A World Collection champion has been topped, the entire possibility and opt-out selections have been resolved, and the Sizzling Range is formally heating up.
What’s going to the offseason have in retailer for the Purple Sox? We reply your questions in right now’s Purple Sox mailbag.
What are the worthwhile third base choices if they can not re-sign Alex Bregman? Marcelo Mayer appeared good filling in whereas Bregman was damage however he’s an damage threat. — @nhlefty on Bluesky
Mayer could be the highest inner candidate. He confirmed he can play the place at a excessive degree defensively however he’s additionally younger and, as you mentioned, accidents have been a difficulty for him all through his skilled profession.
If Bregman leaves, there aren’t many apparent options.
When it comes to free brokers, the one different third baseman who would meaningfully transfer the needle is Eugenio Suarez. The 34-year-old hit 49 dwelling runs with 118 RBI and an .824 OPS this previous season, so he’d assist deliver some badly wanted right-handed energy to the lineup, however he’d additionally symbolize a big downgrade defensively from each Bregman and Mayer.
The commerce market might provide some extra palatable prospects.
Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm is a former No. 3 general choose who’s coming off a decent season wherein he batted .287 with 11 dwelling runs and a .741 OPS. He’s additionally projected to earn $10.3 million in his remaining yr of arbitration this offseason, and given what number of mouths the Phillies need to feed it wouldn’t be a shock to see them transfer on from the 29-year-old.
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung is one other attention-grabbing identify who has been floated as a change of surroundings candidate. Jung is a former high prospect who helped lead the Rangers to the 2023 World Collection title as a rookie, however this previous season he didn’t take the step ahead the membership hoped he would as a 27-year-old in his third MLB season.
After all, the Purple Sox might all the time give outdated pal Chaim Bloom a name, because the Cardinals have a number of infielders they might be seeking to transfer. Brendan Donovan is thought to be one of many high infielders doubtless on the commerce market and would make an amazing addition for the Purple Sox, however there’s one other identify who will in all probability draw loads of dialogue this offseason.
I noticed a report that Nolan Arenado is now prepared to waive his no commerce clause. I personally don’t need him however do you suppose the Sox entertain these conversations? — Robert D.
One other yr, one other offseason of Nolan Arenado hypothesis.
Earlier than we get into the query of whether or not the Purple Sox would need him, a fast refresher. The Cardinals are getting into a multi-year rebuild and have already begun the method of buying and selling away established veterans in hopes of buying controllable younger expertise. St. Louis has been making an attempt to commerce Arenado as a part of these efforts since final winter, however so far they haven’t been capable of finding a suitable deal.
An enormous motive for the hold-up is Arenado’s contract, however going ahead that might be a lot much less of a difficulty.
Arenado now has solely two years, $31 million remaining on the eight-year, $260 million deal he initially signed in 2019 whereas nonetheless with the Colorado Rockies. The $16 million he’s due in 2026 will doubtless be near half of what Bregman is anticipated to earn yearly, so if Bregman leaves Arenado might symbolize a price-efficient various who may solely price a mid-level prospect or two to accumulate.
Would that be a path price taking?
On one hand, Arenado is a future Corridor of Famer and one of many biggest defensive third baseman in MLB historical past. Any clubhouse would profit from having a man with that sort of pedigree, and buying the 10-time Gold Glove winner would additionally imply reuniting him with Trevor Story, his shut pal and longtime former teammate in Colorado.
Then again, Arenado isn’t the participant he as soon as was. The 34-year-old’s OPS has declined in every of the previous three seasons and he’s now coming off the worst offensive season of his profession by a large margin. He batted .237 with 12 dwelling runs, 52 RBI and a below-average .666 OPS, and his Statcast metrics for each batting and baserunning ranked among the many worst within the league throughout the board. He additionally missed six weeks with a proper shoulder pressure, and his 107 video games performed have been the fewest he’s ever performed in a non-pandemic season.
So again to your query. Would the Purple Sox entertain these conversations? I believe they’d, however provided that they’d already struck out on Plans A, B and C.
Will Breslow be held accountable if neither Bregman nor Rafael Devers are on the roster in 2026 and so they miss the playoffs? — Justin H.
