The Boston Red Sox will be reimagining their ball club this offseason, with seemingly nothing off the table. A reunion with Alex Bregman will be a top priority, but the Red Sox are likely to have some stiff competition for his services.
One thing that was missing from the Red Sox lineup, even as they turned on the jets in the second half, was a healthy dose of thump. The quest for a premier power bat could lead to a reimagining of the outfield/DH group, leading to a reunion with Kyle Schwarber, a player that Boston apparently loves.
Obstacles exist in the path toward a potential reunion, both of Boston's own making and in the competitive market the Red Sox would surely face if they were to pursue his services. With that, Craig Breslow should think long and hard about whether or not he wants to lock himself into his DH-flexibility stance, because according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, the New York Yankees could be lurking as a potential player in the Schwarber sweepstakes
Rogers' speculation has to do with what the Yankees might do if Cody Bellinger bolts from the Bronx. He wrote: "[Schwarber] could also balance out the Yankees' lineup if Cody Bellinger walks. Can you imagine his home run totals with the short porch at Yankee Stadium?"
Kyle Schwarber landing with the Yankees would be an absolute nightmare for the Red Sox
No thanks. The Yankees already have one perennial 50-homer bat in their lineup, and with their little league short porch in right, Schwarber could be the second. The Red Sox would have to face that behemoth of a lineup 13 times a year, which would be a disaster, making the pathway towards winning an already insanely competitive division that much harder.
Of course, the fit wouldn't be perfect for New York, either. The Yankees would have to figure out how to carry Schwarber and Giancarlo Stanton in the same lineup. New York still owes Stanton $34 million over the next two seasons, making him tough to move on from.
It theoretically could trot one of the two statues out in left field, but that would be a disaster defensively and, in Stanton's case, an injury waiting to happen. Another possibility could see the Yankees trying out Schwarber at first base, though when he logged 75 innings there for the Red Sox in 2021, it was a disaster that resulted in -4 outs above average in that tiny sample.
Nevertheless, the Yankees are lurking and would be willing to get creative with Schwarber if they do indeed determine him to be a worthy target, and with deeper pockets than Boston, they have the ability to make him an offer he can't refuse.
Striking early for Schwarber's services then would be the Red Sox's best course of action, not only as a big-time power upgrade for the lineup, but as a defensive maneuver to keep him out of the Bronx. New York is likely to prioritize Bellinger first, meaning if Boston beats them to the punch, they could steal Schwarber away, while the Yankees might still lose Bellinger and have nowhere left to turn. In that way, they could turn this potential nightmare scenario into a dream.