Contreras is a downgrade in talent? Our leader in games played at 1b last year was ABRAHAM TORO.
And on that list, only Schwarber and Alonso are off the board. (And maybe Parelas, but I am not sure who you are referring to so I don’t know). Obviously thr Sox are going to miss out on others, and presumably land one or some other rough equivalent.
Most rumors are clickbait with either no substance or exaggerated interest. So who knows how interested the Sox were in any player, and who they’re really in on. How many Sonny Gray or Johan Oviedo rumors did you hear prior to those deals?