In an eventful MLB offseason that saw the Red Sox land talented pieces like Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler and most recently, Alex Bregman, things are looking up for Boston ahead of the 2025 season.
It could be argued that the Red Sox had the best offseason in the AL East with the addition of Bregman, but the Yankees weren't too far behind, even with losing Juan Soto in free agency to their cross-town rivals, the New York Mets.
With that being said, it is never too early to look ahead to next offseason, as a new free-agent name has surfaced after failing to reach a contract extension with his current AL East team.
Red Sox Named as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Landing Spot Next Offseason
Guerrero Jr., a four-time All-Star, is the face of the Toronto Blue Jays franchise and one of the best hitters in the MLB. Usually, teams will deploy all of their assets to keep franchise players around, like the Red Sox did when Rafael Devers re-signed for 10 years, $313 million back in January 2023.
Like most other contract disputes, Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays couldn't find the right dollar amount for an extension, as Guererro Jr. will now become an unrestricted free agent at the season's end.
When asked about his priorities in the future, Vlad Jr. kept his answer simple, saying that winning is the most important factor in his free-agency decision next offseason.
"Winning team. That’s what I’ll be looking for in free agency. As you guys know, my dad played a lot of years. He never won a World Series. My personal goal is to win a World Series and give the ring to my dad."Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Red Sox are set up nicely to win now and in the future, with the best farm system in baseball, headlined by Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Meyer.
While 29 other teams will compete to sign the 25-year-old slugger, it has been reported by Bob Nightengale that the Red Sox would be a top candidate to sign Guerrero Jr.
Other than his father, some of Vlad Jr.'s favorite players growing up included David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, two Red Sox legends. It could be appealing for Guerrero Jr. to follow in the footsteps of players he grew up idolizing and play for Boston.
As the Blue Jays will likely not be a playoff team in 2025, the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. situation will be something to monitor as the season rolls along. He will command heavy interest from teams around the league, as he tallied 30 home runs and 103 RBIs with a .323/.396/.544 slash line in 2024, and is in line for another big season in 2025.
For now, the Red Sox are ramping up to begin their 2025 campaign, as they are set to face the Rays on February 22nd in the team's first Spring Training game.