The Red Sox are being linked to another major offseason name, and this one comes with real offensive upside.
On Wednesday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reported that Boston has “inquired” about free agent Seiya Suzuki. Abraham also wrote, “The worst-kept secret at the GM Meetings is that the Red Sox are shopping Jarren Duran (a year too late, but nonetheless),” before adding, “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 surfaced in connection with Boston. In October, MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reported that Suzuki has “big fans” in the Red Sox organization, which makes this latest report feel like more than just a passing rumor.
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, while hitting .270/.368/.473 with an .841 OPS.
He finished with 26 home runs, 86 RBIs, three stolen bases, 31 doubles, one triple and 96 runs scored. He also established new highs in runs, walks with 81, and on-base percentage, and matched his career bests in hits with 147 and doubles with 31.
That kind of right-handed production would give Boston’s lineup a different look. The wrinkle, of course, is fit. The Red Sox already have an outfield crowd, so any move for Suzuki would likely depend on what happens with Duran.
If Duran is moved, Boston could line up Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, with Eli White and Jahmai Jones available as bench options. In that setup, Suzuki could slide in as a designated hitter and still give the team some outfield flexibility when needed.
Spotrac projects Suzuki’s market value at a little over $109 million over four years. That’s not an outrageous number for a player coming off this kind of season, but the age factor matters. Suzuki is 32 now, which would make him 35 in the final year of a four-year deal in 2030.
So the baseball case is easy to see. The financial and roster questions are where things get more complicated.
Boston has already dealt with the fallout of the Trevor Story and Masataka Yoshida deals, and a nine-figure commitment to another 32-year-old would be a decision worth watching closely. Suzuki is very much on the radar.
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One of those ripple effects is Zyhir Hope, who has quickly grown into a top prospect in the Dodgers system and gives Los Angeles a long-term piece to dream on. Jackson Ferris has taken a tougher path in the minors, though he did show improvement late in 2026 and could still factor into the Dodgers bullpen down the road, leaving this trade looking like one the Cubs may want to revisit in hindsight even if Busch remains an important part of their lineup. [Read more 🡒]