The World Series is officially here, and at some point in the next week or so either the Texas Rangers will celebrate their first championship in franchise history or the Diamondbacks their first in over 20 years.
It should be a great series, but obviously for Red Sox fans the real show will begin once the final out has been recorded.
This has the potential to be a transformational offseason. The Red Sox have a new chief baseball officer in Craig Breslow, money to spend and big decisions to make. So what are the biggest storylines fans should follow once the Hot Stove starts heating up?
The Herald’s Red Sox beat writers debate.
Gabrielle Starr: Without a doubt, the top league storyline is Shohei Ohtani. He’s unlike any other player we’ve ever seen, so his free agency is sure to be one for the ages, and he’s all but guaranteed to get a record-breaking contract. Will he become baseball’s first $500 million player? With such a truly unprecedented player, it feels like there’s no way to really predict the outcome, but my gut is telling me that we’re all going to end up with our jaws on the floor one way or another.
Then, for this market, the storyline will be whether the Red Sox go back to really flexing their muscles on the free agent market and in trades. They’ve got the financial flexibility and farm system to really build up their roster this winter and make themselves relevant again. Plus, they have a brand new chief baseball officer in Craig Breslow, and it’ll be interesting to see how he tackles his first offseason in the driver’s seat.
Mac Cerullo: How Breslow makes his mark is the biggest thing for me. These past four years we’ve become accustomed to the Red Sox going about their business a particular way, and even now that Chaim Bloom is gone it feels like a lot of fans are assuming the club will stick to a similar methodical, forward-focused approach.
But what if they don’t? What if Breslow immediately starts shaking things up by swinging trades none of us could have ever seen coming? Right now the idea of the Red Sox signing a player like Ohtani seems outlandish, but is it really? We have no idea, and if you’re a Red Sox fan that’s got to be very exciting.
Starr: The Red Sox really struggle to develop pitching, so it makes sense that Breslow appeals to them; his crowning achievement as the Cubs’ vice president of pitching was their improved pipeline of arms.
Unfortunately, this is an area of need that he can’t transform overnight, and after three last-place finishes in four seasons (in large part due to lack of pitching), the Red Sox know they need to bring in some proven arms while Breslow figures out the farm. He’ll need to deviate from Bloom’s track record of short-term deals for veteran arms coming off injuries or in the waning years their careers, and actually part with a bundle of prospects in a trade or fork over a big contract to someone like Aaron Nola.
Which leads back to Ohtani. Should the Red Sox be the ones to sign him? Obviously, he’s Shohei Ohtani. Having him in Boston automatically refills the seats, which have been at record lows the last two years. That said, the Red Sox need starting pitching more than anything, and elbow surgery – his second since coming to the Majors in 2018 – will keep Ohtani off the mound in 2024. Doing it all is what makes him such a unique marvel. It also means signing him is an enormous, expensive risk.
Meanwhile, what about Juan Soto? He’s the biggest name on the trade market, but is he a fit for the Red Sox?
Cerullo: I touched on Soto in a recent column, but to put it simply, yes. Soto is a genuine superstar and boasts arguably the best combination of power and plate discipline we’ve seen in baseball since Barry Bonds. He’d instantly transform the Red Sox lineup and if they got him it would immediately flip the narrative that the organization is unwilling to invest in premium talent.
MLB Notes: Trading for Juan Soto would be risky, but Red Sox should still do it
There are others the Red Sox could get who'd make a major impact. You mentioned Nola, Japan's Yoshinobu Yamamoto is another, but are there any less obvious players you think could be interesting possibilities for this club? Either an under-the-radar free agent or an outside-the-box trade candidate?
Starr: My concern with trading for Soto is that it will require giving up a lot for what is likely a short-term rental. He only has one year of club control left, but the Padres’ asking price will be higher due the exclusive negotiating rights that come with him.
However, Soto is a Scott Boras client, which almost guarantees he’ll decide test free agency next year. As talented as he is, if the Padres ask for too much, the Red Sox should let another team give it up. They have promising outfield talent with far more club control, and should focus on their real areas of need.
What do you think about pursuing a reunion with Eduardo Rodriguez? The Red Sox already know he can handle pitching in Boston, and he and Breslow were teammates way back when.
Cerullo: I don't hate the idea, but he wouldn't be my choice personally. I'd rather Yamamoto or Nola, and if not them my preference would be a trade for someone like Corbin Burnes or George Kirby rather than signing a Blake Snell or Rodriguez type to a huge deal.
Beyond the big ticket items, a smaller deal I'd be interested in is a one-year deal for someone like Whit Merrifield. The Red Sox could use an upgrade at second base, and adding a short-term veteran who won't block Marcelo Mayer seems like a better plan than relying on Pablo Reyes and Enmanuel Valdez.
To put a bow on it, Breslow's going to have a lot on his plate this winter. Besides what we've covered, there's also the matter of Alex Verdugo and Justin Turner's future in Boston, potential contract extensions for Triston Casas and Brayan Bello, and who will become Boston's new pitching and third base coaches.
No matter what happens, these next few months are going to be interesting.
