The Boston Red Sox appear ready to take a big swing this winter, and MLB Network Radio’s Jim Bowden thinks they will surprise their fans with who they have already identified as the player they want most.
On Sunday’s edition of The Front Office, Bowden said the Red Sox consider Toronto Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette their No. 1 target — ranking him ahead of Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso in their offseason plans.
Bowden said the Red Sox value Bichette’s age, upside and long-term fit more than the other stars available. Bichette, 27, is the youngest of the three players Boston is monitoring, giving him the clearest multi-year runway. Bowden also emphasized that Bichette hit-ability, he finished with a.311 batting average this season, and athletic ability are major reasons Boston sees him as the best long-term play.
Bregman, according to Bowden, ranks second on Boston’s internal board. The third baseman is reportedly seeking a long-term contract, and Bowden said his best long-term fit could be the Detroit Tigers. Co-host Jim Duquette agreed, noting Bregman's relationship with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. They also suggested that if the Tigers are not going to deal Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, Bregman is the perfect bat for them to go for it this season.
Alonso, meanwhile, ranks third on Boston’s list, but Bowden thinks he's the perfect fit for the Red Sox.
Alonso would give the Red Sox an immediate middle-of-the-order presence. He is coming off a season with 42 home runs and an.863 OPS, but his age and expected contract length appear to be factors in Boston’s internal prioritization.
Bichette remains the most fascinating of the three.
He’s coming off a bounce-back 2025 season in which he hit.311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an.840 OPS over 139 games for Toronto, then declined the Blue Jays’ qualifying offer to hit free agency at age 27.
With that combination of prime-age production and no long-term deal in place, he’s expected to draw one of the deepest markets of the winter, and Bowden’s comments suggest the Red Sox, who shed considerable payroll when they dealt Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, plan to be near the front of that bidding rather than waiting on Bregman or Alonso.
Duquette noted that Boston’s interest aligns with their broader goal of adding an impact right-handed bat to stabilize a lineup still adjusting to recent roster changes. With multiple teams chasing the same group of stars, Bowden expects movement sooner rather than later once the trade and free-agent markets settle.
