MLB free agency is starting to heat up, and for the Boston Red Sox, this offseason is a prime opportunity for them to reemerge as a true playoff contender. After a couple years of limited spending and a lack of desire from ownership to invest in the team, an encouraging 2024 campaign that saw the Sox exceed expectations has fans hoping that this winter will finally see the team make some big moves.
While the past few years haven’t really offered any sort of inclination that the team will change their penny-pinching ways this offseason, the execs running the front office have indicated that they want to spend big in free agency. Then again, they said the same thing last year, only for their marquee signing to be Lucas Giolito, who suffered a season-ending UCL injury in March.
So far, it’s been more of the same for Boston, as they have reportedly been in the market for a couple of big name starting pitchers in Blake Snell and Yusei Kikuchi, only to watch them sign elsewhere. The good news is that there are still tons of free agents available, but if the Red Sox actually want to spend money on this team, the time to do so is now.
Red Sox have prime opportunity to turn themselves into a playoff contender
The Red Sox went just 81-81 in 2024, and yet, that was a lot better than what was expected of them entering the season. After a painfully quiet offseason, the vibes surrounding the team weren’t exactly high, and there was a league-wide belief that the season would be Alex Cora’s final one with the team before he departed for greener pastures.
Instead, several things went Boston’s way. They had players like Jarren Duran, Tanner Houck, and Wilyer Abreu breakout for them, while Cora signed a three-year contract extension midway through the season. They remained on the fringes of the wild card race for a decent portion of the year, before they ultimately flamed out down the stretch.
There’s no shame in that, as the roster was not built for a postseason run. However, it’s clear they are on the rise, as they have a strong young crop of players already in the majors, with several top-tier prospects waiting in the wings. The missing piece is established star talent, both in the lineup and in the starting rotation, which is why this offseason is so important for the Red Sox.
So far, nothing has materialized beyond rumors, but it’s still early in free agency. It’s nice to see they are making a serious push for superstar slugger Juan Soto, but nobody (including the team themselves, probably) really expects them to land his signature. The desire to spend money is real in concept, but until a big name free agent puts pen to paper, fans will remain skeptical.
There are a couple of key areas Boston needs to address this offseason. They desperately need a top of the line starter to lead to their rotation who is preferably a lefty, with Snell allegedly being one of their top targets. Reports suggest they are turning their attention towards Atlanta Braves stud Max Fried, and he’s precisely the type of guy this team should be in the market for.
The Red Sox also need a star slugger to help their lineup. Soto is obviously the crown jewel of the bunch, but while the team needs left-handed pitching, they also need right-handed hitting, especially now that Tyler O’Neill seems set to leave in free agency. Teoscar Hernandez was a name they were linked to heavily last offseason, and he could be a target again now that he’s back on the open market.
All this goes without saying, but if the front office doesn’t actually want to spend money, which has been their prerogative over the past couple of years, none of this matters. We’ve heard the rumors before that they were highly interested in big names, only for them to not land said big names, and while free agency is early, that’s the silver lining fans are being fed once again in the wake of Snell landing with the Dodgers.
It’s time for Boston’s front office and ownership group to put up or shut up. They have ample amounts of money to spend this offseason after cutting costs the past few years, and they have a budding team that is clearly worth investing in. If the Red Sox can do what needs to be done in free agency, they will be a playoff contender next season, and only time will tell if this offseason ends up being any different than the ones the team has recently had to endure.
