Red Sox Should Target $56 Million Ace To Bolster Rotation

Over the next few weeks, there's going to be plenty of discourse about Alex Bregman for the Boston Red Sox.

It was reported on Tuesday night by Jon Heyman of the New York Post that Bregman plans to opt out of his deal with Boston and enter free agency. In the aftermath of the report, there's been plenty of chatter about how Boston should re-sign him. There's also been speculation out there about who could fit if the Red Sox lose out on him. This is to say there's going to be plenty said about Bregman. But, he isn't the team's only concern right now.

Outside of finding a way to keep Bregman in Boston -- which the club should do -- the Red Sox need to add at least one starting pitcher. This isn't a groundbreaking statement. If you followed along with Boston down the stretch and into the postseason you likely saw all of the injuries piling up. As the 2025 season approached, the Red Sox seemingly had a surplus of starters in Spring Training with Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, Tanner Houck, Walker Buehler, and Kutter Crawford all expected starters for the team along with other depth options. In the postseason, only Crochet and Bello remained of this group. Giolito, Houck, and Crawford were all injured while Buehler was no longer on the team.

The young guys, like Connelly Early, helped get Boston into the postseason but the organization needs some more firepower in the rotation. It's arguably equally as important as retaining Bregman. Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease are the two pending free agent starting pitchers heading to the open market. Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins is someone who has been talked about as a potential trade candidate since the Red Sox tried to bring him to town ahead of the 2025 trade deadline.

Another guy who the Red Sox reportedly pursued and arguably would be a top option this offseason is Sandy Alcántara of the Miami Marlins.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller also pointed out that Alcántara would be a good fit specifically because of the fact that the Marlins have a need in the outfield and the Red Sox have a need in the rotation.

"The ideal trade partner for Boston might be Miami, which inexplicably always seems to have a surplus of quality starting pitchers, yet hasn't had a positive run differential since a +2 mark in 2010. (FWIW: the Marlins have the longest active streak of negative run differentials, five years longer than first runner-up Pittsburgh.)

"The Marlins could desperately use both a corner outfielder and a designated hitter, and they may be willing to part with just about any pitcher aside from Eury Pérez to make it happen. Whether it's Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera or Ryan Weathers who the Red Sox choose to target, it could be a perfect match."

Should Red Sox pursue Sandy Alcántara?