The Red Sox may not need a splashy, obvious answer this offseason. They may need a smarter one.
Boston is close enough to the top of the American League that the next move matters, and it matters in a big way. The rotation and bullpen are already in solid shape, and the lineup is in better condition than it was a year ago.
Still, there’s room to push it further. The Red Sox could chase more power, or they could lean into a different kind of offensive profile - getting on base and running, the way the Rays have done.
That’s where Luis Robert Jr. comes in.
Robert is not the loudest name in the conversation, but he might be one of the more interesting ones. The expectation is that the Baltimore Orioles will decline his 2027 option and let him reach free agency.
If that happens, Boston should at least be in the mix. He would likely come at a lower cost than names like Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki, and he’s younger than both of them, too.
Robert is 29, while Arozarena and Suzuki will both be 32 by the start of the 2027 season.
The biggest issue with Robert is obvious: health. He appeared in only 61 games in 2026 and has struggled to stay on the field since his breakout in 2023.
But that 2023 season showed exactly why he still draws attention. He hit 38 home runs, drove in 80 runs and stole 20 bases.
Even with the injuries, he still managed 33 steals in 2025 while playing 110 games and hitting 14 homers.
There’s also a fit question for Boston, especially if Jarren Duran is traded this winter, which is possible. Robert could slide in as a designated hitter, even though he can still handle the outfield and remains a strong defender there. Keeping him at DH would be one way to try to preserve his health, and his bat and speed would give the Red Sox another offensive weapon.
If Boston is looking for a lower-cost player who can help in more than one way, Robert is at least worth serious consideration.
In Other News...
Red Sox Just Drew A Line On Franklin Arias Trade Talk
Franklin Arias has quickly become one of the more important names in the Red Sox system, and after a breakout minor league season in 2026, it is easy to see why his value has risen so sharply. Boston has been linked to plenty of trade chatter around the top prospect, including a reported exploration of a deal for star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, but Cincinnati was not interested in moving its young centerpiece.
For the Red Sox, the bigger takeaway is the line they appear to be drawing around Arias. The organization is expected to be careful with a player who has climbed into the upper tier of baseball's prospect rankings, and any serious consideration of moving him would likely require a major star coming back the other way. In other words, Boston is treating Arias less like a trade chip and more like the kind of talent it would take a true difference-maker to pry loose. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Offseason Fix Could Force A Tough Choice In The Outfield
The Red Sox are already being connected to a possible offseason swing at Randy Arozarena, a move that would be aimed at giving the lineup more punch and a little more speed heading into the 2027 season. It is the kind of fit that makes sense on paper for a club that could use help in the same areas it fell short a year earlier, especially if Boston wants to keep pace in a tougher offensive landscape.
Arozarena would not come cheap, and that is where the conversation gets interesting for the Red Sox. Adding a player with that kind of profile could force the front office to make other roster decisions to make the pieces fit, particularly in the outfield, where a major addition tends to ripple through the rest of the depth chart. If Boston is serious about pursuing him, the bigger question may be less about whether he helps and more about what else has to change to make room. [Read more 🡒]