Red Sox Infield in Limbo After Bregman Gamble Backfires
The Boston Red Sox took a big swing last winter-and missed. In a move that was supposed to elevate their infield and inject some veteran firepower into the lineup, they traded away Rafael Devers for one year of Alex Bregman. Now, with both stars gone, the Red Sox are left staring at a crater where third base used to be their strongest position.
This wasn’t just a misstep-it was a seismic shift. Devers, for all his defensive shortcomings, had been the team’s most consistent offensive force since 2019.
He was locked into a 10-year, $313.5 million deal that could’ve anchored the heart of the lineup well into the next decade. Even if a move across the diamond to first base or designated hitter was on the horizon, that transition wasn’t urgent.
The bat still played-and played big.
But by betting on Bregman and alienating Devers in the process, Boston now finds itself without either. And the ripple effects are being felt across the infield.
Third Base: From Strength to Sore Spot
Let’s start with the hot corner, where the Red Sox once had a cornerstone. Now, they have a question mark.
Marcelo Mayer, the club’s top prospect, filled in at third during Bregman’s injury absence last season and did so admirably. But there’s a catch-durability.
Every year of Mayer’s pro career has ended on the injured list. Until he proves he can stay on the field for a full season, it’s hard to pencil him in as an everyday solution.
Keeping Mayer at third also means Trevor Story sticks at shortstop. Story bounced back health-wise in 2025, but he’s heading into his age-33 season, and the defensive wear is starting to show. Ideally, he’d slide over to second base, a move that would better suit his current range and arm strength-if Mayer proves he can handle short or third consistently.
Second Base: Still a Mystery
Second base has been a revolving door for nearly a decade, and 2025 didn’t change that. Kristian Campbell saw the most time there, but his glove hasn’t caught up with his bat. He’s a classic utility man-he’s played everywhere but catcher-but his long-term future likely lies in left field or at first base, not up the middle.
After Campbell was sent back to Triple-A Worcester, the Sox turned to Romy Gonzalez and David Hamilton. Gonzalez was a pleasant surprise, riding a sky-high .378 BABIP to a short-term boost, but with a career WAR of 0.2 entering 2025, he’s not a long-term answer. Regression is likely.
Hamilton brings speed and defense, but his on-base skills are a liability. A career OBP of .283, including a .257 mark last year, limits his upside to late-game utility-pinch running, defensive replacement, maybe a spot start here and there.
Looking Ahead: A Thin Pipeline
As it stands, the Red Sox head into 2026 with three infield positions-third, second, and potentially shortstop-all in flux. Mayer is the only internal candidate with long-term upside, and even that comes with a giant asterisk until he proves he can stay healthy. Story is under contract through 2027, but there’s a $25 million team option for 2028 that feels unlikely to be picked up unless he turns back the clock.
The organizational depth behind them doesn’t inspire much confidence. The Red Sox need help-and fast.
Trade Market: Options, But No Easy Fix
Help could come from the outside, and Boston has been linked to several trade targets. Isaac Paredes, a two-time All-Star with Houston, fits the mold of what they need at third base. He’s under team control for two more seasons, but prying him away from the Astros won’t come cheap.
Brendan Donovan from the Cardinals has also been floated. He’s versatile and left-handed, but he’s already 29 and two years from free agency-not exactly a long-term fix.
Then there’s Nico Hoerner, the Cubs’ Gold Glove second baseman. He’d bring elite defense and contact hitting to a position that’s sorely lacked both. But he’d be a one-year rental, and the Cubs may not be eager to move him.
Hoerner’s teammate, Matt Shaw, might be the most intriguing name. He’s young, controllable for six seasons, and showed promise as a league-average hitter in his rookie year while flashing plus defense at third. With Bregman now in Chicago, Shaw’s path to playing time is blocked-making him a potential trade chip.
Free Agency: Slim Pickings
If Boston turns to free agency, the options are thin. Eugenio Suárez is the top name still available at third base, but he turns 35 in July and is clearly on the back nine of his career.
His bat, once powerful enough to make up for shaky defense, has started to fade. His walk rate has dipped below league average for the first time, and he’s still striking out nearly 29% of the time.
He might be a stopgap, but he’s not a solution.
The Cost of the Chase
In the end, this is what the Red Sox are left with: a lineup missing its best bat, an infield full of question marks, and a farm system that doesn’t offer many immediate answers. The pursuit of Bregman was bold, maybe even justifiable at the time. But the fallout has been brutal.
The Red Sox went hunting for a whale-and now they’re treading water, trying to stay afloat in an AL East that won’t wait for them to get their footing.