The Boston Red Sox set out to sign a big-name bat this offseason.
Kyle Schwarber, or Pete Alonso, or Bo Bichette, or simply bringing back Alex Bregman -- they'd get something done, right? Well, maybe not.
Bichette's signing with the Mets on Friday means that the Red Sox whiffed entirely.
Now what?
One of Bichette or Bregman would've played third base (or second base).
Now, it appears the youngster Marcelo Mayer is pretty much set in stone to be the Opening Day third baseman, alongside shortstop Trevor Story.
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If nothing changes, Romy Gonzalez will likely play second base, although the Red Sox could slide centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela in to the dirt some days, too.
The only utility infielder-type that the Red Sox have under contract right now is Nick Sogard. He wouldn't be an every-day starter.
Boston could still try to work a trade of a pitcher or of Jarren Duran to get a guy to play second or third base.
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There's been a lot of suggestions in recent days of a pitcher trade for a hitter, particularly after Boston signed Ranger Suarez, so don't rule that out.
But for now, it's just disappointment for Boston, which missed out on all of its big targets in free agency.
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