The Boston Red Sox remain active in pursuing free agents and exploring trade opportunities following a major move at the MLB Winter Meetings, where they traded four of their top prospects to acquire left-handed ace Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox. One clear priority for the team is adding a right-handed power hitter, as their lineup is heavily left-handed, making them potentially vulnerable against left-handed pitching.
However, one prominent right-handed free agent reportedly on the Red Sox’s radar has sparked debate, with Bryan Joiner of SB Nation’s Red Sox blog Over The Monster advising the team to steer clear of the player.
Red Sox Parted With Their Only Right Handed Power Bat
In 2024, the Red Sox lineup boasted one notable right-handed power hitter: outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who led the team with 31 home runs in just 411 at-bats. Despite his impressive performance, the Red Sox surprisingly showed no interest in re-signing him. O’Neill ultimately joined the Baltimore Orioles, a division rival, on a three-year, $49.5 million contract.
The rest of the Red Sox lineup includes Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, Wilyer Abreu, and Masataka Yoshida—an undeniably talented group, but all left-handed hitters. After trading top catching prospect Kyle Teel to the White Sox for Garrett Crochet, Boston’s farm system features a promising “Big Three” of prospects, two of whom—Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer—are also left-handed.
This heavy left-handed imbalance leaves the Red Sox in need of a powerful right-handed bat to counter the lefty pitchers they’re likely to face. One standout option on the free-agent market is Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, a former National League home run leader. Alonso made a splash in his rookie season in 2019 with 53 home runs and has since recorded two more seasons with 40+ home runs, including 40 in 2022 and 46 in 2023, though his total dipped to 34 last year.
Reports about Alonso’s free agency have been mixed. While some suggest he’s not on the Yankees’ radar—typically Boston’s fiercest rival in offseason moves—others claim there’s “mutual interest” between Alonso and the Yankees.
Projections estimate Alonso could land a deal worth between $174 million and $182 million over six years, according to SpoTrac and Bleacher Report predictions.
Traffic Jam at the Corners for Red Sox Bats
Joiner argues that the Red Sox should pass on acquiring the 30-year-old Tampa native, despite his skills. He points out that the team already has two strong power hitters in the corner infield positions: Devers at third base and Casas at first.
“Alonso, as talented as he is, is the least effective hitter among him, Devers, and Casas,” Joiner said. “There’s already too much hitting power at the corners to add another, especially Alonso, who is essentially a one-dimensional player. It’s really not that complicated.”
Joiner advises the Red Sox to pass on Alonso but adds a humorous, “Good luck out there, Pal.”
The recommendation also highlights Alonso’s tendency to strike out about once for every four plate appearances, which further supports the argument to avoid him.
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