Breslow details Red Sox’ biggest offseason targets

After trading star slugger Rafeal Devers in June, the Boston Red Sox have been in dire need of a power bat that can hold down the middle of the lineup. 

Look no further than the middle of the Sox order during the Game 3 loss to the New York Yankees; Masataka Yoshida, Ceddanne Rafaela and Nathaniel Lowe. 

Not exactly World Series-caliber. 

Well, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow seems to think so too, and as Boston starts an important offseason, he claims the club will be in pursuit of that missing piece.

“There is just something about a bat in the middle of the lineup that forces another team to game plan against it that has a compounding effect on the rest of the roster,” Breslow said during the MLB GM meetings in Las Vegas. “So we didn’t slug nearly as much as I think we can, or we will, and we’ll pursue opportunities to improve that.”

Breslow also claimed that while handedness isn’t exactly a dealbreaker, Boston would prefer to add a right-handed power bat to the offense.

“In a perfect world, I suppose we want to balance out the lineup a bit,” Breslow said.

The best two free agent power hitters this offseason are right-handed first baseman Pete Alonso and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. The fact that Alonso can be an everyday player in the field and is right-handed may make him the perfect choice, even if he is more expensive. 

In 2025, Alonso had a great season at the plate, hitting .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. Barring any injuries, the 30-year-old should have a lot of years ahead of him to replicate that kind of performance. 

Schwarber on the other hand hit .240 but was one of the best power hitters in the game, hitting 56 home runs and knocking in 132 runs. The left-handed hitter will be 33-years-old by the time Opening Day rolls around, and more than likely would be Boston’s every day DH. 

“That said, when you can hit the ball out of the park, it doesn’t really matter,” Breslow said. “We have found that lefties who can use the Wall create a good offensive environment. Righties who can pull the ball in the air do the same thing. So there are a number of different ways for us to improve our slug, but I think this idea that we can do more damage on balls in play is certainly a good one.”

Another decision Breslow will face this offseason is whether to attempt to bring back third baseman Alex Bregman, who opted out of his three-year, $120 million contract with the Red Sox on Nov. 5. If he does not return to the club, it would be another hole in the lineup, making it even more crucial that Breslow secures a big-time hitter. 

As for what else is on Breslow’s holiday shopping list will be a No. 2 starter to slot in behind his ace in Garrett Crochet. Breslow has made it very public that Boston is looking for an elite, front-end of the rotation option, not just a depth piece. 

“Because of the depth that we’ve built up over the last couple of years, we feel pretty good about just overall starting pitching, maybe No. 3-ish through No. 10-ish,” Breslow said. “And that’s not to take away from guys who are certainly capable of doing more, and more just to say I don’t think we’re going to spend a ton of time trying to add a No. 4, No. 5 starter.”

The Red Sox were reportedly in pursuit of Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan at the trade deadline in July, but a deal never materialized. If not Ryan, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Freddy Peralta could be another trade candidate. Peralta had a 2.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts in 2025. 

Some free agent candidates include Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez. All three of these pitchers do have qualifying offers attached to them, meaning Boston would have to send back two draft picks and $1 million of international bonus pool money in order to sign them.

Breslow and the Red Sox seem to be willing to give up some younger pieces and future draft capital in order to improve the major league roster. Whether he's willing to pull the trigger when the time comes remains to be seen.