MLB Rumors: Will Red Sox Sign Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber Or Mets’ Pete Alonso?
It’s not exactly “Sophie’s Choice,” but Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow does have a big decision to make.
We know Breslow is looking for a power bat to add to the lineup. And we know that his trade for St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray won’t preclude Breslow from making a splash in free agency.
The two best power hitters on the open market are Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.
But don’t forget that the Red Sox also have to decide if they want to re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman, and if so, how much are they willing to pay.
Money Talks
“If the Red Sox decide to go all in on a big bat, they will have the money to do so,” The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey reports.
“The Athletic projects Alonso signing for five years and $140 million; Schwarber for five years, $145 million; and Bregman for six years, $171 million. Each carries an average annual value between $28 million and $29 million,” McCaffrey adds.
So that’s about $30 million per year for each of the hitters. Now, if the Red Sox want to explore adding another pitcher in free agency (Framber Valdez? Dylan Cease?), that will eat into Boston’s budget.
“If the Red Sox wanted to sign one of each, they’d be looking at roughly $60 million in AAV, bumping up against that $284 million threshold,” McCaffrey notes while breaking down the club’s payroll.
So the question is: Do the Red Sox spend $60 million on two bats? Or $30 million on one bat and $30 million on a strong No. 2 pitcher to back up ace Garrett Crochet?
Which Bats?
If Breslow is happy with his rotation after trading for Gray, he can double down on power bats. But which two?
Keeping Bregman seems to make sense, given how well he fit into the Red Sox clubhouse last season. Yes, he missed a chunk of time on the injured list, but he can still hit and he brings an elite glove to third base.
As for Schwarber, yes, he led the National League with a career-high 56 home runs last season. And he’s a lefty bat which would bring some balance to the Red Sox lineup. But he’s locked in at DH, giving manager Alex Cora little lineup flexibility. And at what point will his next contract be paying for his past production?
Alonso has proven to be quite durable during his big-league career. He’s open to splitting time between DH and first base, which means more mix-and-match opportunities for Cora, especially once Triston Casas returns from his knee injury.
The two strikes against Alonso are his below-average defense and the fact that he’s a righty bat, as are Bregman and shortstop Trevor Story.
But if Roman Anthony is fully healed and ready to go in spring training, he could slot in between Bregman and Alonso. And with lefty-hitting outfielders Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida still on the roster, Cora will be able to move around Story and build a lineup that could pose significant matchup problems for opposing pitchers.
So what will Breslow do? Re-sign Bregman? Sign Alonso and/or Schwarber? Certainly food for thought as we enjoy Turkey Day.
And who knows? A year from now we could be giving thanks for another Red Sox World Series title … if Breslow makes the right moves this winter.