Red Sox Retool Roster With Key Offseason Moves

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The Boston Red Sox are looking to build on their 89-73 record in 2025 that earned them a playoff berth, making several key offseason moves to bolster their starting rotation and lineup. The team traded for veteran pitchers Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, and signed free agent Ranger Suárez to a lucrative five-year deal, while also acquiring catcher Willson Contreras from the Cardinals to solidify first base. Despite the changes, projections for the 2026 season have the Red Sox finishing anywhere from 82-80 to 89-73, suggesting the team may not see a major improvement in their overall performance.

Why it matters

The Red Sox have historically been an up-and-down team, either contending for championships or struggling mightily. Their offseason overhaul suggests a commitment to consistent competitiveness, but the success of these changes remains to be seen as they aim to build on their 2025 playoff appearance and challenge the Yankees' AL East dominance.

The details

The Red Sox recognized a need to improve their starting rotation, which had a combined fWAR of just 11.7 in 2025, with Garrett Crochet accounting for half of that value. To address this, they traded for 36-year-old Sonny Gray from the Cardinals and acquired Johan Oviedo from the Pirates. Their biggest move was signing free agent Ranger Suárez to a five-year, $130 million contract, a deal that reportedly frustrated the Orioles who had also pursued the pitcher. The current projected rotation includes Crochet, Suárez, Gray, Brayan Bello, and Oviedo.

• In December, the Red Sox traded for Sonny Gray.
• In January, the Red Sox signed Ranger Suárez to a five-year, $130 million contract.

What’s next

The Red Sox's success in the 2026 season will depend on how their offseason additions perform and whether the team can build on their 89-win 2025 campaign.