The Boston Red Sox returned to the playoffs in 2025 for the first time since 2021, finishing with 89 wins before falling to the New York Yankees in the American League Wild Card Series. While the team exceeded expectations and showed glimpses of a bright future with emerging stars like Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela, the offseason has already brought significant roster uncertainty.
Between free agency and looming trades to address roster construction issues, several players who contributed to the 2025 playoff run likely won't be wearing a Red Sox uniform when spring training begins in Fort Myers. Here are three players who were on the 2025 roster but almost certainly won't be returning for the 2026 campaign.
1. Alex Bregman - Third Baseman
Alex Bregman's one-year tenure in Boston has come to an end after the veteran third baseman opted out of the final two years and $80 million remaining on his three-year, $120 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. The 31-year-old three-time All-Star made an immediate impact during his lone season in a Red Sox uniform, but his decision to test free agency for a second consecutive offseason was hardly surprising given his strong performance and desire for long-term financial security.
Bregman's first season in Boston was productive despite being derailed by a significant injury. He got off to a torrid start, batting .299 with 11 home runs and 35 runs batted in through late May before suffering a quadriceps injury on May 23rd that sidelined him until July 11th. The injury cost him seven weeks and robbed what appeared to be an MVP-caliber campaign, but Bregman still finished with respectable numbers across 114 games: a .273 batting average, .360 on-base percentage, .462 slugging percentage, 18 home runs, and 62 runs batted in. He earned his third All-Star selection despite the extended absence and provided elite defense at third base, tying for ninth among third basemen with plus-three outs above average.
Beyond the statistics, Bregman brought invaluable leadership to a young Red Sox clubhouse featuring breakout rookie Roman Anthony and emerging stars like Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu. Wherever he goes, winning follows as the two-time Champion helped guide the team back to the postseason for the first time in four years.
According to multiple reports, the Red Sox view re-signing Bregman as their top priority this offseason. The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham confirmed that retaining the veteran infielder remains one of Boston's top goals as the front office looks to build on its playoff appearance. However, Bregman is seeking a long-term deal worth at least $180 million after settling for a shorter, higher-average-annual-value contract last winter.
The Red Sox have contingency plans in place if Bregman signs elsewhere, with trade talks reportedly ongoing for Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. Boston is viewed as a stronger candidate to land Marte than their American League East rival Toronto Blue Jays, due to the Red Sox's glut of major-league-ready pitching. Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes and Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette have also been mentioned as potential fallback options.
For now, though, Boston waits to see if they can convince Bregman to return or if his one season in a Red Sox uniform will be all fans remember from the former Houston Astros star's brief stint at Fenway Park.
2. Jarren Duran - Center Fielder
Jarren Duran won't be playing center field at Fenway Park in 2026, at least not in a Red Sox uniform. The 29-year-old outfielder, who was the Most Valuable Player of the 2024 All-Star Game, has been the subject of persistent trade rumors throughout the offseason, and it appears he will be dealt before spring training. ESPN's Jeff Passan recently gave Duran a 50% chance of playing for another team in 2026, and all signs point to the Red Sox using their surplus of outfield talent to acquire pitching or a middle-of-the-order power bat.
Duran had a solid season in 2025, appearing in 157 games and batting .256 with a .774 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 16 home runs, 84 runs batted in, and 24 stolen bases. He led the American League in triples for the second consecutive year with 11; however, his numbers represented a noticeable dip from his breakout 2024 campaign when he finished in the top 10 of American League Most Valuable Player voting. His batting average dropped by almost 20 points, his on-base-plus-slugging fell more than 70 points, and his strikeout total ballooned from 160 to 169 despite playing three fewer games this season.
Perhaps most concerning for the Red Sox were Duran's defensive struggles in center field. He committed a career-high seven errors during the regular season. Of course, we all remember his brutal dropped fly ball in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series that directly led to a Yankees run in Boston's playoff elimination. According to Statcast's defensive metrics, Duran ranked 83rd among 109 qualified outfielders in outs above average with minus-four, making him a defensive liability for a team that committed more errors than any other club in baseball last season. His once-elite defense has regressed to the point where multiple scouts questioned whether he should remain in center field long-term.
The primary reason Jarren Duran has become expendable is the emergence of 21-year-old Roman Anthony, who debuted in 2025 and immediately established himself as one of the Red Sox’s most important position players.
Anthony hit .292 with eight home runs, 32 RBIs, and an .859 OPS in his rookie season, production that backed up the organization’s belief he is ready to be an everyday player and the club’s leadoff hitter in 2026. While his exact defensive home will depend on offseason moves, Anthony proved capable in right field and may ultimately be better suited for left field at Fenway Park.
With Gold Glove-caliber defender Abreu entrenched in right field and Rafaela able to handle center, the Red Sox view Anthony as a cornerstone of their future outfield. Add in Kristian Campbell’s athleticism and positional versatility as a potential fourth-outfield option, and Duran’s path to everyday playing time becomes far less clear despite his production, making him a logical trade candidate as Boston reshapes its roster for 2026 and beyond.
