Red Sox Face Key Decisions After $120M Superstar Signing

The Red Sox made a major splash Thursday, signing two-time World Series champion Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal. It’s a move that addresses two of Boston’s biggest offseason needs – right-handed hitting and infield defense – but it also creates some interesting roster decisions.

Where exactly Bregman fits in the infield is the first domino that needs to fall. Manager Alex Cora suggested earlier this offseason that Bregman could play second base, which happens to be Boston’s only open infield spot. But that might not be the best use of his defensive talents.

Bregman’s coming off his first Gold Glove season at third base, where he ranked in the 91st percentile for range and 26th in arm strength. That’s a stark contrast to current third baseman Rafael Devers, who finished 2024 in the 8th percentile for range and 48th in arm strength.

The way I see it, moving Bregman to second would be wasting his elite defense at the hot corner. But shifting him to third creates its own cascade of decisions. What happens with Devers? He could move to DH, where many believe he’ll eventually land anyway. That creates another puzzle piece though – what about Masataka Yoshida, who’s currently occupying that spot?

The Red Sox have tried trading Yoshida for two years with no takers. They could consider releasing him, but that’s an expensive solution. Another option is moving Devers to first base, which would put Triston Casas in play as a trade chip for pitching help or catching upgrades.

If Bregman does end up at second, there’s still the question of what that means for top prospects Kristian Campbell and Roman Anthony. Campbell might need to shift to the outfield, which could push Ceddanne Rafaela to a bench role. Or both young players could start 2025 in Triple-A Worcester – not the worst outcome given their rapid rise through the minors.

All things considered, signing Bregman solves some immediate needs but creates a complex web of roster decisions. The Red Sox front office has some serious juggling to do before Opening Day.