Beyond heartbreak, the prevailing thought from Boston Red Sox fans after Alex Bregman spurned them in free agency was: "Who is going to play third base in 2026?"
The initial answer appears to be Marcelo Mayer, the top prospect who filled in for Bregman at the hot corner last year when he went down with a quad injury. So long as he's waiting in the wings to replace Trevor Story at shortstop, it's not the worst idea in the world to have Mayer deploy his defensive talents at third, but he's also a capable second baseman who could move around the infield to make room for an outside addition.
That could be the case if the Red Sox land Eugenio Suárez in free agency, someone they've been linked to since the moment Bregman signed with the Cubs. And, if a recent update out of the Reds' camp is worth anything, Suárez may find that his best fit is in Boston.
The Cincinnati Reds, who whiffed on Kyle Schwarber and have spent all offseason looking for offensive upgrades, are a perfect fit for Suárez if they can make the money work out. And yet, they appear to be putting all their eggs in Sal Stewart's basket, having him learn the infield corners in case one of Spencer Steer or Ke'Bryan Hayes fall flat in 2026.
"A dream come true... I'm super excited for what's to come."@Reds top prospect @stewart_sal led the team with 5 HR in September, and now he's getting ready for his first full season in Cincinnati!#MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/SgydqWkZc0
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 21, 2026
Sal Stewart's third base transition could push Eugenio Suárez into Red Sox's lap
That's fair enough — Stewart hammered minor-league pitching to the tune of a 152 wRC+ last year. But that almost certainly means they're ready to step away from re-signing Suárez, who played for them from 2015-21.
The Red Sox should be even more motivated to get a deal done in that case. He's coming off the second 49-homer campaign of his career and would absolutely feast while taking aim at the Green Monster. Now 34 years old, he may no longer be the player who hit .253/.335/.476 during seven seasons with the Reds, but his prodigious right-handed power would look real nice in the middle of the lineup.
It is worth noting that while he'd ostensibly replace Bregman at the hot corner, he wouldn't come close to replicating Breggy's impact. Suárez has slipped defensively in recent years and is rather streaky at the plate, evidenced by his 50-point wRC+ drop after being traded to the Seattle Mariners.
Still, there's no better third base option still available, either via trade or free agency. Assuming he can be had on a relatively affordable deal, this is the kind of late-offseason move that winning teams make.
And, for what it's worth, the Sox probably wouldn't need to give Suárez a no-trade clause in order to earn his signature.