The Boston Red Sox finally returned to the postseason in 2025, but their run to the World Series ended sooner than they would've liked. Now, the front office's attention turns to the offseason where it will work to improve the team.
Boston is quite a young squad and won't experience much turnover due to expiring contracts, but there are a few valuable Red Sox who will be free agents at the season's end. Despite their play in 2025, there may not be a place for them on the 2026 roster due to positional logjams or higher targets on the free agent or trade market.
The Red Sox could pursue reunions with these two players, but here's why they shouldn't.
2 upcoming Red Sox free agents who have been good but don't need to be re-signed
Lucas Giolito
Lucas Giolito's season started off badly — he'd posted a 6.42 ERA through June 4 — but he fully redeemed his first rough months back from the internal brace procedure. Giolito clocked a 3.41 ERA with 121 strikeouts over 145 innings, and was exactly the rebound candidate the Red Sox hoped for in the regular season. He stepped into a clear No. 2 starter role (alongside Brayan Bello) and he's been a huge part of Boston's second-half success.
Giolito unfortunately could not contribute in the postseason after an elbow injury. He showed some potential signs of the injury in the final weeks of the regular season with his increased walk rate in his final starts, with 22 free passes over his last seven appearances, which totaled 38.1 innings. Scans revealed no structural damage in Giolito's elbow, but it's his second elbow injury in as many years, which could be troubling signs for a pitcher entering their age-32 season, especially if he covets a long-term contract.
The Red Sox shouldn't pursue Giolito again this offseason unless they can get him to sign a short-term deal. Boston has a litany of homegrown pitchers who could make the Opening Day roster in 2026, like Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, David Sandlin, and more. Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval could also be in the mix, but the Sox may opt to trade for their top deadline target, Joe Ryan, instead.
Steven Matz
The Red Sox acquired Steven Matz from the Cardinals at the trade deadline, and was largely reliable out of the bullpen. He's posted a 2.08 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP with a save and six holds over 21.2 regular season innings since he arrived in Boston.
Matz spent most of his 11-year MLB career as a starter, but he fared well solely as a reliever with the Red Sox. Still, he'll be 35 years old by the middle of the 2026 season, and the Red Sox have the money and prospect capital to find someone with better strikeout numbers and more relief experience to fill their bullpen vacancy. They'll likely have to move some of their homegrown pitchers to the bullpen, as well, since they only have so many rotation spots.