvp 78]

26 minutes ago, notin said:

I actually like the cap/floor model.  It’s probably a big factor in keeping other sports as competitive as they are.   I just think the owners aren’t as much for it as they want to appear to be in negotiations.  I think they give it up if they can get a more advantageous revenue-sharing system or a cap on free agent contract lengths or some other advantage that better suits their needs…

A cap and floor hasn't prevented guys like Jerry Jones from taking over the show. 

[mvp 78]

41 minutes ago, notin said:

And while several of them will likely be more expensive than they would in years with a good array of choices ( I’m looking at you, Adrian Morejon), it’s not like Breslow said payroll will be the same or less than last year.

If it means they’re going to avoid overpaying for Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki, I’m not sure why this is so controversial…

I think Suzuki's contract should be worth it. I'm out on giving a big contract to guys that have career years like Arozarena. 

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

A cap and floor hasn't prevented guys like Jerry Jones from taking over the show. 

In what way?  Not by winning anything. 

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

I think Suzuki's contract should be worth it. I'm out on giving a big contract to guys that have career years like Arozarena. 

Suzuki is one of the more interesting options.  I’m not so much thinking an outfielder is a big need, but he’s on the short list of targets.

He is 32 and likely requires signing until at least 36, most likely longer.  Good outfielder, which is important since he reportedly wasn’t thrilled when the Cubs relegated him to a DH role to accommodate Kyle Tucker.

I would be excited to add him, but I don’t think of him as some sort of necessary difference-maker…

 

[mvp 78]

23 minutes ago, notin said:

Suzuki is one of the more interesting options.  I’m not so much thinking an outfielder is a big need, but he’s on the short list of targets.

He is 32 and likely requires signing until at least 36, most likely longer.  Good outfielder, which is important since he reportedly wasn’t thrilled when the Cubs relegated him to a DH role to accommodate Kyle Tucker.

I would be excited to add him, but I don’t think of him as some sort of necessary difference-maker…

 

 

[Behindenemylines]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

I think Suzuki's contract should be worth it. I'm out on giving a big contract to guys that have career years like Arozarena. 

Both Suzuki and Arozarena are 32, so it comes down to the length of the contract for these two. I wouldn't go past 4 years.

[mvp 78]

From Jen McCaffrey today: 

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow now has a new title: president of baseball operations.

Breslow acknowledged the change on Wednesday, noting his role will remain the same.

 

Breslow said the organization will conduct an internal review of its entire medical system to make sure the Red Sox have a “best-in-class” process in place.

“What does the best medical department and process look like?” Breslow said. “...it’s having expert practitioners... It’s about making sure that we’re getting the diagnosis right when players are injured, that the communication is really tight between the medical staff and players... coaches... the front office... the media so that there is consistency.

“It’s so hard to kind of predict what a recovery timeline should look like because injuries are so complicated...” he said. “In most cases, the diagnosis didn’t actually change over time. I just think mapping out what the recovery looks like, what the kind of benchmarks are throughout the process... And figuring out the right way to communicate all of this is something we’ll work on.”

 

It's a lot of world salad about the medical staff and I cut out way more. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I favor signing Sato and keeping the draft picks instead of Suzuki or Arozarena.

Nowadays, with Breslow drafting D1 pitchers for future trade bait, it's worth it to pay a little extra for a Sato and retain your 2nd and 5th round picks.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

If Brez is the new president, than Sam is the newest lame duck.

(if he limps like a duck...)

[Larry Cook]

Braves sign Phillips for 3 years and 35 million. They must think can stay healthy and his stuff stays nasty!!!!

[Randy Red Sox]

On 11/11/2026 at 10:40 AM, notin said:

Do the owners really want a cap? It seems like if, say, the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees wanted one, they could consider not spending so much.  A self-imposed cap.

And a cap would naturally come with a floor, much to the chagrin of the cheaper owners.  Plus the revenue-sharing from the luxury tax would be adversely affected, cutting into those small market payouts.   How else are the Marlins’ owners getting money?  From those 600 tickets they sell each game?
 

What team owners really want a cap and why?

John Henry is at the top of the list for a cap.

[Randy Red Sox]

10 hours ago, southpaw777 said:

Agree on all counts. Bello is a good change of scenery guy. Also frees up 9.5m AAV.

yeah cause we know JH will let Brez spend that 9.5

[Randy Red Sox]

On 11/7/2026 at 11:21 AM, notin said:

The pitcher is Kaima Taira, who is apparently a top closer in Japan.  Pitches for Seibu, which is Daisuke Matsuzaka’s former team.  Maybe he makes sense.

Arozarena and Suzuki not so much…

is that the 5.7 guy??  Not sure Chapman can do it again next year but do we really need a closer?  I'd spend the $$ elsewhere-the few JH will allow