LAS VEGAS \u2014 Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has several areas of need on his 40-man roster.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll have conversations with executives from other teams and agents this week in Las Vegas about ways he can fill those holes via trade and free agency.<\/p>\n
The GM Meetings begin here Monday at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
Below are Boston\u2019s top four needs this offseason:<\/p>\n
1) Home run power<\/p>\n
The Red Sox <\/a>finished 15th in home runs (186) in 2025. They hit just 49 home runs during August and September, the third fewest behind only the Cardinals (43) and Pirates (45). <\/p>\n Boston finished tied for the eighth fewest home runs (16) out of the first base position. Meanwhile, the DH position produced just 11 home runs after Boston traded Rafael Devers on June 15. <\/p>\n Alex Bregman, who belted the team\u2019s third most home runs (18), opted out of his three-year contract to become a free agent<\/a>.<\/p>\n This free agent class includes some top power hitters in first baseman Pete Alonso (38 home runs in \u201825), DH Kyle Schwarber (56 home runs in \u201825) and third baseman Eugenio Su\u00e1rez (49 home runs in \u201925).<\/p>\n Munetaka Murakami, a 26-year-old left-handed hitting corner outfielder, was posted by his Japanese team Friday.<\/a> He had a 56-home run season in 2022 with the Yakult Swallows of the Japan Central League. He hit 24 home runs in just 69 games for Yakult in 2025. But there are concerns over his ability to hit elite velocity.<\/p>\n 2) First base <\/p>\n The Red Sox had the eighth fewest home runs (16) out of the first base position this past season. Boston finished 22nd in slugging percentage (.386), 23rd in on-base percentage (.305) and 22nd in OPS (.691) at first base.<\/p>\n Earlier this offseason, Breslow would not commit to Triston Casas<\/a> as his 2026 starting first baseman.<\/p>\n Casas suffered a season-ending patellar tendon injury May 2 that required surgery<\/a>. He also missed 98 games in 2024, spending from April 21-Aug. 16 on the injured list due to torn cartilage in the rib cage on his right side<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, Triston has missed a significant amount of time over the last two years,\u201d Breslow said. \u201cWe\u2019ve also seen what he\u2019s capable of doing when he\u2019s healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n Alonso and Murakami are the two top first base free agent options. Josh Naylor and Ryan O\u2019Hearn also are free agents.<\/p>\n The Red Sox were interested in Su\u00e1rez at the 2025 trade deadline and discussed the third baseman internally as a potential option at first base<\/a>. The 34-year-old has played just six career innings at first base, all coming in 2025, but third basemen often make an easy transition across the diamond.<\/p>\n Boston also could consider Su\u00e1rez as a third base option to replace Bregman. But Su\u00e1rez would be a big defensive downgrade at the position. He had minus-six outs above average last year.<\/p>\n Alonso, a right-handed hitter, could be used at both first and DH with Casas, a left-handed hitter, at first base vs. righty starters.<\/p>\n 3) No. 2 starter <\/p>\n Brayan Bello pitched like a No. 2 starter for stretches during the 2025 season but he went 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in five starts during September. He recorded an out beyond the fifth inning in just one of those five starts, and he also lasted just 2 \u2153 innings in his Game 2 start of the AL Wild Card Series vs. the Yankees.<\/p>\n Lucas Giolito, who also pitched like a No. 2 at points last season, declined his mutual option to test free agency<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Red Sox have the prospects to package for a legit No. 2 starter like Twins righty Joe Ryan. Boston made a run to acquire Ryan at the 2025 trade deadline.<\/p>\n Framber Valdez, Ranger Su\u00e1rez, Dylan Cease, Michael King, Chris Bassitt, Shota Imanaga, Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen and Brandon Woodruff are among the top free agent starting pitchers.<\/p>\n Valdez, Su\u00e1rez, Cease, King, Gallen, Imanaga and Woodruff all received qualifying offer, which means the signing team would need to give up draft pick compensation.<\/p>\n 4) Infield (third base, second base)<\/p>\n The Red Sox are in need of a third baseman with Bregman hitting free agency.<\/p>\n Second base is also a question mark. Boston ranked 17th in OPS (.670) out of the second base position in 2025 while starting six different players there. <\/p>\n Marcelo Mayer is an option at third base if Boston doesn\u2019t re-sign Bregman<\/a>. He also could start at second base or shortstop. Shortstop Trevor Story had a down year defensively in 2025 with minus-nine outs above average. Boston could move him to second base and play Mayer at shortstop.<\/p>\n Mayer\u2019s injury history should be another concern if he replaces Bregman or Story. It\u2019s fair to question whether the Sox can rely on him to be available for the majority of a 162-game season.<\/p>\n Mayer has never played in more than 91 games in any of his four full professional seasons. He underwent season-ending wrist surgery this year, causing him to miss the final 58 games of the regular season. That\u2019s after\u00a0shoulder inflammation<\/a>\u00a0ended his 2023 season early and\u00a0a lumbar strain<\/a>\u00a0ended his 2024 season prematurely.<\/p>\n Bo Bichette is another interesting free agent option. At 27, he\u2019s be the top shortstop option on the market and has a .329\/.382\/.524\/.907 career line with six homers and 10 doubles in 35 games at Fenway Park. Again, the Red Sox could move Story to second base. Bichette is attached to a qualifying offer.<\/p>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. 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