The Boston Red Sox have made it clear this offseason: the infield needs help, and they’re actively working on finding the right piece to plug into the puzzle.
That search won’t include Yoán Moncada, who opted to re-sign with the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. It wasn’t a decision made in a vacuum - the veteran infielder had interest from at least three teams, including the Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Francys Romero. But in the end, Moncada chose to stick with the Angels on another one-year deal.
For Boston, it’s a bit of a missed reunion. Moncada, now 30, started his big-league journey with the Red Sox, debuting with the club before being shipped to the Chicago White Sox in the blockbuster Chris Sale trade.
Since then, his career has had its share of peaks and valleys. He flashed All-Star potential with a .315/.367/.548 slash line in 2019, only to struggle through a tough 2022 campaign that saw those numbers dip to .212/.273/.353.
The Angels are banking on the upside, hoping he can recapture some of that early promise.
As for the Red Sox, Moncada is just one name in a growing list of infielders they've been linked to this winter. The front office, led by chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, has reportedly shown interest in several high-profile targets.
That includes Alex Bregman, now with the Cubs, and Bo Bichette, who landed with the Mets. Trade targets like Isaac Paredes (Astros), Brendan Donovan (Cardinals), and Nico Hoerner (Cubs) are also believed to be on Boston’s radar.
The question now is whether the Red Sox will actually pull the trigger on a deal. Breslow hinted at the urgency during the introductory press conference for pitcher Ranger Suárez on Wednesday, emphasizing that the team’s defensive shortcomings - particularly in the infield - can’t be ignored.
“We tend to get caught up in the pitching portion of run prevention, but there are other key components as well - defense being the most obvious,” Breslow said. “It’s really important that we improve our defense, particularly our infield defense.
I’d argue that we have the best defensive outfield in baseball, but we led the league in errors last year and our out conversion needs to be improved. We’ve done things internally to re-prioritize that, but any additions we may make will be mindful of the defensive skillset.”
That’s a candid acknowledgment of a glaring issue. While Boston’s outfield defense has been a strength, the infield has been a different story - one that’s told in the league-leading error total from last season. Cleaning that up isn’t just about coaching or internal development; it’s about adding the right players who can make an impact on both sides of the ball.
So far, the Red Sox have been aggressive in their evaluations but deliberate in their moves. Moncada may be off the board, but the hunt continues.
With spring training fast approaching, the clock is ticking - and the front office knows it. If Boston wants to tighten up its defense and stay competitive in a loaded AL East, the next move in the infield could be one of the most important decisions of their offseason.