Last year, the Boston Red Sox's season ended at the hands of the rival New York Yankees in the American League's Wild CardRround. Even though the Red Sox did not advance far in the playoffs, for the team’s young core, playing meaningful baseball in October brought valuable experience.
Despite the loss of starting third baseman Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs, Boston, at least on paper, appears better than the team that won 89 games last season. The front office maintained the core while adding several veterans to help lead the team into 2026 and beyond.
While it was understandable if fans were worried after a slow start to the offseason, the way that the Red Sox are ending the winter should provide hope for the future.
Red Sox's Relatively Quiet Offseason Could Produce Big Results
While the offseason is not over, with Opening Day approaching next month, the Red Sox are essentially set for the time being.
During the last few months, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow brought in seven key additions, headlined by former Philadelphia Phillies southpaw Ranger Suarez. Last season, Suarez pitched exceptionally for Philadelphia, gaining 12 wins to go along with a 3.20 ERA. His 4.7 WAR ranked 14th among pitchers.
Last season, Boston had difficulty finding a starting pitcher not named Garrett Crochet to trust in a must-win scenario. By adding the former Philie, Boston now has one of Major League Baseball's best 1-2 punches.
Breslow did not stop there, as he also added Sonny Gray, who last season won 14 games with a 1.4 WAR, and former Pittsburgh Pirate Johan Oviedo to sure up the rest of the starting rotation.
After losing Bregman in free agency, the team needed to shore up its infield, and Breslow has done exactly that, addressing both corner infield spots and adding versatility to the roster. His first order of business was acquiring former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras to solidify the middle of the order. Last season, Contreras drove in 80 runs to go along with 51 extra-base hits for a 2.6 WAR. Adding the 10-year veteran to the middle of the order will only help propel the lineup this season.
To replace Bregman at the hot corner, Breslow acquired Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers. Durbin burst onto the scene as a rookie, finishing in the top three in NL Rookie of the Year voting with 36 XBH, 53 RBI, and 18 SB. All of his contributions added to a 2.9 WAR.
The loss of Bregman may sting and deservedly so. Any time you lose a three-time all-star and a gold glove caliber defender, the team is going to get worse. However, Boston’s front office has recovered nicely and brought in position players and pitchers who, last season, exceeded Bregman’s production.
The Red Sox enter the 2026 season with a more well-rounded lineup and the best pitching rotation in baseball. The additions of Ranger Suarez, Caleb Durbin, Wilson Contreras, Sonny Gray, and Johan Oviedo should help the team’s young core build on last year’s playoff appearance.
Time will tell how much of an impact each player makes, and Boston fans will have to wait and see if any of the players mentioned stand out in spring training as the team gears up for the regular season. But if all of the players can live up to last year’s performances, the 2026 Red Sox will make a deep postseason run this season.