The Red Sox are at least kicking the tires on one of the biggest bats in free agency.
On Wednesday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reported that Boston has “inquired” about Chicago White Sox slugger Seiya Suzuki. Abraham also noted, “The worst-kept secret at the GM Meetings is that the Red Sox are shopping Jarren Duran (a year too late, but nonetheless),” and added, “Sox have also inquired about free agent Seiya Suzuki to add to a lineup that finished 12th in the AL in home runs last season.”
This isn’t the first time Suzuki has been linked to Boston this offseason, either. In October, MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reported that Suzuki has “big fans” in the Red Sox organization. Put those two reports together, and it’s fair to say this is more than just background noise.
Suzuki is coming off the best year of his career in 2026. The 32-year-old posted a career-best 5.1 wins above replacement in 143 games and hit .270/.368/.473 with an .841 OPS.
He also finished with 26 home runs, 86 RBIs, three stolen bases, 31 doubles, one triple and 96 runs scored. Along the way, he set personal highs in runs, walks (81) and on-base percentage, while matching his career bests in hits (147) and doubles.
That kind of right-handed production would give Boston’s lineup a different look. The question is how the roster would fit around him.
A lot of that appears tied to Duran. Abraham pointed to him as a name to watch in the trade market, and if Boston moves him, the outfield picture changes quickly.
In that scenario, the Red Sox would have Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and bench options Eli White and Jahmai Jones. Suzuki could then slide in as a designated hitter and still give the club some outfield flexibility if needed.
The financial piece is where things get more complicated. Spotrac has Suzuki projected at a little over $109 million over four years. That’s not an outrageous number on its face, but a four-year commitment for a 32-year-old comes with obvious questions, especially with Boston already dealing with the fallout of the Trevor Story and Masataka Yoshida deals.
The fit on offense is clear. The age and contract length are where the Red Sox have to decide how aggressive they want to be. For now, Suzuki is very much a name to watch.
In Other News...
Red Sox Offseason Pitching Hunt Could Lead To One Crucial Trade Match
The Red Sox are heading into an offseason with rotation questions, and Sonny Grays likely departure in free agency only sharpens the need to add more certainty on the mound. With Boston expected to shop for pitching help, the trade market could become just as important as free agency, especially if the club wants someone who can fit into the middle of the rotation and stabilize things quickly.
Seattle is one of the more intriguing places to look. The Mariners have pitchers such as George Kirby and Emerson Hancock who could help Boston, and there is at least a sense that Seattle might listen if it means bolstering its offense in return. For the Red Sox, the appeal is obvious: they have the kind of prospects or young players that could make a deal work, but whether the two sides line up on value is the question hanging over any potential match. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face A Tough Trade Debate Over Another Big Bat
The Red Sox spent much of the season looking for more thump in the middle of the lineup, so it is no surprise that Teoscar Hernandez has surfaced as an offseason name worth watching. The Dodgers outfielder brings the kind of right-handed power Boston has lacked at times, and his contract structure makes him a more complicated fit than a simple wish-list addition. Any serious pursuit would have to balance the appeal of his recent production against the realities of how much room the Red Sox want to leave themselves to address other needs.
Hernandez also fits into a broader conversation about how aggressive Boston wants to be after another year of weighing talent against payroll flexibility. The club has been linked to big bats before, only to stop short when the cost in money or trade pieces became too steep, and this case appears to carry the same tension. For now, it is less a rumor with momentum than a test of priorities, with the Red Sox trying to decide whether adding another impact hitter is worth the price it would take to get him. [Read more 🡒]
Brayan Bello Gave The Red Sox A Reason To Believe Again
Brayan Bello spent much of 2026 trying to get back to the place the Red Sox always envisioned for him. He opened the year in a difficult spot, lost his hold on the starting rotation, and even had to reset in Triple-A before returning to Boston in a bullpen role. Once he came back, though, the right-hander started to look more like the pitcher the organization has been waiting on, handling long relief with real effectiveness and giving the club a much steadier look on the mound.
By the end of the season, Bello had turned that recovery into something more meaningful. He followed the bullpen stretch with three strong starts, and the underlying indicators moved in the right direction as well, with his strikeout rate and FIP both improving. For a Red Sox team always searching for dependable starting pitching, the late-season run gave them a legitimate reason to think Bello could be back in a full-time rotation role in 2027. [Read more 🡒]