Six (New) MLB Free Agents Red Sox Could Target Before Opening Day

The end of MLB spring training not only means Opening Day is upon us.

It also calls for important roster decisions, some of which open the door for veteran players to become free agents just before the start of the regular season.

Many of these players hit the open market thanks to opt-out clauses in their contracts, either through the collective bargaining agreement or negotiated as part of their deals.

They’re not always the biggest names, but clubs always are looking for depth. And the Boston Red Sox are no exception while gearing up for the 2025 campaign.

So, let’s examine six (new) MLB free agents who could pique Boston’s interest, even if only to provide additional organizational depth.

Dominic Smith, 1B
Smith reportedly opted out of his contract with the New York Yankees. While he wasn’t officially a free agent as of Monday night, all signs point to him becoming available. Might the Red Sox consider a reunion with the 29-year-old first baseman?

Smith, a fan favorite during his 84-game stint with Boston last season, is an imperfect fit for the Red Sox roster given that he’s a left-handed hitter. (Fellow first baseman Triston Casas also bats from the left side.) But he proved a nice clubhouse fit in 2024, despite his eventual release in August, and the Red Sox could use first base depth. Never say never.

Brandon Drury, IF
Maybe the aforementioned first base depth comes in the form of Drury, who has experience at both corner-infield spots in addition to second base and the outfield. The 32-year-old is coming off an awful 2024 with the Los Angeles Angels, but he won a Silver Slugger Award in 2022 after totaling 28 home runs, 87 RBIs and a .263/.320/.492 slash line in 138 games (568 plate appearances). He launched another 26 homers with 83 RBIs in 2023.

It was somewhat surprising when the Chicago White Sox released Drury over the weekend. They stink, and he was having a tremendous spring. A thumb fracture likely will sideline Drury to begin the season, but he’s a capable big leaguer with right-handed pop and positional versatility.

Mitch Haniger, OF
The Mariners released Haniger over the weekend, ending his second stint with the franchise one year after Seattle reacquired him in a trade with the San Francisco Giants. He had a shaky 2024, so it’s fair to question what Haniger has left in the tank at age 34.

That said, there was a time not that long ago when Haniger was a solid contributor at the dish. The right-handed slugger was an All-Star with the Mariners in 2018, posting a career-best 139 OPS+ and finishing 11th in American League MVP voting. He blasted 39 home runs with 100 RBIs in 2021.

Nick Ahmed, SS
Ahmed, born in Springfield Mass., is a local guy. He attended East Longmeadow High School in East Longmeadow, Mass., before enrolling at UConn, playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League and eventually enjoying a decade-long run with the Arizona Diamondbacks that included back-to-back Gold Glove Awards in 2018 and 2019.

Ahmed just turned 35. He doesn’t provide much, if anything, offensively, so you’re effectively banking on the glove. The Texas Rangers released Ahmed over the weekend, but perhaps another organization will value his defensive stability up the middle.

Ross Stripling, RHP
Stripling could be nearing the end of the road at age 35. He posted a 6.01 ERA in 85 1/3 innings with the Oakland Athletics last season — though his 3.89 FIP suggests some bad luck — and wasn’t much better the year prior with San Francisco.

But Stripling was a capable major-league arm as recently as 2022, when he went 10-4 with a 3.01 ERA in 134 1/3 innings with the Toronto Blue Jays. Maybe he can recapture some of that magic — or better yet, his 2018 All-Star form — in a swingman role somewhere this season after being granted his release by the Kansas City Royals.

Jalen Beeks, LHP
Boston traded away Beeks before the deadline in 2018. It worked out very well for the Red Sox, as the guy they acquired — Nathan Eovaldi — became an integral part of that season’s World Series title and ultimately spent five years in Boston.

Beeks, meanwhile, has had a roller-coaster career, flashing promise at times with the Tampa Bay Rays before sputtering a bit over the last two seasons with the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates. After failing to earn an Opening Day roster spot with the Houston Astros this spring, Beeks enters free agency at age 31. He’ll likely garner interest as a southpaw with a track record of some success in the majors.