CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Alex Cora #13 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 06, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
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The Boston Red Sox enjoyed a return to the playoffs this past season thanks in large part to an aggressive winter of acquisitions. And now the team’s executives have been urged to take the same approach again.
The Red Sox brought in Alex Bregman, Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Crochet and others before last season began and, even after cutting ties with franchise slugger Rafael Devers, the talent was good enough to earn a postseason berth. But after a short-lived wild card round that ended in defeat to the New York Yankees, the team’s manager is calling for more.
“Stay aggressive,” manager Alex Cora said when asked what he’d like to see the Red Sox do this offseason during an appearance on “Foul Territory.” “Playing three games in October is not good enough for us. Yeah, we got a taste, we got back to the playoffs, but honestly, from my end, it feels like we didn’t actually play it. It was so short, right? Yeah, it was a great accomplishment getting back, but we have to get better.”
Without an aggressive approach, the Red Sox could get worse this winter after Bregman opted out of his contract to test free agency again. The team will need to commit a significant slice of the payroll if they hope to retain him.
“Bregman left two years at $40 million a pop on the table when he opted out,” Mike Axisa noted for CBS Sports. “Six years and $150 million is about what Bregman and (agent Scott) Boras can seek this offseason.”
And in addition to fortifying the third base position, Cora noted a pair of other clear needs that he wants the team’s front office to address via free agent signings or trades.
“We want to be better from the mound, trying to get somebody we can pair up with (Brayan) Bello and Crochet,” Cora added during the “Foul Territory” segment. “And offensively, we have to improve. We have some holes, we showed it last year toward the end, and hopefully we can do that.”
On the pitching side, there are several frontline starters currently fielding offers in free agency, including Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez. With a deep farm system, the Red Sox could also look to bring in a new starter via trade, with the Minnesota Twins’ Joe Ryan a potential fit.
And, offensively, veteran slugger options on the free agent market include Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso.
It seems likely that Cora will be happy if the front office is able to bring in a couple of those veteran players and reset toward a deeper playoff run for next season.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterchawaga/2025/11/19/red-sox-skipper-sends-message-to-front-office-not-good-enough/
