TL;DR
- Boston Red Sox finished 2025 at 89-73, losing to New York Yankees in postseason.
- Garrett Crochet excelled, Walker Buehler struggled and was released; Rafael Devers traded to San Francisco Giants.
- Emerging talent Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer promoted; Alex Bregman opted out.
- Top free agency targets include Chris Bassitt, Michael King, Bo Bichette, Eugenio Suarez, Kyle Schwarber, Devin Williams, Pete Alonso, and Alex Bregman.
Finishing the 2025 season with an 89-73 record, the Boston Red Sox secured third place in the AL East. Although Boston reached the postseason, they were eliminated in three games by the New York Yankees.
Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler were the Red Sox's two primary pitching acquisitions before the 2025 season. Crochet delivered the performance expected of him, earning him second place in the AL Cy Young balloting. Buehler's season, however, was different. The right-handed pitcher started 22 games for Boston, concluding his time with a 7-7 record and a 5.45 ERA, and was subsequently released on August 29.
In 2025, the Red Sox also chose to move on from Rafael Devers, sending him to the San Francisco Giants after playing 73 games. Boston further opted to highlight some of its emerging talent by Promoting Roman Anthony (who secured third place in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting), Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer, all of whom appeared in a minimum of 44 games for the major league team.
Heading into the 2025-2026 offseason, Boston is in a good place but has some areas to improve upon. Alex Bregman opted out of his contract, and the Red Sox's top priority is likely working out a new deal with their now-former infielder. Boston can make some pitching upgrades to give them more depth, but overall, the roster they are retaining is solid.
Here are the best free agency targets for the Red Sox.
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8. Chris Bassitt, SP
- 2025 stats: 11-9, 3.96 ERA, 166 Ks in 32 starts.
Chris Bassitt will reach the age of 37 before the 2026 season begins. The Red Sox observed his previous season with the Toronto Blue Jays. He started 32 games, and the experienced pitcher logged 170.1 innings. Bassitt also pitched in seven postseason games, giving up only one earned run over 8.2 innings.
Last season, he earned $22 million, concluding a three-year, $63 million contract with Toronto. Considering his age entering the next season, Bassitt is likely attainable for a lower price and could significantly strengthen a rotation expected to feature Crochet, Brayan Bello, Patrick Sandoval, Kutter Crawford, and Kyle Harrison.
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7. Michael King, SP
- 2025 stats: 5-3, 3.44 ERA, 76ks in 15 starts.
Michael King will be 30 years old when the 2026 season kicks off. He only participated in 15 games during 2025 because of injuries to his right shoulder and knee. King performed well when he was on the mound, securing a win in five of his appearances and posting a 3.44 ERA. His ERA was the second-lowest among San Diego Padres pitchers who made at least 8 starts.
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6. Bo Bichette, SS
- 2025 stats:.311, 18 home runs, 94 RBI in 139 games.
Bo Bichette will be one of the more sought-after middle-infielder free agents. He would be an option if Boston doesn't bring back Bregman. Boston could sign Bichette, possibly for cheaper, and then call up Mayer to man the hot corner.
Despite an injury sustained during the 2025 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bichette continued to play. While his speed was compromised, he managed to hit a significant home run in Game 7. Ultimately, Los Angeles rallied to secure victory in both the game and the championship.
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5. Eugenio Suarez, 3B
- 2025 stats:.228, 49 home runs, 118 RBI in 159 games.
Regarding third base, Eugenio Suarez has joined the conversation. He appears to be the right-handed power hitter the Red Sox have lacked. Suarez divided his playing time between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Seattle Mariners, yet he hit 49 home runs, ranking fifth in MLB.
Boston might bring in Suarez, assigning him to third base, and then shift Mayer to second if he's deemed ready. Alternatively, Suarez's power could compensate for any weaker hitter at second base.
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4. Kyle Schwarber, DH
- 2025 stats:.240, 56 home runs, 132 RBI in 162 games.
Reuniting with Kyle Schwarber presents an interesting possibility for Boston. He could serve as the designated hitter, though this might lead to Masataka Yoshida being benched permanently or becoming a trade prospect.
Schwarber hit the second-highest number of home runs in MLB with 56, topping the National League last season. He'll be 33 years old by Opening Day 2026, yet his offensive capabilities remain strong enough to make him an excellent choice for Boston.
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3. Devin Williams, RP/CL
- 2025 stats: 4-6, 4.79 ERA, 18/22 saves, 15 holds in 67 appearances.
Boston already has Aroldis Chapman as its closer and can use Garrett Whitlock as the setup man. Chapman was tied for the fifth-most saves in MLB last season. Devin Williams was traded to the New York Yankees ahead of the 2025 season. He struggled with New York and was relegated from the team's closing role to the bullpen. He can be that for Boston and give them almost a three-headed monster in the pen to help manage the innings for Whitlock and Chapman.
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2. Pete Alonso, 1B
- 2025 stats:.272, 38 home runs, 126 RBI in 162 games.
If the Red Sox don't bring back Alex Bregman, they need to add a righty bat with some pop. Triston Casas hasn't panned out yet and has struggled to stay healthy. Pete Alonso wasn't given a qualifying offer, so if Boston wants to sign him, it doesn't have to worry about losing a draft pick.
Alonso's 38 home runs ranked eighth in MLB, and he participated in every game for the New York Mets during the previous season. He'd be a middle-of-the-order hitter, bringing essential power from the right side, and has proven dependable throughout his seven-year tenure, appearing in a minimum of 152 games annually (excluding the abbreviated COVID-19 season).
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1. Alex Bregman, 2B
- 2025 stats:.273, 18 home runs, 62 RBI in 114 games.
Boston is quite taken with Alex Bregman. He inked a three-year, $120 million agreement with The Red Sox before the 2025 season but chose to exit after the initial year. Bregman relinquished two years and $80 million to secure a fresh contract. Despite his opt-out, Boston remains keen on reaching an agreement with the third baseman.
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