We were told one of the Boston Red Sox's top offseason priorities was to add a true power bat to the lineup. Alongside a legitimate No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet, there was no bigger need.
Two options that were head-and-shoulders above the rest existed: Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso. Snagging Schwarber for a second tour of duty in Boston might have delighted fans, but the positional fit was questionable. While the Red Sox gave him some run at first base once before, it didn't work out well, and despite being a massive upgrade over Masataka Yoshida, the latter's inability to play the field and negative trade value made it hard to envision how the pieces could fit.
That seemed to put Alonso front and center, until he wound up with the division rival Baltimore Orioles. All of this has everyone wondering what Craig Breslow's plan is, or if he even has one to begin with.
So when Jeff Passan stated on the "Baseball Tonight" podcast that the Red Sox missed out on Schwarber and Alonso because they “weren’t willing to go to the place that other teams were,” it looks as if no plan is exactly what is going on here.
The Red Sox seemingly have no plan to navigate the free agent market
Passan added: “We’ve seen the Red Sox in recent years, they try to operate rationally. Operating rationally, generally speaking, will not get you free agents. It is an irrational market, and sometimes you got to get a little irrational.”
Schwarber signed for five years, $150 million, while Alonso got five years, $155 million. These aren't steals, but they're also not back-breaking contracts. This is more-or-less market value for two players who weren't just the two best free-agent sluggers on the market, but two of the best power threats in the game, who are still in their prime.
Alonso, in particular, was rumored to want a deal of "at least seven years" at the outset of free agency, so getting him for five is a considerable win for Baltimore. Of course, the Red Sox believed that at 31 years old, such a deal for Alonso was far too long, which is an absolutely laughable excuse.
Does that mean that Alex Bregman, who is entering his age-32 season, is also a goner? Does that mean a trade for Ketel Marte, commonly linked to Boston, is off the table because he's already 32 and has five years remaining on his deal before a player option for 2031?
Being prudent is one thing, and being stingy is another. The Red Sox play in the most competitive division in baseball. In their current state, they're not better than the Yankees. The Blue Jays were the class of the division, and have only gotten stronger this winter. The Orioles have been one of the league's most active teams and so far look like one of the biggest risers heading into 2026.
Getting Devers' money off the books was supposed to open things up for the Red Sox, but instead, it's looking like they're just going to pocket the savings and bank on their young guys, along with some value signings.
If they truly take that path, it will be a mistake. You don't need to overpay everyone, but at a certain point, you do need to pay market rates to land free agents that will improve your squad, unless competing isn't something you're actually interested in.