The Boston Red Sox have reinforced their rotation with two trades for starting pitchers out of the National League Central, but their pivot to offense hasn't been as fruitful.
Despite connections to seemingly every top infielder available on the free agent and trade markets, Boston's offense is in worse shape than it was at the end of its 2025 playoff run. Alex Bregman remains on the free agent market with new suitors entering the race for his services and Bo Bichette and Ketel Marte aren't getting any cheaper as the days go on.
A December 18 article from Brent Maguire of MLB.com highlighted just how badly the Red Sox need to increase their offensive capabilities. Maguire listed every Red Sox position group and where it would fall on a ranking from 1-30 among the rest of the clubs in MLB based on FanGraphs WAR. On the bright side, Boston's rotation ranks second and the bullpen fifth, but the position player results, especially in the infield, aren't pretty.
The Red Sox have targeted first basemen (Pete Alonso), second basemen (Marte, Bichette) and third basemen (Bregman), and they'll need to reinforce at least one, but ideally two of those positions to be competitive. Boston's current first base arrangement ranks 17th in MLB with a projected 1.9 fWAR for the 2025 season, second base is tied for 14th with a 2.6 projected fWAR and third base ranks 23rd with a projected fWAR of 2.1.
FanGraphs' WAR projections show just how much offensive help the Red Sox need to add this offseason
While these numbers are just projections and Maguire acknowledges that projection systems are "notoriously conservative," FanGraphs' predictions highlight just how desperately the Red Sox need offense. He noted that reuniting with Bregman would instantly catapult Boston's third base ranking into the top five in the sport, and as one of the biggest markets in MLB, the Red Sox should rank in the top five in MLB at multiple positions.
Just bringing Bregman back will make the Red Sox the same team as last season, minus some pitchers. Boston needs to sign at least two bats to improve on its 2025 run, and the projections scream it — the Red Sox only had one player hit 25 or more home runs, and their constant striking out and struggles with runners in scoring position will continue unless they reinforce their lineup with proven bats such as Marte or Bichette.
Some local reports have stated that Boston's front office will work to stay under the second luxury tax threshold this offseason, but given the free agent market and the Red Sox's needs (bats and a reliever or two) it could be impossible to improve as much as they need to under those restrictions.
Two of the other major competitors around Boston in the AL East, the Blue Jays and Orioles, have improved much more than it has, and the offseason is only young. The Red Sox will have to be decisive about their moves to catch up, and they may have to act quickly given the new suitors in all of their targets' markets.