Six Options For Red Sox That Don’t Include Alex Bregman, Nolan Arenado

“Truck Day” is only one week away, and the Red Sox still have an opportunity to make at least one more big move.

Ideally, signing Alex Bregman would be that transaction. The All-Star would give Boston a boost in the infield and give it some pop in the lineup as a right-handed bat. Nolan Arenado would be a solid backup plan, too.

However, you always need contingency plans. What if the Red Sox don’t land Bregman or Arenado? These six options should be available to them.

Ha-seong Kim
Kim remains a free agent despite being one of the top defensive infielders in baseball. That’s likely because he underwent shoulder surgery near the end of the 2024 season and his status for Opening Day 2025 is in doubt. Still, when healthy, Kim is a versatile team-first player who raises the floor of your defense, something Boston really needed the last two seasons. His offense is average but playing at Fenway Park could give him a small boost.

Seiya Suzuki
Suzuki potentially could have been a Juan Soto backup plan. The 30-year-old adapted well to MLB and his hitting profile would be perfect for Fenway. It seemed like the Chicago Cubs would be willing to move the outfielder, but the Kyle Tucker trade put them all in on their current corps. However, the right offer could change their mind.

Red Sox Reunions
Let’s lump all these guys together since they fit the same mold. Adam Duvall, Justin Turner, Kiké Hernández and J.D. Martinez are still free agents as of Tuesday morning. What do all of these guys have in common? They’ve played for Boston before and are right-handed hitters. This is more of the rental option category.

Duvall and Turner provided solid seasons with the Red Sox, so why not re-run it with them again? Hernández’s World Series run with the Los Angeles Dodgers might be the confidence boost he needed to play better than he did in his final year in Boston. And Martinez is still a reliable hitter and clubhouse leader who the Red Sox could use with their plans to integrate top prospects like Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell into the mix. It’s not a flashy move, but signing one of those guys gets the job done.