The Boston Red Sox were unable to sustain a hot streak in the middle of the season that allowed them to climb from the depths of the American League to the third-best record in the American League. They won 32 of 37 games in the middle of the season. They swept series against multiple first-place teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers on the road and the Tampa Bay Rays. However, their inability to hit in the clutch in August and September cost the team badly.
The Red Sox don't have the power in the middle of the lineup to lift the team to the level of the Rays or the Yankees. If the Red Sox are going to overcome these issues in 2027, they are going to have to make trades in the offseason.
The Red Sox rarely got the offensive production they needed at catcher, second base, shortstop and left field. They did not have a full-time designated hitter either. Masataka Yoshida had a couple of hot streaks, but he has never been the power source the Red Sox had expected him to be. He hit 15 home runs his rookie season in 2023 and 10 in his second year. He failed to reach double figures the last two seasons.
The free agent market does not include many of the big names that have been available in previous years. After elite pitcher Tarik Skubal at the head of this year's free-agent list, the more notable names are Randy Arozarena of the Mariners, Jazz Chisholm of the Yankees as well as Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki of the Cubs. Arozarena appears to have the most value, but much more is needed.
The Red Sox must make at least two trades if they are going to gain on their rivals.
Heat is on Craig Breslow to add power to the roster
Everything is likely to change Dec. 1, because that's when the current Collective Bargaining Agreement comes to an end. Major League Baseball is expected to impose a lockout at 11:59 p.m. ET on that day. At that point, all rosters will freeze. Free agents cannot be signed and trades will not be executed.
Nevertheless, there are key moves the Red Sox must make.
The biggest need is for the Red Sox to add power. They finished the season with 163 home runs, and that ranked 26th in Major League Baseball. While it is notable that the Milwaukee Brewers finished 29th in that category and had the best record in either league, that kind of result is unexpected.
Duran needs to be moved
The Red Sox seem secure with right fielder Wilyer Abreu and centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela holding on to their spots. However, Jarren Duran is no longer the player who won the MVP Award in the 2024 All-Star Game. He slashed .207/.266/.361 last season. On the positive side, he contributed 20 home runs, 69 RBI and 21 stolen bases.
That's a far cry from the player who led the AL with 48 doubles and 14 triples in '24 when he slashed .285/.342/.492. He has also been a strikeout liability in each of the last four seasons.
Article Continues BelowPerhaps Duran can recapture his magic with another organization. He can be a key part of a trade package that could bring in a home run hitter. The Red Sox are looking for a slugger who can bash 30 home runs.
The hope for many Red Sox observers is that Roman Anthony can develop into the key offensive cog in the lineup. However, he could not stay healthy in 2025 or '26. His lingering hand/finger injury could be indicative of a significant long-term problem. At this point, the Red Sox can't count on him as a staple in their lineup.
The Red Sox also need to retool their bullpen. While Tyron Guerrero, Garret Whitlock and the record-setting Aroldis Chapman are solid, the rest of the bullpen crumbled in the Wild Card round. The Red Sox need to add at least one key reliever.
Previous moves could pay off in future
The Red Sox made a couple of key moves around the trade deadline. The biggest of those was the trade for catcher Adley Rutschman with the Baltimore Orioles. General manager Craig Breslow made that huge move that was supposed to help the Red Sox offense during the stretch run as well as the 2027 season.
Rutschman is under contract next season, but his contribution was minimal as the Red Sox tried to improve the catching position. He slashed .222/.278/.410 with 5 home runs and 13 runs batted in during his 32 games in Boston. Rutschman didn't bring much more to the team than the duo of Connor Wong and Carlos Narvaez that had been in place before the move. He failed to meet expectations.
The Red Sox also acquired Curtis Mead from the Washington Nationals. After giving up young left-handed pitcher Connelly Early to get Mead, he missed the rest of the season after breaking his hand in second plate appearance with the team. Mead is a third baseman with some power — he hit 17 home runs with Washington — and the thought was that Caleb Durbin would move to second base. That may or may not work out in the future.
If it does not, additional trades will have to be considered.