Red Sox’s Alex Cora Gives Early Thoughts On 2026 Batting Order

Alex Cora offered some first impressions of how he could arrange the Boston Red Sox’s lineup card in 2026.

The Red Sox may be done adding after acquiring Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers last week. Cora has over a month to decide how to assemble a deep lineup lacking a true slugger.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday at Fort Myers, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, Cora indicated he likes first baseman Willson Contreras as his cleanup hitter. The top three may not be set, but he revealed which players will likely headline the lineup.

“Willson will be up there (fourth),” Cora said. “Roman will be up there, Jarren is part of it and Trevor has earned the right to hit at the top of the lineup.”

Cora moved Anthony into the leadoff role before the rookie outfielder suffered a season-ending oblique injury last September. The manager indicated that he still likes the 21-year-old as a table-setter, recalling the impact Mookie Betts made as Boston’s No. 1 hitter in 2018.

“He’s valuable anywhere…,” Cora said of Anthony. “Putting pressure on the opposition from pitch one, that matters, too. He was amazing for us leading off. That means he’s going to get the most at-bats of anybody. He’s that type of hitter.”

Duran shifted from leadoff to No. 3 after Anthony’s ascension last summer. He could reclaim that spot, with Story sandwiched between the two left-handed outfielders in a No. 2 hole occupied by Alex Bregman last year.

That means Durbin presumably won’t begin his Red Sox tenure in the heart of their batting order. Cora hinted that the infielder could bat sixth against right-handed pitchers.

“He can hit on top of the lineup, but he can give you length in the lineup,” Cora said of Durbin. “He’s a good player. He’s a good baserunner. Having him hit behind the lefty that hits behind Willson makes sense, but at the same time, we’ll see against lefties how it plays out. We’ll move him around.”

Wilyer Abreu would presumably fit Cora’s desire for a left-handed bat after Contreras at No. 5. That would send catcher Carlos Narváez and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela to the bottom third of the lineup alongside another starting infielder such as Marcelo Mayer, Isiah Kiner-Falefa or Romy Gonzalez.