1 last-minute signing Red Sox must make before spring training

The Boston Red Sox were a playoff team a year ago, but they lost in the first round to the New York Yankees. They won the first game of the Wild Card series at Yankee Stadium behind the power pitching of Garrett Crochet, but their hitting failed them in the final two games and they made a relatively quick exit from the postseason.

The Red Sox have had opportunities to add to their offensive attack in the offseason. The two biggest sluggers available were Pete Alonso of the New York Mets and Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Red Sox could not entice either players into the fold.

Schwarber had enjoyed playing at Fenway Park during his brief stay with the Red Sox in 2021. Boston had acquired him at the trade deadline that season from the Washington Nationals and he looked like he could become a classic Fenway Park left-handed slugger. However, he signed with the Phillies that offseason and he re-signed with them this year.

Many thought that the Red Sox could bring Alonso to Fenway. The Mets’ all-time home run leader seemed like the ideal right-handed power bat to bring to Fenway, and they certainly had a need at 1st base. However, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles and the Red Sox may regret letting him slip through their grasp.

Red Sox also lose Bregman

After losing those two sluggers it seemed imperative that the Red Sox needed to retain 3rd baseman Alex Bregman. He had signed a 3-year deal with the Red Sox a year ago, but that contract allowed him to opt out after year 1 or year 2 of the contract. While it seemed like he enjoyed his time playing 3rd base at Fenway Park, he decided to go to the Chicago Cubs after they offered him a 5-year, $175 million deal.

Bregman and agent Scott Boras reportedly went back to the Red Sox with the offer and gave the team a chance to up its bid, but the Red Sox held firm and wished him good luck with his new team.

The Red Sox fans were largely upset by their team’s lack of action. The hole at 3rd base appearsdisastrous. A year ago, the Red Sox had Rafael Devers and Bregman; now they have neither.

The Red Sox added starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez during the offseason, and both of those moves should be winning moves for manager Alex Cora. The only move they made to help the offense was trading for 1st baseman Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals. Contreras should be a major upgrade from the disappointing and oft-injured Triston Casas. He has the power to take advantage of short porch at Fenway Park.

But they still have a hole at 3rd base, and that’s where Eugenio Suarez should be their late signing. Suarez is a big-time power hitter and a good fielder, but he is 34 years old and he strikes out quite a bit. The Red Sox are big believers in modern metrics that value home runs over batting average and can live with players with all or nothing swings that often go back to the bench after strike 3.

That may not be the way Cora wants to play, but the Boston front office seems willing to live with players who have those habits. Suarez hammered 49 home runs while splitting the 2025 season between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. He also struck out 196 times.

Unproven Mayer could play 3rd if Red Sox don’t sign Suarez

The Red Sox brought up a pair of rookies last year in Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. Anthony figures to be an offensive mainstay for multiple seasons in the outfield for the Red Sox. The young slugger may be among the league leaders in several key categories in upcoming season and beyond.

Mayer played excellent defense at 3rd base last year when Bregman was out with a quad injury. He appears to have solid potential as a hitter with some power, but he is unproven at this point. He will get an opportunity to play 3rd if the Red Sox don’t bring in Suarez.

If they do, look for Mayer to play 2nd base for the Red Sox. His defense should be good enough to allow him to play either of the two key infield positions.

If the Red Sox are going to compete with the defending American League champion Blue Jays, Yankees and resurgent Orioles, they need the bat of Suarez to fill a key hole in their lineup. If they don’t make that move, they will be a significant disadvantage.

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