Predicting The 2025 Opening Day Roster

If it’s indeed likely that Duran had an anomalous year and the Red Sox should try to cash in on his value now, wouldn’t other front offices be wise to this and not offer as much in a potential trade? As you say, teams aren’t dumb—in fact, they have far more information and expertise than we have. If they value him the same as you (or the Red Sox), then there’s no longer any value in getting rid of him.

SS needs a better arm than a 3B does. SS actually has a longer throw if they go to their right into the OF.

Cardinals seem like a natural trading partner w Chaim stepping up, knowing our system, and signing and trading for a couple players he has seemed to like and who are movable for the Sox: Yoshida and Abreu. Cardinals looking to cut payroll and get younger: Perhaps Sox can exchange contracts of Gray for Yoshida, and move Abreu (finally the Cards getting a young OF rather than trading their good ones!) for Helsley. Something like Yoshida, Abreu, Z. Kelly, L. Guerrero for Gray and Helsley. Sox accomplish a few goals with this: get a high-end starter, get a good reliever, open up positions for right-handed bats (and 40-man slots). I have more ideas for other moves to complete the line-up/roster, but one deal like this could get the ball rolling.

This really isn't accurate.  Gray was very good in 6 of is last 9 starts.  What did him in was a really bad July.  The injury is always a concern, but he just posted the highest K% and lowest B% of his career. 

I think Bregman's ultimately going reel in something along the lines of what Chapman got with his extension this year, 6/151M maybe even exactly what Chapman got between this extension and last years FA contract which ultimately added up to 7/169. Either way if he's getting something in that type of ballpark it would be a hard pass. Honestly probably a hard pass in just about any scenario from me on Bregman, just don't like the fit as I don't see Devers getting moved off 3rd base yet so it doesn't add up to me. 

In a vacuum Vlad Jr is simply better than Casas. He plays every day and is only a year older while Casas missed a chunk of time this year and has never even in the minors sniffed .323 as an average and Vlad launched 48 a few years back and I wouldnt be surprised if he tops 40 again.

But yeah, the price difference, which should be spent on pitching unless the Sox actually plan on opening the budget that wide which I doubt.

The reason why Vlad gets brought up is because of Breslow's continued and correctly pointed out stance that the Sox are too LH and slant even more lefty in the near future as 3 of the big 4 and even the switch hitting Montgonery are really lefties.

So plan A is to retain O'Neill. For 1 year, great. Multiple years with him would make me nervous. His numbers were pretty good but I personally didnt think he was super impactful. He drove himself in more than his teammates which was kind of weird.

In a perfect world Casas and Vlad coexist as teammates in 2026.

At some point the Sox need to stop with their 1 year RH bopper rentals from Renfroe to Duvall to O'Neill. They need a RH power hitting cleanup fixture in the middle of the lineup. My guess is that Campbell and Grissom fit more as table setters, although Campbell could surprise on the big power department.

But they need that anchor like JD Martinez or Manny. And Vladdy is as close as they come. I dont see aging 3b like Bregman and Arenado as great solutions, not do I see Story really reclaiming the big bopper status he had in Colorado, so when Breslow keeps harping on the need for a RH bat, that's why Vlad Jr comes up.

In an ideal world O'Neill accepts the QO and leaves after a year and the Sox upgrade to Vlad, a complete hitter than just a HR or nothing low average hitter.

But I do wonder if Breslow does make a multiyear deal, one that makes us glad to retain O'Neill but makes us skittish when he gets injured and that contributes to him hitting .215 in 100 games with 15 HRs, and we wish they'd do better.

If O'Neill goes elsewhere I wonder if Breslow turns to Goldschmidt for a year, assuming maybe dubiously that he can trade Yoshida with the intent of Goldschmidt filling the bill for a season, king of like a Turner, if the plan is to go all on 26 on Vlad.

I agree with redsox04071318champs last (long) post 100%. Thanks for saving me the effort of typing (or stringing together my own coherent thought).

If Boras is adamant on 200M+ in a contract for bregman and stays as steadfast as he did with Chapman last year then he may end up getting burnt like Chapman did last year. Now it worked out for Chapman in the end getting that extension now but he had to gamble to get it.

C: Wong
1B: Casas
2B: Grissom, unless outplayed by Campbell in ST
SS: Story
3B: Bregman/Devers
LF: Refsynder, possibly Campbell, maybe Bregman in a pinch--beginning Alex Gordon-type transition
CF: Rafaela
RF: Duran
DH: Devers/Bregman
If/when Anthony is ready, he goes to RF, Duran to LF, Refsynder to bench

Bench: Hamilton, Romy, Sogard/Meidroth/Grissom/Ref. 2nd catcher (strong defensively) as placeholder for Teel later in year: perhaps via trade of Bernardino or Winckowski.

SP:
Sonny Gray
Houck
Bello
Giolitto
Crawford
Depth: Criswell, Fitts, Priester

RP:
Ryan Helsley
Slaten
Hendriks
Fullmer
Whitlock (would love to see him as 2-3 inning guy every 3rd/4th game)
Criswell (long-man)
Penrod
Booser
Still a fair amount of AAA depth with Weissert, Shugart, Isaiah Campbell

Gray and Helsley acquired for Abreu, Yoshida, Zack Kelly (though Cora seems to love him), L Guerrero

Gray is only 2-year commitment. Bregman probably going to get 7 years, $175M-$203M. Bregman very polarizing w some downsides including cost but the pros: veteran leadership w tons of playoff experience who probably handles the pressure of Boston (a potential risk w Gray), good defense, RH-bat who could play pepper w the Monster, could even back-up SS in a pinch (Rafaela should not move off CF). Rotating Bregman through DH perhaps appeases Devers,
while Bregman at 3B preserves Devers a bit.

If you can't get Gray or other top-flight starter like Fried in free agency, then go hard after Tanner Scott and make the bullpen dominant like the Guardians this year. If not able to get top starter and going w power bullpen approach w someone like Scott, then you could bring Pivetta back as SP (and even RP).

I have always thought Bregman was "enhanced" There I said it. Wrong side of 30 so in a take it or leave it world, more inclined to leave it.