The Boston Red Sox have checked in with seemingly every available infield free agent or trade candidate this season, and after losing Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs, their dilligence seemed wise.
But over a week later, Boston still hasn't responded to the death of the reunion that many reporters and insiders thought was inevitable. Most sources in the know believe that the Sox will finish their roster with an 11th offseason trade, but there are a few free agent infield options still available, as well.
On January 21 during Ranger Suárez's introductory press conference, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made a statement about improving the infield defense. Since Boston has added three pitchers and just one bat this offseason, run prevention will be its new priority.
“Defense is a significant contributor to run prevention,” Breslow said (via Christopher Smith of MassLive). “We tend to get caught up in the pitching side of this but there are other key components as well. Defense being the most obvious. And so it’s really important that we improve our defense, particularly our infield defense."
Craig Breslow prioritizing defense in the infield could eliminate a few key Red Sox targets from contention
The Red Sox led MLB with 116 errors last season, the vast majority of which came from the infield. Even with an elite defender like Bregman on the roster, the Red Sox couldn't limit defensive miscues and racked up unearned runs that killed them in far too many games.
Boston's focus on defense will inform its next signing or trade, likely shrinking the already small pool of available infielders even more. The Red Sox could use a third baseman in Bregman and Rafael Devers' absences, but their remaining options aren't the best defenders on the market.
Eugenio Suárez and Isaac Paredes would fill Boston's need for a third baseman and bring a shock of power to the lineup, but neither is a great defender. Suárez has a history of stronger defense than he posted in 2025 — he logged 11 outs above average in 2023 and 83 in 2024 — but his age and inconsistency could be red flags for the Sox. The last time Paredes posted a range above the league average was in 2022, when he split most of his playing time between second and third base.
In reality, defense should probably not be the sole determining factor for the Red Sox's final infield puzzle piece. No matter how effective their rotation is, scoring runs is how games are won. Without another capable bat, Boston's offense could be just as streaky as it was last year, setting itself up for even more one-run loss disasters. A full season with Roman Anthony on the roster will help with that, as well as offensive advancements from Wilyer Abreu and other young players, but nothing is guaranteed.
The Red Sox can't turn back time to reunite with Bregman, but as their search for other infielders rolls on, it's growing clearer that this was an all-time fumble by the men in charge. Boston has a few priorities to weigh before making its final infield addition — let's hope it weighs them right.