It’s no mystery what chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and the Boston Red Sox need to prioritize this upcoming offseason.
There is a glaring need for power in the middle of a lineup that struggled to put runs on the board throughout 2026. The Red Sox ranked 23rd in MLB in runs scored (689), 26th in home runs (163), and 20th in slugging percentage (.398). They were dead last in runs scored in September, and their offensive struggles proved costly in the Wild Card Series as the New York Yankees outscored them 18-2 in a two-game sweep.
“Our offense was inconsistent. We got on base at a decent clip, but we didn’t really slug, didn’t hit a ton of home runs, and I’m not sure that we took advantage of the unique venue that we play in,” Breslow said during his end-of-season press conference. “So naturally, we’re going to spend some time thinking about how we can improve our offense, particularly how we build a roster that can thrive at Fenway Park.”
The Red Sox entered last winter needing an infusion of pop in the lineup. They acquired slugger Willson Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, but let All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman walk in free agency. The Baltimore Orioles outbid them for Pete Alonso, who ended up pacing the American League with 43 homers.
There won’t be any Pete Alonsos hitting the market this time around. The upcoming free-agent class leaves plenty to be desired from an offensive standpoint. That said, there’s still a handful of intriguing options for Breslow and Co. if they finally decide to spend money to upgrade the lineup.
Here are five sluggers the Red Sox should target in free agency:
Randy Arozarena, OF/DH
- 2026 stats: .281/.381/.484, 26 HR, 79 RBI, 26 SB, 145 SO, 68 BB (154 games with Seattle Mariners)
- Age: 32
Arozarena is about to get paid coming off a career year with Seattle. If he can put up those numbers in a pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park, it’s easy to picture him being even better at Fenway.
The former Tampa Bay Rays standout is also a proven postseason performer. He has notched 12 homers and a .946 OPS in 45 career playoff games.
Arozarena would be a massive offensive upgrade for Boston, but he isn’t a perfect fit unless the existing outfield/DH logjam is cleared. Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, and Masataka Yoshida are still under contract for 2027.
Seiya Suzuki, OF/DH
- 2026 stats: .270/.368/.473, 26 HR, 86 RBI, 3 SB, 155 SO, 81 BB (143 games with Chicago Cubs)
- Age: 32
Suzuki is right there with Arozarena as arguably the most coveted bat set to hit the open market. The Japanese slugger has been excellent throughout his five years in Chicago, tallying at least 20 homers and an .800 OPS in each of his last four seasons. He has also been extremely durable, never playing in fewer than 111 games.
Brandon Lowe, 2B
- 2026 stats: .260/.331/.493, 35 HR, 96 RBI, 2 SB, 189 SO, 62 BB (150 games with Pittsburgh Pirates)
- Age: 32
Lowe might be less appealing than Arozarena and Suzuki as a left-handed bat, but there’s no denying his power would be a welcome addition to the Red Sox lineup. The two-time All-Star has slugged at least 31 homers in each of the last two seasons.
Boston already has a slugging second baseman in Curtis Mead, and Lowe has struggled against left-handed pitching, but there’s always room for a 30+ homer bat. With such slim pickings in free agency, paying Lowe should be strongly considered if Arozarena and Suzuki are off the table.
Eugenio Suarez, DH/3B
- 2026 stats: .212/.307/.433, 26 HR, 74 RBI, 1 SB, 169 SO, 52 BB (125 games with Cincinnati Reds)
- Age: 35
The Red Sox were linked to Suarez last offseason. His defensive shortcomings made him a polarizing option, but assuming he’d almost exclusively DH in 2027, he should be on Boston’s radar again this winter if his mutual option isn’t picked up.
Suarez has never finished a full season with fewer than 20 homers. He had 26 last year, a career-high 49 in 2025, and 30 in 2024. He’s getting up there in age, but that won’t matter if his only job is to hit the ball over the fence. He’s still among the best in the game at doing that, and that’s exactly what this Red Sox team needs.
George Springer, OF/DH
- 2026 stats: .249/.321/.405, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 12 SB, 95 SO, 47 BB (126 games with Toronto Blue Jays)
- Age: 37
The Red Sox were rumored to be interested in Springer at this year’s trade deadline, and it’s easy to see why. A big right-handed bat? Check. Postseason experience? Check. Veteran leadership? Check.
He’s coming off a down season and entering the twilight of his career, but Springer still has plenty to offer. As long as he isn’t the only offensive addition, he’d be an excellent fit in Boston.
