The Boston Red Sox need more offense this offseason, but Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki both come with baggage that makes each a tricky fit.
For now, they sit near the top of the offensive market, though that could still shift. If Bo Bichette of the New York Mets opts out of his deal, he would jump ahead as the top overall offensive player available in free agency. Even so, Arozarena and Suzuki have already been floated as possible Red Sox targets, and the fit is easy to understand on the surface: Boston wants more bats, and both players are expected to be available.
The problem is everything around that idea. The Red Sox already have a crowded outfield, so adding another outfielder only makes sense if someone else is moved out. Both players would also cost a lot because they’re among the headliners of the class, and both will be 32 years old when the 2027 season begins.
There’s another layer too. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported that both are expected to receive the qualifying offer this winter.
"The Mariners’ Randy Arozarena, Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki, Pirates Brandon Lowe and Rangers’ Trevor Rogers are also expected to receive the qualifying offer," Heyman wrote.
That matters because if Boston signed either player after they declined the offer, the Red Sox would be on the hook for draft compensation. In other words, this wouldn’t just be about money. It would also cost Boston a draft pick.
And because Arozarena and Suzuki are at the top of the market, there should be plenty of competition for both, which could push the price even higher. If their market softens and the cost comes down, then maybe the conversation changes. But if the bidding gets lively and the qualifying-offer penalty stays in play, the whole deal starts looking steep.
That’s especially true in a winter with a weak free-agent market and labor uncertainty hanging over things. At this point, the trade market may be the cleaner path for Boston if it wants to upgrade the lineup.
The offseason is still in its early stages, and nothing is moving quickly yet. Still, the early read is clear enough: Arozarena and Suzuki are not seamless matches for the Red Sox.
In Other News...
Red Sox Already Have A Shortstop Decision Looming Over 2027
Trevor Story has given the Red Sox a steadier run at shortstop than the uncertainty around his contract might suggest, but the longer view is already coming into focus. Bostons infield picture is moving toward 2027, and the conversation is beginning to center on whether Story is still the answer there or whether the organization eventually turns to one of its younger options.
Franklin Arias is the name that keeps hovering over that discussion. The prospect has the kind of upside that makes him easy to imagine as a future major league option, even if the path from prospect status to everyday shortstop is still ahead of him. For now, the Red Sox are left weighing performance, roster timing and possible positional shuffling, with the real decision on their 2027 shortstop still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Just Lost Another Trusted Voice In A Risky Spot
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Jared Banner, another former Red Sox executive, has now also landed a major role with Baltimore as the Orioles new general manager. For Boston, the pattern is hard to miss: trusted voices in baseball operations keep getting poached for larger opportunities elsewhere. The Red Sox have had no shortage of turnover in recent years, but losing multiple familiar evaluators and decision-makers in such a short span is the sort of development that can leave a real imprint on how the next wave of roster calls gets made. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Power Search Just Took One Trade Option Off The Board
The Red Sox have been connected to another possible trade target in the search for more offense, but one of the cleaner fits appears to be off the table. Colorado catcher Hunter Goodman had surfaced as a name worth watching because of his upside and team control through 2029, yet Jon Heyman has dismissed Boston as a likely landing spot after the club recently brought in Adley Rutschman.
That leaves the Red Sox looking elsewhere as they continue sorting through power options that better match their current roster needs. Goodman is still the type of player other clubs could covet, but for Boston the more realistic path seems to run through other free agents and trade candidates who fit the lineup and defensive picture more naturally. [Read more 🡒]