MLB Notebook: Red Sox take step forward as Craig Breslow pivots to offseason, critical roster decisions loom, and a look around the league

The Red Sox had an early exit from the postseason, losing Game 3 of the American League Wild Card to their archrivals, the New York Yankees.

As the Red Sox embark on the offseason, it feels like for the first time in a long time, the organization is heading in the right direction. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made key moves last winter to position his team to make the postseason for the first time since 2021. As Boston opens this offseason, Breslow’s roster is young and imperfect, built on athleticism, homegrown talent, and a sense of cohesion that had been missing recently.

If Breslow wants to see the Red Sox make a deep postseason run, he must build upon a roster that went 89-73, which was competitive for third place in the American League East.

WHAT’S UP WITH ALEX BREGMAN?

The first task on Breslow’s offseason checklist is to figure out if All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman will be back for 2026. Bregman can opt out of his three-year, $120 million deal he signed with the Red Sox prior to the season and test free agency.

Bregman was asked about his future in Boston minutes after the Red Sox were eliminated from the postseason, but he wouldn't say what he would do next.

“Not even thinking about that at all right now. Thinking about the game that just happened,” Bregman said. "I’m gonna think about this game and the guys in the room and start my offseason. Get after it and become a better baseball player."

Bregman was the last player to remain in his Red Sox uniform, sitting at his locker, staring blankly into his phone for minutes after he spoke with the media. As he began to process the tough Game 3 loss, there was one quote from his postgame scrum that stood out the most.

"It was an honor to wear this jersey," Bregman said. It's difficult to infer what a player is thinking when they're in the raw moment, but he certainly could have sent a subliminal message to the Sox' front office. 

According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, “it’s a near certainty that Bregman will opt out and test free agency.”

The 31-year-old had a productive first season in Boston, hitting .299 with 11 home runs, 35 RBI, and a .938 OPS in 51 games before a right quad strain sidelined him for seven weeks. After returning on July 11, Bregman hit .250 with seven homers, 27 RBI, and a .724 OPS over his final 63 games.

There is concern that, as Bregman ages, he may not be able to stay on the field for a full season. In his first year with the Sox, he became an instant leader in the locker room; players want him back, and it feels like the two sides will reunite on the new deal.

If the Sox are unable to bring Bregman back, Breslow can dip into free agency and spend some of the Rafael Devers money on Mets first baseman Pete Alonso or Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber. Both players would significantly enhance the Red Sox' lineup. The Sox were lacking a reliable power hitter in the middle of their lineup, and either player instantly fills that void.

STORY IN OR OUT?

Trevor Story can also opt out of his deal this winter, but based off his injuries the last handful of seasons, it seems unlikely he would find a deal that will pay him more than what he’s getting with the Red Sox.

Story has two years and $55 million remaining on his six-year, $140 million contract he signed in 2022. If Story were to opt out, the Sox can void that decision by tacking on an extra year (2028) and will pay him an extra $20 million.

The 32-year-old opted out; the Red Sox could pencil Marcelo Mayer as their everyday shortstop. There are still questions surrounding Mayer and his durability. He has finished each of the last three seasons on the injured list with different ailments. If Story opts in, Mayer could slide to second base or even battle with Kristian Campbell as to who should be the everyday second baseman.

Story is a prime candidate to win the American League Comeback Player of the Year award, following a healthy and productive 2025 season. He led the team in home runs (25), RBI (96), and stolen bases (31).

Boston could offer him a new extension to avoid him opting out of his deal or just bring him back in free agency. Story was one of the few productive players last season, and losing him would leave Breslow with another hole to fill.

LUCAS GIOLITO’S STATUS

Breslow also needs to decide what to do with right-hander Lucas Giolito. The veteran was one of the three top starters for the Sox this season, behind Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello. He showed flashes of brilliance, stretches where he struggled as he came back from internal brace surgery on his right elbow.

Boston lost Giolito for the postseason when he suffered an injury to his right elbow. Giolito flew to Alabama to consult with Dr. Jeffrey Dugas, the surgeon who had performed his elbow surgery in March '24. Giolito received a “pretty interesting” diagnosis, revealing he does not have another UCL injury, which was his “first fear.” Giolito’s UCL was intact, but his flexor was “very irritated,” and there was an issue with the bone near the area where he had the internal brace procedure last year.

“The good news is that structurally everything was checked out and good, which was, I guess, a small relief in a very unfortunate situation,” he said. “But as it was described to me—I’m not a doctor—in layman’s terms, my flexor is very irritated. And there’s like—at this point it’s hard for me to describe; it’s like weird stuff going on with my bone. So yeah, I mean, it’s one of those things where I was told, you know, you got to stop throwing and let it calm down… (No UCL injury) was a big relief, but it doesn’t really make up for where we’re at right now.”

When healthy, he was a stabilizing force in the Red Sox rotation and could be used toward the back end in 2026. At 31, he’s not over the hill, but concerns over injury issues with his pitching elbow might be the reason Breslow opts to move on in the winter.

Boston has invested heavily in developing its next generation of pitchers. Connelly Early emerged as a potential starter next season. Payton Tolle, Hunter Dobbins, David Sandlin, and Luis Perales are on the rise. The front office might prefer to spend resources on acquiring Joe Ryan and slot him behind Crochet in the rotation or use Giolito’s potential salary slot for bullpen reinforcements and lineup upgrades.

PLAYERS ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AGENCY

The Sox have a small list of players who will become free agents this winter. Left-handed relievers Justin Wilson and Steven Matz, righty Dustin May, and veteran leader Rob Refsnyder will test the free agent market.

Of that list of players, Wilson and Refsnyder are prime candidates to return to the Red Sox next season. Both players served well in their roles out of the bullpen and as a left-handed masher off the bench.

