Craig Breslow claims he sees what you and I see as obvious, Red Sox fans.
“I think it’s fair to say that in some respects, maybe the roster is a bit incomplete,” Breslow told MassLive.com this week.
You don’t say…
Breslow is, of course, referring to Boston’s inability to land that all-important right-handed bat. But don’t you worry, Sox Nation, Breslow remains on the case and is “ going to continue to work really hard to try to round it out.”
The irony here is that CB and Co. have been working hard… when they could have (and should have) been working smart. How does one in Breslow’s position work smart? Try throwing a pile a money at a good player…
Even though Breslow was quick to point out that “the offseason is still underway” (which is true, but is kind of like saying the game hasn’t been decided yet when Patrick Mahomes inevitably gets the ball back today down a score in the final minute…), the options have dwindled.
Juan Soto is long gone. Pete Alonso is off the board now, too (on a deal that effectively boils down to one year and $30 million, which for the record the Sox could have matched and remained well under the luxury tax threshold…). Alex Bregman feels increasingly unlikely with each passing day. Nolan Arenado off the scrap heap it is, then?
Maybe Breslow pulls a rabbit out of his hat and finds a way to trade for a talented righty bat that isn’t even on our radar. But… it’s just so tiring to say day after day, week after week. It’s just not a winning way of doing business to wait until the last minute and still expect a date for the dance.
I’m tired of it. You’re all tired of it. It’s just not fun anymore…
Nolan watch
Speaking of Arenado, a couple of updates there…
The soon-to-be-former Cardinals third baseman teased Sox fans by posting a video on Instagram of Manny Ramirez hitting a homer. No context, just Manny being Manny… which, hey, we all can appreciate.
Nolan Arenado’s IG story is just a random Manny Ramirez homer with no context? pic.twitter.com/IiffMgatEO
— Boston Sports Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) February 8, 2025
There have been plenty of rumblings that Arenado would welcome a trade to Boston, which would solve the right-handed hitter dilemma (kinda, sorta… as I wrote this week). But he’s also left plenty of other low-hanging fruit for fans to take and run with this offseason, including posts alluding to his hometown Dodgers.
So what would it take for the Sox to land Arenado?
Well, apparently, money.
The team that wins the Arenado sweepstakes will almost certainly be the one that’s willing to absorb most of his existing contract, according to the reporting of Cards reporter John Denton of MLB.com. Arenado is owed $21 million in 2025 and $52 million total remaining on his deal.
Perhaps we can interest you in Masataka Yoshida, St. Louis…?
So, let me get this straight. The reason Breslow and the Sox front office haven’t completed their offseason is not because they don’t have the money to fill their top remaining need, but because they’re trying to figure out how to spend as little money as possible to do it…
Bregman? Too expensive. Arenado? Too expensive.
It’s almost like it’s expensive to have baseball players. Who would have known?
In fairness, Arenado is definitely the fail-safe move if (when) Bregman gets too fed up and goes back to Houston in all likelihood. Until that domino falls, I could understand teams would be hesitant to make a move for a lesser player in Arenado when the chance of signing a better one still remains.
Again, it’s all so frustrating…
Yoshi’s still hurt
And speaking of Yoshida, the news isn’t all too encouraging…
Boston’s seemingly un-tradable designated hitter is still dealing with the fallout from his shoulder surgery back in October and may not be ready by Opening Day, according to The Athletic.
Great, just great…
I’ve been consistent in saying that I believe Yoshida has *some* value, primarily as a contact hitter. But it’s clear he never become the multi-tooled hitter the team hoped he would be, and he’s unplayable in the outfield.
He’s a one-trick pony, and unfortunately, that one trick isn’t valued that much in today’s game.
Now we’re dealing with a situation where a player the Sox don’t really want, don’t really need as a left-handed hitter, and who hasn’t developed any trade market… now may not even be able to suit up for you to provide what little help he can in the lineup.
I mentioned it in passing in this week’s BSJ Live Q&A, but I’m really starting to believe there’s a growing possibility Yoshida could just be DFA’d.
Tough, tough contract…
Close call?
One closer? Close by committee? If you listen to Andrew Bailey, it sounds like the Red Sox don’t have a surefire plan for the ninth inning just yet…
Boston’s pitching coach indicated in an interview with MassLive.com this week that the team’s closer “will be determined by performance, by health, and by the ability to bounce back.”
In his eyes, it’s a positive that the options — he mentions Liam Hendriks and Aroldis Chapman by name for the competition — are multiple. In my eyes? That just means you don’t have one guy good enough to run away with the job.
And for what it’s worth, Bailey believes “there are going to be multiple guys in our bullpen with saves.”
I believe both Hendriks and Chapman are capable of having productive seasons, but let’s not pretend that either is in their prime anymore.
Good options to have, and given his tenure with the organization (and likability) I would give the edge to Hendriks going into the season…
