The Boston Red Sox have had an interesting offseason so far. While they’ve upgraded their rotation by trading for Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, their lineup remains incomplete, especially with Alex Bregman still unsigned.
They’ve made several trades, but the Red Sox have not made any moves in free agency. They and the Colorado Rockies are the only teams that have yet to sign a Major League free agent this winter.
Accordingly, they appear to be falling behind in the AL East. The Baltimore Orioles now have one of the best lineups in baseball after trading for Taylor Ward and signing Pete Alonso. Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays bolstered their rotation by signing Dylan Cease.
On Tuesday, MLB Network’s Dan Plesac made an alarming prediction for where Boston will finish in the standings next year.
Plesac has the Red Sox finishing last in the AL East in 2026 after finishing third this year, believing the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays will pass them and the Blue Jays will finish first again.
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Based on the current state of Boston’s roster, Plesac’s prediction isn’t unreasonable. While the Red Sox have good pitching depth, their lineup has major holes in it without Bregman and Rafael Devers.
In Boston’s defense, its offseason remains a work in progress. The Red Sox could still bring Bregman back and add another bat, either via trade or free agency. If they do that, their roster will look considerably stronger.
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Boston still has work to do, but there’s plenty of time to do it.
Featured image via Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
