Red Sox Winter Meetings: Ketel Marte Talks Heat Up, Pete Alonso Sit-Down, Bo Bichette on Zoom, and Bryan Mata Bound for Japan

The first official day of the Winter Meetings in Orlando has been anticlimactic, with no major free-agent signings or blockbuster trades shaking loose. But the Red Sox remain active behind the scenes as Craig Breslow continues to push for offensive upgrades and roster clarity.

Boston remains in hot pursuit of Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, having held early-stage trade talks, according to MassLive.

Arizona isn’t actively shopping the three-time All-Star. With Marte owed just $101 million over the next five seasons, he’s considered one of baseball’s most team-friendly contracts. His bat, track record, and age (32) make him a prime fit for the Diamondbacks to leverage into controllable pitching, especially as they look to rebuild a thinned-out rotation.

Marte would immediately solve Boston’s revolving door at second base. He’s coming off a stretch of elite production—36 home runs in 2024, followed by 28 last year—and owns a career .823 OPS with three seasons above .900. A switch-hitter with contact skills, power, and postseason success, he checks every offensive box for a Red Sox lineup desperate for a true middle-order force.

For the first time in years, Boston can deal from a position of pitching depth. With Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo already in the fold, the Sox can entertain offers involving young arms—either prospects or current big leaguers like Kutter Crawford or Hunter Dobbins—to pry loose a bat of Marte’s caliber. The Sox would need to pony up a top pitching prospect along with one of the arms named for Marte. 

Boston is far from alone, though. MassLive reports three or four other teams remain involved in the Marte sweepstakes.

SCHWARBER HOLDING UP THE HITTERS MARKET

A major storyline league-wide: the free-agent hitter market continues to be slowed by Kyle Schwarber, who’s weighing offers. The Phillies and Schwarber remain in a holding pattern, with MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki noting that one source expects Philadelphia to ultimately outbid all suitors—including the Red Sox, Mets, Reds, and Pirates.

Phillies president Dave Dombrowski made it clear a resolution is needed soon:

“We want those guys to know how much we respect them… But there’s a timeframe. At some point, you need to move things forward.”

Boston has interest in Schwarber, but not at the expense of other major upgrades. Breslow reiterated that landing one impact bat will open the door for more creative solutions to bolster the lineup.

“Home runs are a foolproof way to put runs on the board,” he said. “The true middle-of-the-order bat has outsized impact… and we’re going to consider all ways of improving the team.”

ALONSO TO MEET WITH THE SOX

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports the Red Sox will meet with Pete Alonso on Tuesday.

Boston’s interest is real, but contingent on landing one of their preferred free-agent bats first. Alonso, coming off another 40-homer season, would give Boston a franchise-level slugger but also complicate positional flexibility—especially if paired with Bo Bichette or another defensively limited infielder.

KYLE TEEL BACK TO BOSTON?

One of the more unexpected rumors: Kyle Teel, the centerpiece prospect Boston traded for Garrett Crochet, is reportedly a trade candidate—and the Red Sox have shown interest in a reunion.

Chicago, armed with both Teel and Edgar Quero, could move one of their young catchers to address roster needs. Teel would share duties with Carlos Narváez, making Connor Wong expendable.

Boston has quietly been stockpiling catching depth this winter, acquiring Ronny Hernández, Luke Heyman, and Adonys Guzman in separate deals. 

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BO-LIVE

(Yes, I used a WWE drop there, it's a slow Monday night.)

The Red Sox held a Zoom meeting with Bichette, per 7 News’ Ari Alexander. Bichette could be considered one of Boston’s top Plan B options if Alex Bregman signs elsewhere.

Contract projections range from five to eight years, and the cost won’t be light. Bichette, 28, is a two-time All-Star coming off a season in which he hit .311 with 18 homers, 94 RBI, and an .840 OPS. He’s received MVP votes in four of the last five years.

The defensive fit is the biggest hurdle. Bichette posted a -13 Outs Above Average last season—the second-worst mark in MLB. Boston could theoretically hide him at second base, but pairing a below-average Bichette with Alonso would create a shaky right side of the infield. Positional creativity—moving Bichette or Marcelo Mayer between 2B/3B—would be necessary.

Still, the bat plays. And Boston needs bats.

MATA OFF TO JAPAN

Red Sox free-agent pitcher Bryan Mata will pitch in Japan in 2026, a league source tells Boston Sports Journal.

Mata had interest from 24 teams between MLB and overseas leagues but opted for guaranteed money and a stable role in Japan, where he’ll look to rebuild his value.

Once one of Boston’s most electric pitching prospects, Mata struggled with Triple-A Worcester in 2024, posting a 5.48 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, and 93 strikeouts in 67⅓ innings. Injuries derailed what once looked like a fast-track profile.

Japan offers innings, a rotation spot, and a reset button.

REFSNYDER MARKET FORMING

Boston and Rob Refsnyder have mutual interest in a reunion, but multiple teams are in the mix, and the 34-year-old could land a two-year deal.

Refsnyder has been a respected clubhouse presence and is beloved internally. Losing him would create a leadership void that Breslow acknowledged:

“Both of those guys were leaders… and had a profound impact on the younger players.”

But he also noted opportunities for others—including Trevor Story and or even the younger players in the clubhouse like Roman Anthony—to take on larger leadership roles.