Adding right-handed power is at the top of the Red Sox’s offseason to-do list, and the search may end up pushing them toward the trade market rather than the free-agent board. Boston has already come up short trying to patch that hole, from missing on Pete Alonso last winter to acquiring Curtis Mead at the deadline only to lose him for the rest of the season because of a fractured left wrist.
Mead is set to return in 2027, but the Red Sox need help long before then. The clearest place to find it is in the outfield, and that move would ideally line up with Jarren Duran’s departure. Duran’s value has dropped sharply, though Boston could still try to work something out with the San Diego Padres, who once reportedly offered a king’s ransom for him and remain interested.
Even so, the bigger question is who would step in if Duran is moved. Randy Arozarena is drawing the most buzz on the free-agent market, but he’s expected to have plenty of big-market East Coast teams in the mix, which makes Boston landing him look like a tough path. The same concern applies to Seiya Suzuki.
That’s why a trade may make the most sense, and the Los Angeles Dodgers could have a fit in Teoscar Hernandez.
Last winter, trade chatter around Hernandez started up, but the Dodgers kept him. The same thing happened around the trade deadline. Now, though, the 34-year-old is in the final year of his contract, and the rise of Dodgers top prospect Josue De Paula might finally make Hernandez expendable.
Hernandez signed a three-year, $66 million deal after a 2024 season in which he hit .272/.339/.501 with 33 homers. But his first two years with Los Angeles were more uneven. He posted a .247/.284/.454 line with 25 home runs in 2025, then followed with a .267/.334/.425 slash and 16 homers in 2026 while dealing with injuries.
Even with the dip, there’s still plenty to like in the underlying numbers. Hernandez continued to post above-average hard-hit rates, exit velocities and barrel rates in 2026. If he gets back to driving the ball in the air the way he did in his prime, the bat could play very well in Fenway.
The price should also be manageable. The Dodgers don’t have much leverage, so they’re not likely to hand him over for nothing, but they also aren’t in position to demand a huge return. A mid-level prospect or two may be enough to get it done.
That kind of move gives Boston a chance at the sort of production it might otherwise chase in free agency, but with more flexibility. Hernandez also comes with a $15 million club option for 2028, which gives the Red Sox a clean decision point: keep him if he hits, or move on if he doesn’t.
And if Boston goes this route, it leaves more room to chase a premium right-handed starter as well, with Sonny Gray’s name mentioned as a reunion possibility and other top free-agent arms also in the mix. For the Red Sox, pairing Hernandez with a free-agent starter looks like the clearest way to address two of their biggest needs.
In Other News...
Roman Anthonys 2027 Outlook Just Became A Real Red Sox Concern
Roman Anthonys hand and wrist have become the kind of offseason storyline the Red Sox would rather not be managing, especially with 2027 approaching and so much of the clubs long-term outlook tied to his bat. The injury began with a partially torn carpometacarpal ligament during the 2026 season, then got more complicated when he kept playing through it and picked up additional muscle strains in the same area.
After 4.5 months of rest, the injury still had not fully healed, and that is where the concern starts to deepen for Boston. Medical experts have pointed to how uncommon this issue is and how limited the surgical options are, which leaves the timeline murky and the odds of a clean recovery far from certain as the Red Sox try to project what Anthony will look like in 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Could Finally Have A Real Answer At Third Base
Several big-market clubs are expected to spend this offseason trying to solve third base, and the Red Sox are among the teams watching the market closely. The Yankees have spent years looking for steadier production at the hot corner, while the Phillies are still sorting through Alec Bohms long-term fit, which should keep the position near the top of a lot of front offices to-do lists.
A name that could change the shape of that market is Teruaki Sato, the Japanese infielder who is coming off a strong season and is expected to draw plenty of attention if he reaches free agency. For Boston, that kind of cross-continental interest matters because third base has become one of the more obvious places to upgrade, and the competition for help there could get expensive quickly once the bidding starts. [Read more 🡒]
Kristian Campbell Suddenly Feels Like A Real Red Sox Dilemma
Kristian Campbells first season in the majors already has turned into something far different from the optimistic Red Sox script that accompanied his eight-year extension. The young infielder debuted in 2025, got sent to Triple-A in June and has not made it back since, leaving Boston with one of those uncomfortable roster questions that can follow a promising player when the depth chart gets crowded and the opportunities get thin.
Campbells value still makes the situation tricky for the Red Sox to sort out. He is young, versatile and under long-term control, which is exactly the sort of profile that can appeal to a team weighing bigger moves elsewhere on the roster, even if Boston would rather keep him in the picture. For now, the dilemma is less about what Campbell has done than about what the Red Sox decide they need next, and whether his name becomes part of the conversation this offseason. [Read more 🡒]