David Ortiz Makes Surprising Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber Free Agency Claim

The Boston Red Sox, fresh off a better-than-expected 2025 campaign, have some work to do this offseason. The team is already getting linked quite heavily to several of the top free agents available, with two of them being sluggers, Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber. If you ask franchise legend David Ortiz, there’s one guy he’d like the team to sign over the other.

One of the top needs for Boston’s lineup is a guy who can come in and fill its designated hitter position. While both Alonso and Schwarber can play in the field, they seem like better fits at designated hitter moving forward, especially if they don’t have to play in the field.

Ortiz knows a thing or two about playing designated hitter for the Red Sox, and unsurprisingly, he has some opinions on the matter. The Hall of Famer revealed that he would rather see the team pursue Alonso over Schwarber, strictly because he’s a right-handed hitter. There is, however, a big caveat that involves Alex Bregman.

“If I had to pick one, because I have Roman Anthony as a left-handed batter, I would go with (Alonso),” Ortiz told Joey Copponi and Scott Neville on the “ITM Podcast” on Friday. “You know (opponents) are going to be doing the matchups … We’ve loaded up really well with lefties. One right-handed power hitter to take advantage of the monster, it’ll be a plus.

But if we sign Bregman, I don’t care who we go for. Because at the end of the day, you can put them in a mix: Schwarber, Bregman, Roman, or vice versa, and you’d be in good shape.”

Alonso and Schwarber would both be great fits for Boston, but Ortiz is right in noting that the lineup already is loaded with left-handed hitters. With that in mind, picking the right-handed Alonso over the left-handed Schwarber could be a way for the front office to ensure that the lineup remains balanced.

There are a lot of moving variables to consider, though, including the potential return of Bregman in free agency. Who ends up coming to Boston is unknown, but the expectation across the league is that the team will be aggressive in its quest to bolster its lineup over the next few weeks.

As part of his fundraising efforts, Ortiz is holding a silent auction loaded with priceless items that will be live until Saturday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET. You can also donate to the cause on the David Ortiz Children’s Fund’s website.