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Following a disappointing and short-lived postseason trip, the Boston Red Sox have turned their attention to the offseason. As @Brandon Glick has highlighted here, there are a handful of departing free agents that the team can make another run at, if they choose to, or the players can walk away from the team in free agency and test the waters in hopes of signing a deal somewhere else for next season. In addition to those departing free agents, there are four players with options, both player and mutual, that have to make decisions for their own futures. Let’s take a look at those names and see if we can glean some insight into their futures in Boston.
- Alex Bregman – Player Option
I figured we’d start with the most obvious name on this list. Alex Bregman signed a three-year deal with the Red Sox right before spring training that gives him opt-outs after the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Bregman’s fit on the Red Sox was noticeable from the minute he set foot in camp. He helped lock down the left side of the infield with Trevor Story and added much-needed right-handed thump to the lineup. His quad injury forced him to miss significant time over the summer, though, and he fought to return to form as the season came to a close. Overall, he slashed .273/.360/.462 with a 125 wRC+, but he had a rough second half. There was some speculation, and hope, that his second half would convince him to opt-in for at least one additional year with the Red Sox, but he seems slated to reach free agency. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that Bregman opts out and tests free agency but gives the Red Sox a solid chance to retain his services on a new contract. Regardless of which teams signs him, expect him to prioritize a long-term deal at a slightly lesser AAV (it was $40 million in 2025).
- Trevor Story – Player Option
Trevor Story’s upcoming opt-out had long been viewed as a near-guarantee to not be exercised. I even wrote about how he’s guaranteed to opt-in and why that’s a good thing for the team earlier this season. Now though, I’m less convinced. He was far and away the best offensive player on the team by the end of the campaign, even though he went through one of the worst cold streaks in memory to kick off the season. He slashed .263/.308/.433 on the season, led the team in home runs (25) and stolen bases (31), and provided a mostly steady presence in the lineup on a nightly basis. He proved that he is still able to play high-level defense while contributing offensively. This free agent class is incredibly weak after the elite options, so it may be very tempting for Story to test the waters with an opt-out, but comments he’s made about how he wants to contribute in Boston make me lean towards him opting-in and remaining with the club next season.
Worth noting: The Red Sox can void his opt-out by picking up a $25 million team option for the 2028 season. I wouldn't expect them to commit that kind of money to a 35-year-old Story, but that gives him a mark to beat (i.e., three years and $75 million) on the open market if he does test free agency.
- Lucas Giolito – Mutual Option
Much like Story above, I wrote earlier this season about how both Lucas Giolito and the Red Sox should be interested in picking up the mutual option built into his contract. At that point, the wheels hadn’t totally fallen off for Giolito, and the re-aggravation of his elbow injury hadn’t reared its ugly head yet. Giolito was mostly solid this season, pitching his way to a 3.41 ERA. He was a dependable third starter, especially as the starting rotation began to be decimated by injuries late in the season. What’s troubling, though, is his xERA sat at 5.01. Giolito got lucky a lot this season; his Baseball Savant page is bluer than the sea. The elbow injury that kept him off of the postseason roster gave rookie Connelly Early a chance to prove his worth on the biggest stage he’s ever been on, and he did so admirably. With the emergence of Early and Kyle Harrison, plus the likely return of Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval, expect the Red Sox to decline their part of the mutual option this offseason, returning Giolito to the open market.
- Liam Hendriks – Mutual Option
We can make this one quick and easy. The Red Sox should have no desire to bring back Liam Hendriks next season. He was a shell of himself and has potentially thrown his last innings as a professional baseball player. He's a beloved teammate and renowned comeback story, so there is something going for the veteran reliever. As such, there may be a team, like the Rockies or White Sox, who give him a phone call over the winter, but expect the Red Sox to decline their side of the option.
Technically, Jarren Duran has a team option as well, but his contract is a bit convoluted and it’s more likely than not that the Red Sox are going to exercise that option, so he was left off of this list. Out of the four names listed, above expect the Red Sox to make a strong push for Alex Bregman and Trevor Story, should both of them opt-out in the coming weeks. It’s possible Lucas Giolito will be brought back next season on a one-year, prove-it type of contract after he fell off hard to end the season, but the Red Sox have enough arms waiting in the wings to be okay should he move on somewhere else.
This offseason is a crucial one for the future of this Red Sox era, and it'll begin with decisions for two of the most important offensive players in the organization.
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