The Boston Red Sox may be butchering their offseason free agent pursuits.
They failed to bring back Alex Bregman, instead watching him sign with the Chicago Cubs, and they also didn't land Pete Alonso, who instead went to AL East rival Baltimore.
Now, they've got to get the next move right.
They need a third baseman (or a second baseman with Marcelo Mayer playing third) with Bregman gone, and between free agency or trades, there are six alternatives, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
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Those six, in the order named by Rosenthal but seemingly not in an order of preference:
- Bo Bichette
- Nico Hoerner
- Ketel Marte
- Brendan Donovan
- Isaac Paredes
- Eugenio Suarez
Bichette is the biggest-name infielder still in free agency. Lots of teams want him.
Hoerner is under the last year of his contract with the Cubs and could be on the move in a trade after Bregman's signing moved young third baseman Matt Shaw to second base.
Marte was on the block by the Diamondbacks, but they apparently have pulled back from trading him.
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Donovan is a lefty-swinger for the Cardinals who has some pop and appears to be next up to be traded from St. Louis.
Paredes reportedly is up for trade from the Astros, but it'd likely take a strong offer.
Suarez is a free agent after combining for 49 home runs last season between Arizona and Seattle.
They'd all have their pros and cons, but Boston needs to get someone. The Red Sox can't lose Bregman and not have some kind of response.
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