Three Impact Bats Red Sox Should Pursue In Free Agency

The Boston Red Sox enter a momentous offseason as young foundational pieces, improved starting pitchers and impact prospects converge entering 2025. The right complimentary players in free agency should put Boston back into postseason content.

At the plate, right-handed power is the focus to balance out a left-handed heavy lineup and add some thump that plays at Fenway Park. Could that come from pending in-house free agents or external bats around the league?

Why not both?

Here’s three impact hitters that the Red Sox should pursue, or at least consider, in free agency.

Teoscar Hernández
Hernández came extremely close to joining the Red Sox a year ago, though he made a fine decision and won a World Series title with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a one-year deal.

The prove-it deal paid off for Hernández as a consistent contributor in the Los Angeles lineup. He hit .272 with 32 home runs and drove in 99 runs with a .840 OPS. That’s a perfect embodiment of what the Red Sox need in their lineup, particularly in the No. 3 hole to add right-handed pop and perfectly fill in between lefty sluggers Rafael Devers and Triston Casas.

Hernández and the Red Sox nearly made a deal last offseason and should revisit the connection again this time around.

Tyler O’Neill
The Red Sox acquired O’Neill from the St. Louis Cardinals last December. When he took the field for Boston in 2024, he mashed baseballs out of the park.

O’Neill slugged 31 home runs in just 113 games for Boston with a .847 OPS. The strikeout numbers were high for the power righty but his impact when he made contact certainly made up for that. O’Neill fit in well in the clubhouse and hit more than half of his home runs at Fenway Park. Familiarity in the order could factor into a potential reunion.

O’Neill told reporters at the conclusion of the regular season that there’s “mutual interest” with the Red Sox for a reunion.

Willy Adames
Adames would add plenty for the Red Sox around the infield.

The former Tampa Bay Ray has experience in the American League East and just hit more than 30 home runs for the second time in his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. Adames racked up 32 long balls to the tune of a .794 OPS in 2024. His defense is shaky, but the bat may be enough to intrigue the Red Sox if they believe he has versatility.