Red Sox 2025-26 Off Season

[Roy H.]

I hate John Henry.

[Goldstar88]

The Cubs and third baseman Alex Bregman are in agreement on a five-year, $175MM contract, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post and Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal does not have opt-outs, and Bregman receives a no-trade clause, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Just saw that. Smh. Henry sucks.

[Goldstar88]

Good move trading Devers. 

[Smartacus]

Surely this means the Sox will be paying Bo Bichette $300 Million now.

[Vermont Green]

Two things are true. 5/$175 with a no trade clause is too much for Bregman. And, it is also true that BOS needs to and should do at least 1 big signing in what is left of the off season. If they do not, criticism is warranted. If they do, time will tell. 

And we need to let go of Devers.  Devers could not hold up playing 3B. He got injured every year.  He is not the answer for who?s on 3rd or 1st. It seems they could have gotten more trading him but all could still be well if they sign Bichette (for example). 

[Silas]

Next up....trade for Arenado from the Cards.  2 years left on his contract at roughly $21M/per.  Gold glove defense, offense tailing off....turning 35 at the start of the season.  Not great but would work as the Sox transition to their youth.  Actually I don't want him but we will see....

[chicagoceltic]

I really thought that Bregman would end up coming back. Disappointing. It feels like they need to make a run at someone significant. Maybe this forces their hand on a Bichette signing.

[smicker16]

Yeah they needed to sign Bregman or Bichette really. I have doubts on them signing Bichette at this stage in which case this is a very very poor offseason. Yes it?s a lot for Bregman but that?s the price. You gotta pay it if you want to be a serious contender.

Even if they go out and trade for someone that is annoying as that will cost assets that they should have been able to keep if they just spent the money.

[Goldstar88]

Two things are true. 5/$175 with a no trade clause is too much for Bregman. And, it is also true that BOS needs to and should do at least 1 big signing in what is left of the off season. If they do not, criticism is warranted. If they do, time will tell. 

And we need to let go of Devers.  Devers could not hold up playing 3B. He got injured every year.  He is not the answer for who?s on 3rd or 1st. It seems they could have gotten more trading him but all could still be well if they sign Bichette (for example).

They really didn?t, though. Devers was the DH when he was traded and had been playing well. Sox won 8 of 10 when they moved him. The team already had Mayer in the wings for 3B and it looks like he will be playing that position full time this year with Bregman gone.

Henry doesn?t want to pay players into their late 30s. The Devers trade was about cutting costs.

[Vermont Green]

Two things are true. 5/$175 with a no trade clause is too much for Bregman. And, it is also true that BOS needs to and should do at least 1 big signing in what is left of the off season. If they do not, criticism is warranted. If they do, time will tell. 

And we need to let go of Devers.  Devers could not hold up playing 3B. He got injured every year.  He is not the answer for who's on 3rd or 1st. It seems they could have gotten more trading him but all could still be well if they sign Bichette (for example).

They really didn't, though. Devers was the DH when he was traded and had been playing well. Sox won 8 of 10 when they moved him. The team already had Mayer in the wings for 3B and it looks like he will be playing that position full time this year with Bregman gone.

Henry doesn't want to pay players into their late 30s. The Devers trade was about cutting costs.

No need to rehash the Devers debate but Devers did not react well when moved to DH.  He pretty much forced a trade.  Sure, a happy, healthy Devers would make a great DH, much better than any of the current options.  I get that.  But that ship seemed to have sailed.

I will say that Devers did hold up physically much better as a DH.  He actually ended up playing 163 regular season games in 2025, must have ended up with an extra game as a result of the trade.  490 AB at DH, 112 at 1B, 4 at 3B, and 1 PH.  His OPS was 0.915 as a DH and 0.595 at 1B.  And his defense at 1B was even worse than at 3B, from what I saw.  Now maybe if he decides to work on 1B during the offseason and preseason, he can become a serviceable 1B.  But that was not going to happen on the Sox.  It is unfortunate, and there is fault on both sides, but the relationship in BOS was over.

[Goldstar88]

Two things are true. 5/$175 with a no trade clause is too much for Bregman. And, it is also true that BOS needs to and should do at least 1 big signing in what is left of the off season. If they do not, criticism is warranted. If they do, time will tell. 

And we need to let go of Devers.  Devers could not hold up playing 3B. He got injured every year.  He is not the answer for who's on 3rd or 1st. It seems they could have gotten more trading him but all could still be well if they sign Bichette (for example).

They really didn't, though. Devers was the DH when he was traded and had been playing well. Sox won 8 of 10 when they moved him. The team already had Mayer in the wings for 3B and it looks like he will be playing that position full time this year with Bregman gone.

Henry doesn't want to pay players into their late 30s. The Devers trade was about cutting costs.

No need to rehash the Devers debate but Devers did not react well when moved to DH.  He pretty much forced a trade.  Sure, a happy, healthy Devers would make a great DH, much better than any of the current options.  I get that.  But that ship seemed to have sailed.

I will say that Devers did hold up physically much better as a DH.  He actually ended up playing 163 regular season games in 2025, must have ended up with an extra game as a result of the trade.  490 AB at DH, 112 at 1B, 4 at 3B, and 1 PH.  His OPS was 0.915 as a DH and 0.595 at 1B.  And his defense at 1B was even worse than at 3B, from what I saw.  Now maybe if he decides to work on 1B during the offseason and preseason, he can become a serviceable 1B.  But that was not going to happen on the Sox.  It is unfortunate, and there is fault on both sides, but the relationship in BOS was over.

And the Red Sox admittedly did not handle relaying the news that he would not be playing the field anymore well. You tell your star player to ?leave the glove at home? and then a month or so later tell him that, ?Well, I know we told you you weren?t going to see the field again, but now we need you to play first, so?? It was handled so poorly that it almost seems intentional. I don?t blame Devers for getting p---ed about it. Can you imagine Celtics management treating JT or JB like that? They?d be out of Boston so fast.

If you believe that the Sox had to move Devers, Henry has you right where he wants you. Fans not wanting a guy who hit 35hrs and 100+ RBI is crazy to me.

[Roy H.]

Two things are true. 5/$175 with a no trade clause is too much for Bregman. And, it is also true that BOS needs to and should do at least 1 big signing in what is left of the off season. If they do not, criticism is warranted. If they do, time will tell. 

And we need to let go of Devers.  Devers could not hold up playing 3B. He got injured every year.  He is not the answer for who?s on 3rd or 1st. It seems they could have gotten more trading him but all could still be well if they sign Bichette (for example).

Third thing:  John Henry is cheap