The Boston Red Sox are continuing to explore free agency and potential trades after making a significant move at the MLB Winter Meetings, where they traded four of their top prospects to acquire left-handed ace Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox. One clear need for the team is a right-handed power bat. Their current lineup is heavily left-handed, which leaves them vulnerable to left-handed pitching.
One major right-handed free agent the Red Sox might be considering, however, has been advised against by Bryan Joiner of the Red Sox SB Nation blog, Over The Monster.
Red Sox Let Go of Their Only Right-Handed Power Bat
In 2024, the Red Sox had one notable right-handed power hitter: outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who led the team with 31 home runs in just 411 at-bats. However, the Red Sox chose not to retain O’Neill, who then signed a three-year, $49.5 million contract with their division rival, the Baltimore Orioles.
The team’s current lineup includes left-handed hitters such as Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, Wilyer Abreu, and Masataka Yoshida, leaving the offense without a right-handed power threat. After trading top catching prospect Kyle Teel to the White Sox for Crochet, the Red Sox now have a promising trio of prospects, including Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer, both of whom are left-handed hitters.
With such a left-handed-heavy roster, the Red Sox need at least one right-handed batter to balance out the lefty pitchers they’ll face. One potential target is New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, a former National League home run king. Alonso hit 53 home runs in his rookie season (2019) and has since posted two 40-plus home run seasons. However, he only hit 34 homers in 2023.
Although reports have suggested that the New York Yankees—often Boston’s offseason rival—are not interested in Alonso, other sources claim there is mutual interest between the two. Alonso could command a contract worth up to $182 million over six years, with his estimated market value at around $174 million.
Red Sox Already Have Enough Power at the Corners
Despite Alonso’s impressive power, Joiner argues that the Red Sox should avoid him, as they already have two power hitters at the corner infield positions: Devers at third base and Casas at first. “Alonso, as good as he is, is the worst hitter between himself, Devers, and Triston Casas,” Joiner wrote. “There’s too much hitting talent at the corners to jam them up any further, at least for the likes of Alonso, who’s ultimately a one-trick pony. It’s not that complicated.”
Joiner also pointed out Alonso’s career strikeout rate, which averages one strikeout for every four plate appearances, further advising the Red Sox to pass on the 30-year-old.
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