Hugh2

Are they? Everybody talks to everybody in the offseason. The whole "Red Sox checked in with _____" isn't exclusive to Boston. The most people interested the more the price for an asset is so the agents side has every incentive to either increase interest or at the very least increase the perception of that interest. Team ABC checking in and doing their due dilligence can turn into "Team ABC is in" on said player real quick. The Mets and the Phillies don't exactly need a 3B/2B right now. I'm not saying they wouldn't swoop in and buy him if his market collapsed, but I don't think either of those teams plan on being the highest bidder right now. I think Bregman, despite not having a QO attached is in the same exact boat he was in last year. Outlandish prediction.....but I think he ends up back in Boston for 5/125

The thing about Sandoval is the Red Sox signed him. They signed him two offseasons ago with the knowledge at the time that it was going to be all about the 2026 season. There might of been some hope that he possibly could contribute in the bullpen at the end of 2025 but for the most part, it was about 2026. We don't with any real clarity or precision how teams internally evaluate players. We don't fully know what the Sox liked about or saw in Sandoval, except that they did. People love to reference what Patrick has done, but that doesn't illustrate what the Sox think he is. Do they think he can take a step forward with them? do they think they can tinker with his arsenal? Do they think he's a #5 or a guy who if they can do what they hope to do with him is a #2? Now, things can change, maybe they don't like what theyv'e seen in his rehab, and hearts change over time perhaps they roll into 2026 thinking they have 5 legit better options than him. But penciling Sandoval into the 2026 rotation has always made complete absolute sense to me, and I say that as someone who wouldn't be completely shocked if he's not one of their main 5 starting pitchers in 2026 either.

My vote is for Yay

I have a question for the board. All things considered.......would you consider this a good offseason if the Red Sox, in addition to their other moves add one of: Ketel Marte Bo Bichette Alex Bregman Yay...or Nay?

Fixed

I'd project 87 wins now, 93 if they make a significant addition in the infield.

Replacement level team is expected to win 48 games, so this puts the Sox at 93 wins. Projected. That's a good team....hypothetically. Still, I think a good addition in the infield could make that win total sound a lot more reasonable to this fan base. Although interesting enough are the projections that are not here. Between all the trades, claims and DFA's and one hit wonders, and reaching into the depths of the 40 man there will double the amount of players here adding to the team. In 2025 the Red Sox had 18 players add negative war totaling about -5.2 WAR. If that were to hold true, we could project this team at around 87-88 wins, which is one less than last year. When you figure in subtracting Bregman and other players plus the additions and some steps forward from the youngsters that seems to be about the right range for this team. THey're good....but not great.

There is no question. i misread your last post. We are on the same page here.

Wait, IF Mayer is hurt? if Mayer is hurt don't we need two infielders now? If not our infield is actually going to be Romy/Story/Dham/Contreras. That........could end very badly. If that happens, and especially if someone like Story goes down and your infield is literally an AAA infield. Breslow should be fired on the spot.

Honestly, personally, I don't have a preference. If my team is loaded with offensive star studded talent in the field, I can see the advantage of using the DH more as a rotation to rest guys and also get some bench guys at bats and play with match ups. But If I have a team that really really needs an offensive upgrade and I'm carrying a few guys who are good on defense but not so much with the bat (Rafaela/Narvaez) etc etc. Then I could really be sold on going out and getting a player like Schwarber to fill in that DH spot. I think there's more than one way to skin a cat

I certainly won't say they're all good fielders.

Well last year they extended his rehab because even though he could hit he couldn't play the field yet......and he's an outfielder they said.

Let me clarify, Ohtani is absolutely 100% a full time DH. He's just irrelavent to this conversation because he is Ohtani. Ohtani is not evidence for or against how other teams conventionally employ a DH, because Ohtani is a once in a generation never seen before UNCONVENTIONAL player. Who we know for a fact is dh'ing because he is in fact also pitching and the team wants to reduce likelihood he gets hurt. We literally have a sample size of 0 to go on here with this. Ohtani is a true blue unicorn.

DUDE......it's freaking Ohtani. There's literally never been a player like him in the game of baseball EVER. He's already a HOF and a legend. I don't think you're making the point you think your're making by saying "ah ahhhhh Ohtani is a DH TOO!!!!!" No.....he's a pitcher who DH's when he's not pitching. Literally not up for comparision. And dude, I don't care about the "rule change" this isn't a court of law where a corporation is a person. You, me, Moon, my Mom, the mailman....every person on earth understands Ohtani is one singular person. You can't be seriously taken in this conversation by including Ohtani. And it's irrelavent because even if you DID (I included him in my count) there are way way way way less teams that have a DH who plays 50% of the time of more. WHere is at every other position not catcher for obvious reason that is verifiably not the case.

Yoshida is about a .8 .9 WAR guy when playing full time, but I suspect that if he didn't have the knock on him from playing defense he could be a 1-1.5 guy. Lets split the difference for simplicity, add in inflation and he's worth about 10 million a year. Hypothetically the Sox could get a team to easily take him if they ate half his contract. I believe they would do that if someone out there liked him enough. If Yoshida was a position player, and a cheap team was in desperate need of a stop gap 3B/1B/CF/RF etc etc etc. I think he moves for half his contract. Maybe he's not moving because the Sox view him as their starting 2026 DH.

Exactly I agree.

And yet there are SS/C/CF who DH and rotate in. Not terribly common. But I literally just looked at the positional split playing time for every team in baseball. There are legit those guys rotating in

Is $18 million a year for two years really that crazy? I get and agree it was a bad contract, but if he’s a good DH and teams value that, the Sox would have traded him by now.. he doesn’t have to do much to be worth $18 million for just two years. if DHs were valued how you guys are arguing they would have moved him by now

And catcher, excuse me for obvious reasons catcher should be in there too. But let’s make no mistake. If catching didn’t wear down the body teams would roll catchers out there for 150+ games plus

Add. I never said Yoshida isn’t a good DH, and if I did I didn’t mean to. what I am saying, is it’s obvious the team doesn’t value him highly there AT ALL. most other DHs do play some games in the field. Yoshida doesn’t add any positional versatility, no value on the bases, his only skill is a good hit tool with no power. And that’s great, but there’s a reason the Sox can’t find a trading partner. Don’t tell me he’s overpaid. He’s owed $18 million for two years. Effectively not a single team in baseball thinks he’s worth 4-5 WAR over the next two years. That’s not exactly a glowing report on having a full time DH.

I think the Ohtani point went over your head. He literally is a 6-8 war player before he even picks up a bat. That should end that argument BUT he’s only DHing because he pitches. If Ohtani only hit, he’d be playing in the field

Oh so we are taking the word of the Sox brass in the offseason as gospel? Also didn’t they sign him to play LF? They literally don’t want him on the roster so I’m not sure what point this is making. so teams want full time DH’s because the DH they reportedly planned on being a DH whom they didn’t sign to DH is a guy they don’t even want on the roster? That’s not exactly a solid argument for teams value and go out and look to have one solid guy at DH

Yeah, a third baseman who they moved because he could hit. oh wait, he’s a 1b now too actually. If you have a Rafael Devers who you can plug in at DH you do that. Most teams don’t have that and aren’t looking to do that until it happens. no one ever signs a DH and says “yeah he can DH for a while but he might have to slide over to 3B for the last couple years of that contract”

“Bregman only playing 75% of their games games” how many teams had one player DH only 75% of the time?

You can look at the positions splits. Guys get hurt but there’s a whole lot of 75% plus across every position. with the Lone Caveat being DH