Wilson posted a 3.35 ERA and was Alex Cora’s top lefty option out of the bullpen not named Aroldis Chapman.

Refsnyder crushed lefties, hitting .302/.399/.560, and his leadership in the locker room, makes him a favorite amongst players.

40-MAN ROSTER DECISIONS

The Sox have 10 players on the 60-day injured list, and most will need to be added within five days of the end of this year’s World Series.

Decisions on Kutter Crawford, Hunter Dobbins, Luis Guerrero, Tanner Houck, Patrick Sandoval, Josh Winckowski, Triston Casas, Vaughn Grissom, Mayer, and Liam Hendriks will need to be made.

Hendriks is not expected back next season; Grissom is a prime DFA candidate, unless he’s traded. Another DFA candidate is Winckowski, who missed a chunk of the season with right elbow inflammation.

Sandlin is expected to be added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft in December.

To make room for some of the other players listed, the Red Sox could also designate several players for assignment, with likely candidates to start including Jose De Leon, Isaiah Campbell, and Jovani Moran.

The Sox could non-tender Nathaniel Lowe, who is in line to earn more than $10 million next season.

TRADE JARREN DURAN?

One area of the team the Sox need to address is their crowded outfield. Breslow will have to make a hard decision as he reshapes his roster while dealing with the overflowing outfield depth chart: it might be time to trade Jarren Duran.

The speedy outfielder has been a bright spot the last two seasons. Following years of inconsistency and questions about his mental makeup, he matured into a legitimate weapon—a catalyst at the top of the order and a spark plug in the clubhouse. His speed electrified Fenway Park, and his gap power turned doubles into instant momentum swings.

Baseball isn’t sentimental, and Breslow will need to be strategic with his players.

Ceddanne Rafaela is a future Gold Glove winner in center field, giving Boston a defensive gem and an equally dynamic presence. Roman Anthony was a critical piece to their lineup before he went down with an oblique injury in September. Wilyer Abreu proved he belongs at the major league level and could win another Gold Glove in right field. And lurking in the background is Jhostynxon Garcia, but he could be a trade candidate.

Breslow could look to get incredibly creative and trade Masataka Yoshida. He has two years left of his five-year, $90 million deal the Sox paid him in December 2022. If Casas isn't ready for the regular season, Yoshida could be a DH, and no one in the league wants to take on any part of his contract.

Boston has gone from having depth to congestion.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

- The Texas Rangers have a new manager, hiring Skip Schumaker as their new skipper, agreeing to a four-year contract with the former 2023 National League Manager of the Year.

Texas announced Schumaker’s new deal on the heels of team president of baseball operations, Chris Young, acknowledging that his team was focused on an internal candidate to replace Bruce Bochy.

Schumaker had been with the Rangers organization since November. The 45-year-old had previously been the dugout leader of the Marlins, where he led the Fish to an 84-78 record in 2023. Bochy had agreed prior to the start of the MLB postseason to step away as the manager of the Rangers following an 81-81 record.

- In his very first at-bat of the American League Division Series against the Yankees, Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. belted his first career postseason homer, a towering shot over the left field wall.

The Blue Jays pummeled the Yankees in Game 1, 10-1, marking Toronto’s first postseason win since Game 4 of the 2016 ALCS. It was Guerrero Jr.’s first homer since Sept. 5, and the Jays' $500-million man is beginning to heat up at the right time.

- Alejandro Kirk picked the perfect night to have the game of his life. The quiet, steady Blue Jays catcher became the unexpected hero of October, blasting two home runs in the win over the Yankees. 

“Huge, huge. This means a lot to me,” Kirk said through a club interpreter. “To my teammates, to my family, and I believe, as an organization, it was a great victory. I feel like we really need this victory tonight.”

- Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio had three hits and three RBI in Game 1’s 9-3 win over the Cubs at American Family Field. The young outfielder was injured in Game 1; slow to get up following a double, he walked gingerly back to the Brewers clubhouse.

The club announced later that Chourio had an MRI, though its results were not immediately known. He missed most of August with a strain of that same injured hamstring, which he suffered in a game against the Cubs on July 29.

"Obviously, it's real scary," skipper Pat Murphy said. “Having that same hamstring injury to the same leg, we're hoping that it's something he can come back from soon. We have no idea when that would be. He's just getting out of the tube right now. We'll have somebody look at it. Could be devastating.”

- The Tigers took Game 1 of the ALDS over the Mariners, 3-2 in extra innings on Saturday. Detroit has a chance to take a commanding 2-0 series lead with ace Tarik Skubal on the mound for Game 2.

“I love it. I love the environment. It's what you prepare for. It's what you work for. It's why you do the things you do in the offseason,” Skubal said Friday prior to Game 1 of the ALDS. “It's all for moments like this. To just go play baseball on the biggest stage [and] to go out and compete and win a championship. It's why I do what I do. It's all the motivation that I need.

“Winning is everything to me, so it's a great opportunity to go out and compete and show that all the work you've put in is worth it for moments like this.”

- The Dodgers took Game 1 of the ALDS versus the Phillies in front of a raucous crowd at Citizens Bank Park. Shohei Ohtani went six innings, allowing three hits and three runs, with one walk and nine strikeouts.

Teoscar Hernandez crushed a Matt Strahm fastball for a three-run homer in the top of the seventh.

“Thank God, it went out of the park,” he said in Spanish. “And we were able to take the lead in the game.”

- Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw will pitch out of the bullpen in the NLDS.

- The Mets overhauled their coaching staff, firing pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez; third base coach Mike Sarbaugh also won't return, bench coach John Gibbons resigned from his role, and catching coach Glenn Sherlock retired.