The Boston Red Sox were expected to be one of the most active teams at the 2025 Winter Meetings by many insiders and reporters. Connections to nearly every top infield free agent and trade candidate emerged, but nothing came of them.
First, Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the Phillies. The next day, Pete Alonso signed with the division rival Orioles, leaving the Mets for the first time in his career. The Red Sox are desperate for a power bat in their lineup, but they let the two premier sluggers on the market escape them — they offered Alonso fewer years and less money than the small-market Orioles and didn't even make Schwarber an offer.
If Boston wants to compete in an American League East division that is improving quickly, it'll need to add to its offense fast. Here are three moves the Red Sox must consider after the Winter Meetings, and they should make at least two of them to match up with the Blue Jays, Yankees and Orioles.
3 moves the Red Sox must make after the 2025 Winter Meetings
Alex Bregman
After losing out on Alonso, the Red Sox must bring Alex Bregman back. The veteran was an easy fit in the clubhouse, he offered much needed guidance to Boston's young players, he's still an elite defender at third base at age 31, he's right handed and his swing is incredibly well suited to Fenway Park.
Bregman's fit at Fenway really showed in the first half of his season with the Red Sox, when he batted .298/.380/.546 with a .926 OPS over 53 games. He sustained a quad injury in late May, which kept him on the sidelines almost until the All-Star break and adversely affected his offensive performance afterwards. But in a full, healthy season, Bregman would bring more power to the lineup.
Kazuma Okamoto
The second half of the Red Sox's season revealed a significant power outage in their lineup — no player hit more than 25 home runs last season (it's worth noting that Rafael Devers hit 35 between the Sox and Giants). Alonso would've been the best fit to fix that deficiency, but Nippon Professional Baseball veteran Kazuma Okamoto could also be a great addition.
Okamoto is a corner infielder and he could take up first base, where Boston has dealt with much inconsistency over the last few seasons. He posted six consecutive seasons with 30-plus homers from 2018-23, and he played top-tier defense with the Yomiuri Giants.
Ketel Marte
Ketel Marte to Boston rumors picked up some serious steam during the Winter Meetings, and the second baseman could be a great fit. The Red Sox have had serious instability at second base after Dustin Pedroia's retirement and Craig Breslow noted this offseason that Kristian Campbell is more suited to the outfield, so there's room for change at the keystone.
Marte has averaged just under 30 home runs in his last three seasons and his right-handedness also matches up with the Sox's needs. He's an above average defender at second base and the five years of control on his contract would solve a longstanding Red Sox issue for a couple of years.
It would be nice to see Boston spend on a free agent rather than trade for a player. The Red Sox haven't given a free agent a long-term deal since Masataka Yoshida signed before the 2023 season and Sox fans want to feel confident that the front office will spend to win. That said, Marte is still a good fit in Boston and he'd instantly boost its offense.