This position change would be an unacceptable response to Red Sox’s Alex Bregman loss

The Red Sox have officially whiffed on the front office’s No. 1 priority of the offseason. On January 10th, Alex Bregman signed with the Chicago Cubs, closing the book on his time in Boston after just one season.

It’s been reported that Sox leadership didn’t believe Bregman's camp when they came back with news of a higher offer. Other sources have noted that Bregman did want to stay in Boston, but the team couldn’t give him what he needed to make that happen (namely, a no-trade clause).

A $10 million difference isn’t huge in the grand scheme of things, but Tyler Milliken has noted that the Cubs’ deal includes $70 million in deferred money, making fans question what the Red Sox’s proposed payment schedule would have looked like, if reports of deferrals being a sticking point for Bregman are true. He also got that no-trade clause the Red Sox reportedly balked at including.

All told, it seems that the front office talked a big game, but when the rubber met the road, the team’s leadership wasn’t ready to take that walk. This, coming after the team shipped off its previous third baseman (and his salary) to San Francisco to make room for Bregman, presumably for the long haul.

Now that he's gone, the Sox will need to explore other options. A natural fit exists at third; Marcelo Mayer could take the role he stepped into last season on a more permanent basis. But that leaves second base still up in the air. 2025 saw a revolving door of players suit up all over the field after Kristian Campbell was demoted and injuries took their toll on the roster.

Ceddanne Rafaela isn't the Red Sox's answer at second base in 2026

Fans will be rightfully furious with the team’s leadership if they employ the same revolving door plan in 2026. There are a few options out there in the free agent market and via trade to fill both second and third, but that would require the team to invest in players, which is something Craig Breslow and company have been reticent to do this winter.

Another option to avoid a super-platoon is to shift Ceddanne Rafaela down to cover the bag. This might seem reasonable to the team execs, as he has already appeared on the infield dirt in 129 MLB games throughout his three-year career (38 at second base with 24 of them coming last season).

But losing his Gold Glove defense in center field would be a profound misstep. There is a strong case to be made that Rafaela is the best center fielder in the game today, so shifting him anywhere else is unacceptable. It’s even more egregious since a move would come as a direct result of the front office’s unwillingness to make a legitimate push for new talent.

That unwillingness has led to a widening gap between Boston and the top of the AL East. In recent years, the Blue Jays has been linked to high-profile free agents including Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto. They're in the chase for Kyle Tucker this offseason. For years, Toronto was constantly in the conversation but unable to actually sign any major talent, but after extending Vladimir Guerrerro Jr. and bringing in a few key players, Toronto made it all the way to the final dance. The Jays' window to contend is wide-open.

If Boston wants to end up relegated to dregs of the league and chronically underperform in a division that’s rapidly improving its rosters, kneecapping Rafaela’s development at the position he dominates in order to avoid paying a free agent ahead of a CBA year is the perfect way to do it.