It's been over a month since the MLB Winter Meetings, and the Boston Red Sox still haven't signed a free agent. To add insult to injury, they just watched star third baseman Alex Bregman leave to sign with the Chicago Cubs over a $10 million difference between the offers.
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow must work overtime to appease the fans after this mess. Fortunately for him, there are still some feasible options this team could and should pursue in free agency to try to keep up with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees.
Let's look at three free agents the Red Sox must target next after their Bregman-sized strikeout.
3 Red Sox Free Agents Targets After Losing Alex Bregman
1. Eugenio Suárez, 3B
While Eugenio Suárez is no Alex Bregman, he's a proven commodity as a power-hitter. He's coming off matching his career-high 49 home runs, and leads all third basemen with 163 dingers over the past five years. The Red Sox lack power, and even though he doesn't offer the same plate discipline as his predecessor, he might be the best option available right now.
Trevor Story was the only Red Sox player to hit 25 home runs last season, so there's clearly some room for improvement there. On the downside, Suárez is 34 years old, so he might not be much more than a stopgap at the position. Also, he had a .298 on-base percentage last season, so he doesn't bring much to the table when he's not going deep.
Still, the options are slim now that Bregman is a Cub, making a potential signing here worth explore.
2. Luis Arráez, IF
Luis Arráez's case is as odd as it is fascinating. He's one of the league's prime hitters, a three-time batting champion, and he will be 29 years old next season. However, while no one can deny his ability to make contact, his underlying metrics prove he doesn't bring much more to the table. He's coming off a season-worst campaign with a wRC+ of 104, and his 0.9 fWAR ranked 125th out of 145 among eligible players.
There's also the positional fit. Then again, he's already played third base in the past, and even if that's not the case, the Red Sox could use an offensive boost at second base. He might be a desperation move, but given the way things have fared in Boston this offseason, they should be pretty desperate right now.
3. Bo Bichette, SS
And last, but not least, the Red Sox should definitely go all-in on Bo Bichette, even if that means going against their recent approach and making him a long-term, big-money offer. He's, along with Kyle Tucker, the biggest name in free agency right now, and luring him to Fenway Park would also hurt a divisional rival like the Blue Jays.
Bichette's durability might be an issue to consider, but his production is undeniable. He also showed that he might be better off playing at second base during the World Series, and that could help make up for some of his defensive flaws. The 27-year-old slashed .311/.357/.483 last season, and while he's not known for his power-hitting, he certainly knows how to get on base and had the second-most doubles last season (44).
After how quiet the offseason has been so far, landing Bichette is exactly the type of move that Red Sox fans are desperate for. But will the front office give it to them? Only time will tell.