It's clear by now that the Boston Red Sox's offseason didn't go exactly according to plan. Instead of bolstering its infield with elite defense and a power bat as Boston initially hoped, it focused on strengthening the rotation into one of the strongest in the American League — still a successful offseason by many metrics (subscription required).
Still, poor infield defense and a lack of home run power were two of the things that kept the Red Sox down all season (in the case of power, mostly in the second half, after the Rafael Devers trade). Boston is well aware of what it lost in Alex Bregman — despite the front office's refusal to take accountability for whiffing on him — but The Athletic stated it plainly in a recent article (subscription required).
In reporter Jayson Stark's annual poll of executives, former executives, managers, coaches and scouts, Bregman was named "the most irreplaceable subtraction" of the winter, with 11 out of 36 votes. That isn't the only entry on the list that'll sting Sox fans — Pete Alonso follows right behind Bregman with 10 votes.
Voters gave rationales for their choices, and the ones for Bregman are nothing Boston fans haven't already heard. His leadership is irreplaceable by anyone on the Red Sox's roster and his absence will leave their young core of former top prospects without a role model they came to know last season.
The Athletic rubs salt in Red Sox's Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso wounds with recent exec poll
Bregman is also still a top-tier defender at third base and by far the best all-around infielder available on the free agent market this offseason. He has historically excellent offensive numbers at Fenway Park, and although they didn't show as well as they should've last year, the Red Sox should've been more willing to give him another chance to be the consistent bat they need.
Despite needing a first baseman and some power in the lineup, Boston (inexplicably) didn't take its pursuit of Alonso seriously. The Red Sox offered him a three-year deal that was bested by the division rival Baltimore Orioles, and he'll surely make them regret their decision a time or two over the five years he's expected to be in the division.
The Red Sox's infield defense is still shakier than they hoped it'd be after the winter, and the lineup still lacks pop. Had Boston added Alonso and Bregman — which it easily could've done after freeing up Devers' money — it would've landed two of the most irreplaceable players available this offseason. Bregman, alone would've made the team feel much better and more stable.
Instead of allocating their funds as they should've this offseason as their competitive window flies open, the Red Sox will watch two elite players make their marks on other teams. They'll see Alonso's impact from a close, division rival's perspective, but seeing Bregman's imprint on the Chicago Cubs will hurt more because their reunion could've been so easy.