With three years of team control remaining, Duran represents a cost-controlled asset who should appeal to contending teams looking for a leadoff hitter with speed and extra-base power. His team-friendly contract makes him one of the most valuable trade chips on the market this winter.
Chiefs Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has emphasized the team's need to add more power to the lineup after ranking 15th in home runs in 2025, and trading Duran could bring back either a frontline starting pitcher like Cole Ragans or Freddy Peralta, or help facilitate a bigger move for an impact bat like Marte. All signs point to Duran wearing a different uniform when the 2026 season begins. It's simply a matter of when, not if, the Red Sox move him.
3. Triston Casas - First Baseman
Triston Casas' future with the Boston Red Sox has never been more uncertain, and the once-promising first baseman might be playing elsewhere when the 2026 season begins. The 25-year-old power hitter, who was expected to be a cornerstone of Boston's lineup for years to come, has seen his career derailed by devastating injuries over the past two seasons, and the organization's refusal to commit to him as their Opening Day first baseman speaks volumes about where this relationship is headed.
Casas' 2025 season was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish. After finishing third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 with 23 home runs and an .856 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, Casas entered 2025 with massive expectations, carrying middle-of-the-order expectations. Instead, he stumbled out of the gate, batting just .182 with a .277 on-base percentage, .303 slugging percentage, and only three home runs across 29 games before suffering a catastrophic ruptured patellar tendon while running to first base on May 2. The gruesome knee injury required immediate surgery and ended his season, marking the second consecutive year a severe injury cost him significant playing time. Back in 2024, he tore the cartilage in his ribcage on a big swing and missed substantial time.
The combination of injuries has limited Casas to just 92 games over the past two seasons, during which he's batted .222 with 16 home runs and 43 runs batted in, woefully below the production expected from a player once viewed as a future middle-of-the-order slugger. Availability is a skill, and repeated breakdowns have severely damaged his standing. Even as his trade value sits at its lowest point, Boston may at least listen to trade talks this winter. For now, his focus shifts to rehab in Fort Myers and a hoped-for return in 2026, with his long-term future hinging less on talent and more on finally staying on the field.
"I don't think it makes a ton of sense on October 6th to say someone is or isn't our first baseman and we'll see how things play out," Breslow said in October, according to Boston.com. "Unfortunately, Triston has missed a significant amount of time over the last two years. We've also seen what he's capable of doing when he's healthy." The non-committal response was a stark departure from the organizational optimism that surrounded Casas just two years ago, and it set off alarm bells throughout Red Sox Nation.
Manager Alex Cora's comments on the "Foul Territory" podcast did little to calm fears about Casas' future. When asked about the first baseman, Cora said, "We gotta get him healthy, man. I think Triston is a big part of what we're trying to accomplish, but we gotta get him healthy." The emphasis on health rather than assurances about his roster spot only fueled speculation that the organization has lost confidence in Casas' ability to stay on the field consistently enough to justify building around him.
The Red Sox were aggressively pursuing first base upgrades this offseason, with free agent slugger Pete Alonso initially emerging as their top target to address the power void in their lineup before he signed a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles on Dec. 10. With Alonso off the board, the organization has pivoted to exploring potential trades for Houston Astros versatile infielder Isaac Paredes and other options, including Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, who hit 56 home runs in Japan at age 22. Boston's continued willingness to explore every option at first base makes it abundantly clear they're not counting on Casas to be their everyday starter in 2026.
A ruptured patellar tendon is one of the most severe knee injuries an athlete can suffer, and Breslow has been careful not to put a definitive timeline on when Casas will be ready to play. The 25-year-old plans to spend the entire offseason in Fort Myers for rehabilitation and hopes to be ready by spring training, but whether the Red Sox, or any other team, will trust him to stay healthy remains an open question.
From a practical standpoint, Casas represents both a risk and an opportunity for teams around the league. He's projected to earn just $1.5 million in arbitration for 2026, per Spotrac, an absurdly team-friendly salary for a player with 23-home-run upside when healthy. He still has multiple years of team control remaining and owns minor league options, meaning a team could send him to Triple-A to start the season if he's not ready for Opening Day. For a rebuilding club willing to take a chance on his health, Casas could represent tremendous value if he returns to his 2023 form.
However, his injury history makes him a tough sell on the trade market, yet the Red Sox are a team that will eventually pull the trigger on a Casas trade at some point before the end of 2025. While a midseason trade didn't materialize, the winter meetings beginning this week provide another chance for Boston to gauge interest and potentially move on from their injury-prone first baseman.
The most likely scenario is that Casas starts the 2026 season on the Red Sox' roster, but in a reduced role, either as a platoon partner or designated hitter while someone else handles first base. With Pete Alonso now off the board after signing with the Baltimore Orioles, Boston has pivoted to exploring other options through trades and international free agency. But given Breslow's public non-commitment and Casas' injury history, it wouldn't be shocking if the Red Sox found a trade partner willing to take a flyer on his upside.
Whether through trade or transition to a backup role, it's becoming increasingly clear that Casas' days as the Red Sox' starting first baseman are numbered, marking a disappointing turn for a player who once represented the future of the franchise.