If Bregman isn’t introduced again and the Purple Sox miss the playoffs subsequent season, I can’t think about that may go over effectively with Breslow’s bosses.
Clearly the specifics shall be necessary. Do the Purple Sox miss the playoffs due to poor efficiency at third base, or due to the offense as an entire? Or wouldn’t it be as a result of a big regression among the many membership’s younger pitchers? The latter wouldn’t have something to do with Bregman however I imagine is each extra doubtless and would replicate a lot worse on Breslow, since pitching improvement is how he made his identify which explains why this yr’s membership was capable of get again to the postseason.
Both means, we now have an entire yr’s price of baseball to get via earlier than we have to concern ourselves with that. What’s the sense in placing Breslow on the recent seat due to a bunch of prospects that haven’t occurred?
Who do you suppose makes essentially the most sense for the Purple Sox to focus on as a beginning pitcher commerce goal? So far as profile and price to acquire and such? — Jeffrey M.
Joe Ryan is actually the identify we’ve heard linked to the Purple Sox most incessantly, and there are many the explanation why he would make sense.
The Minnesota Twins are in a full rebuild and by buying and selling Ryan they may doubtlessly restock their minor league system with a wealth of younger expertise. Ryan would even be interesting for the Purple Sox as a result of he has two years of staff management remaining, so if the membership have been prepared to half with a handful of younger pitchers it’s straightforward to think about a deal getting completed.
However what about another prospects?
Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore simply loved a breakout 2025 wherein he was named an All-Star for the primary time and struck out 185 batters over 159.2 innings. Like Ryan he additionally has two years of membership management remaining, and new Nationals boss Paul Toboni arguably is aware of the Purple Sox minor league system higher than anybody from his time as one in every of Boston’s assistant basic managers.
There may be additionally Pittsburgh Pirates righty Mitch Keller, who doesn’t have the identical upside as Ryan or Gore however has posted three straight seasons with greater than 175 innings and an ERA within the low 4.00 vary.
When it comes to prospect return the Purple Sox must surrender in a possible deal, final winter’s Crochet commerce might be a superb comparability. Crochet additionally had two years of staff management remaining on the time, and to get him the Purple Sox gave up 4 prospects, together with their 2023 and 2024 first-round alternatives.
The membership has extra younger large league expertise at its disposal than final yr together with extra pitching depth, so a possible deal this yr might embrace a participant from 4 distinct buckets. One, a controllable large league outfielder like Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu. Two, a younger starter with large league expertise like Hunter Dobbins, Kyle Harrison, Connelly Early or Payton Tolle. Three, a high-upside pitching prospect like Luis Perales, Brandon Clarke or one of many membership’s high draft picks from final summer season. Final, maybe a Single-A lottery ticket like Juan Valera or Yhoiker Fajardo, each of whom are years from the majors however might assist get a deal over the end line right now.
With all of the speak of a lockout getting into the 2027 season, do you suppose that may have an effect on the Purple Sox strategy to free brokers this offseason? — Todd C.
My guess is it gained’t have an effect on how the Purple Sox strategy free company, nevertheless it may affect how gamers do.
If there’s concern amongst free brokers {that a} lockout might be imminent, then there in all probability gained’t be as a lot of an urge for food for one-year offers. Gamers, particularly veterans like Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso or Lucas Giolito who’ve been free brokers earlier than, are going to need long-term monetary safety and the consolation of realizing they gained’t be left homeless within the sport for months on finish whereas gamers and homeowners struggle over the subsequent Collective Bargaining Settlement.
Maybe there are some who gained’t have a lot of a alternative, however for a man like former All-Star Zac Gallen, who’s coming off a tough platform yr and whose worth shall be additional depressed by a qualifying provide, a high-dollar, one-year prove-it deal just like the one Walker Buehler signed with Boston final offseason might have had some enchantment. Now, who is aware of?
So far as the Purple Sox go, they might want to swim in some deep waters in the event that they hope to make the upgrades that shall be essential to go from a Wild Card staff to a championship contender. Which means large, long-term offers for premium free brokers, and people guys are going to receives a commission whether or not there’s a lockout subsequent winter or not.
