Spring training is just weeks away and the Boston Red Sox have not filled in the major gap in their infield. After trading Rafael Devers, reuniting with Alex Bregman was the Sox's top priority, but we all saw how that chase panned out.
Many reporters expect the Red Sox to finish their roster on the trade market, but the options there are slim. There has reportedly been little progress on a potential Isaac Paredes trade with the Houston Astros and the Arizona Diamondbacks aren't willing to put Ketel Marte back on the market even for a piece of Boston's serious rotation depth.
The free agent market is looking just as barren after Bo Bichette signed with the New York Mets (for a price the Red Sox never would've beaten). The Philadelphia Phillies were also in on Bichette, making the competition even more fierce. Eugenio Suárez is the only top third base candidate still available, and despite his imperfect fit in Boston, it is reportedly still looking into signing him.
The Red Sox are still a long way from any action on that front, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive, who reported on January 20 that there is "very little traction" on a deal between Suárez and Boston. This is consistent with the belief that the Sox will trade to put the finishing touches on its offense this winter, but the lack of movement on both fronts has created more suspense than fans want at this point in the offseason.
Red Sox not close to deal with Eugenio Suárez, one of a few remaining infield candidates
Suárez isn't an ideal target for the Red Sox's vacancy at third base, as his defense was poor last season. Boston traded Devers to field an upgrade at third base, and even Bregman didn't help its infield much, as the Red Sox led the league with 116 errors in 2025. Suárez posted six outs below average last season and ranked in the ninth percentile in range. He's posted much better defensive results in the recent past — he posted three outs above average in 2024 and 11, ranking in the 97th percentile, in 2023.
Suárez can slug with some of the best players in the game. He logged 49 home runs last season, and could do just as much damage with the Green Monster in front of him for 81 games. He won't help the Red Sox's issues with strikeouts, as he posted whiff and strikeout rates in the 11th and 10th percentile, respectively, last season.
The Red Sox have reached the point in the offseason when they can no longer be as picky as they would like. Suárez is less than an ideal fit with Boston for a few reasons, but he's a right handed hitter who can man third base and bring a shock of power to the batting order. He could be a relatively cheap addition due to his age (although his salary would push the club much closer to another luxury tax penalty) and it would be a "win-now move," just like the trades for Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras.