After falling to the Yankees in last season’s AL Wild Card round, the Red Sox entered the offseason with a clear mission: close the gap in the American League East. So far, they've made some noise - but there’s still work to do.
Boston wasn’t able to bring back Alex Bregman, who signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs. That’s a tough loss, no sugarcoating it.
Bregman would’ve brought veteran leadership and a steady bat at third base. But the Sox pivoted quickly and made a splash on the mound, inking left-hander Ranger Suárez to a five-year, $130 million deal.
He’s expected to slot in behind Garrett Crochet, giving Boston a potentially formidable one-two punch in the rotation.
Still, the lineup has holes. Third base is unsettled, and second base is wide open.
The Sox also missed out on Bo Bichette, who landed with the Mets on a three-year, $126 million deal. With the infield market thinning out, the question becomes: what’s the next move?
According to MLB Network Radio’s Steve Phillips, Boston should turn its attention to Washington and make a run at CJ Abrams. The 2024 All-Star shortstop could be a fit at second base, where the Red Sox have more questions than answers.
Phillips pointed out the connection between Boston and Nationals executive Paul Toboni, who previously worked in the Red Sox front office. That kind of familiarity can matter in trade talks - and Boston might need every edge it can get if they want to pry Abrams away.
Here’s the logic: Abrams is still just 25, has three years of team control left, and brings a dynamic mix of speed, pop, and athleticism. In 2024, he hit a career-high 20 homers.
He followed that up in 2025 with 35 doubles and five triples, showing he can do damage all over the field. Defensively, he’s had his struggles at shortstop, but there’s a belief he could thrive at second base - where the defensive demands are a bit different, and his range and athleticism could really shine.
Boston’s current options at second base are more stopgap than solution. Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton, Nick Sogard, and Kristian Campbell are all in the mix heading into spring training.
Campbell held the job for much of last season but hit just .223 with a .664 OPS in his first 67 big-league games. That’s not the kind of production you want from a starting infielder in a division as competitive as the AL East.
Acquiring Abrams won’t come cheap. He’s entering his first year of arbitration and will make $4.2 million in 2026 - a bargain for a player with his upside. But the Nationals know what they have, and they’re not likely to part with him without a significant return.
That’s where Payton Tolle enters the conversation. The lefty is Boston’s top pitching prospect and ranks 19th overall in baseball.
His seven appearances with the Red Sox last year were rocky - a 6.06 ERA - but the talent is undeniable. He’s got frontline stuff and, with more seasoning, could develop into an ace.
Giving up Tolle would be a big swing, but if Boston believes Abrams is the missing piece to solidify the infield and lengthen the lineup, it might be a risk worth taking.
The Red Sox have made progress this winter, but the path to contention is still under construction. Adding Abrams would be a bold move - the kind that signals Boston isn’t just trying to keep pace in the AL East, but ready to take a leap.