BOSTON – By making his first strike of the offseason last week by acquiring solid righty starter Sonny Gray in a trade with the Cardinals, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is now in position to go full speed ahead in his pursuit of the club’s biggest need with a week to go before the Winter Meetings start in Orlando, Fla.
Quite simply, the Red Sox need a big power bat to plant in the middle of their batting order. It is time for Boston to replace Rafael Devers, the team’s erstwhile star slugger who was traded to the Giants on June 15.
Fortunately for the Red Sox, the perfect candidate just happens to be on the free-agent market.
His name is Pete Alonso and his main skill is hitting home runs. Over the last seven seasons, only two players in the Majors (Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber) have hit more baseballs over the fence than the 264 belted by Alonso.
Speaking of Schwarber, he is Boston’s second-best option in free agency for getting a certifiable home run hitter.
In fact, Schwarber had a good experience in Boston playing there for the final two months of the 2021 regular season and a deep postseason run that stretched to Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
“I think someone who is a threat who can hit in the middle of the order and can lengthen our lineup is going to be something we’re going to pursue,” said Breslow. “That is absolutely a path to improving our team.”
While Red Sox fans would certainly be excited by the addition of Alonso or Schwarber, the man known as the Polar Bear appears to be the better fit at this point for a few reasons.
With Fenway Park’s Green Monster standing just 310 feet from home plate – and looking even closer to the opposing pitcher – Alonso’s right-handed bat looms as large as his listed physique of 6-3 and 245 pounds.
If the Red Sox are successful in their pursuit of the big first baseman, patrons should park their cars at the lot behind the Green Monster at their own risk. This is a man who possesses the definition of parking lot power.
Alonso is seemingly as strong a fit at Fenway as Schwarber, backed by his lefty power bat, has been at Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies the last four seasons.
It isn’t just the park factor. Boston’s lineup has been lefty tilted the last three seasons, making the club too easy to game-plan for teams with opposing lefty starters. With no guarantee the Sox will re-sign Alex Bregman, their best right-handed bat last year, it’s vital the club get someone like Alonso.
Defensive flexibility/age
When it comes to Alonso and Schwarber, neither will be signed for their glove. However, Schwarber is more of a DH only type at this stage, having played just eight games in the outfield last season. Alonso made 159 of his 161 starts at first base in ‘25.
With Triston Casas on the mend from the surgically repaired patellar tendon in his left knee and possibly in play for Opening Day, the Sox could have the option of rotating Alonso between first and DH. Alonso is also two years younger than Schwarber, meaning he might be safer to project production from over the course of a free-agent contract.
In a world with Schwarber, manager Alex Cora wouldn’t be able to do that much maneuvering at the DH spot. Cora likes to mix some of his regulars at times to get them off their feet.
Alonso received the qualifying offer from the Mets last offseason, which means he wasn’t eligible to get it again this winter. That means it would be a straight cash transaction for the Red Sox with no draft compensation required. On the other hand, Schwarber did get the QO from the Phillies, so his signing team would be responsible for getting the Phillies a compensatory pick.
