Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Red Sox's Preferred Infield Solution Reportedly Revealed

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 1, 2026 1:00 PM ET

There has been endless chatter, speculation and rumors about the Boston Red Sox's plans in the infield since the organization lost Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs.

The easiest and simplest path forward would have been to get a deal done with Bregman. Whether that meant increasing the club's offer a tad to the third baseman, or more importantly including a no-trade clause, keeping Bregman would've been easier than the situation the club is currently in. There aren't a ton of options out there any longer. If Bregman had signed with the Cubs in December, the Red Sox would've had more options, obviously.

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There aren't many players who do what Bregman does. He is a blend of elite defense, power and leadership. It's going to be hard to replace all facets of Bregman's game. But what should the club prioritize? Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reported that the "sense" around the league is the team is prioritizing defense over power.

The Red Sox have decisions to make still

"The Red Sox’ search for an infielder remains ongoing, but according to major league sources, there’s been little movement, particularly on the trade market, since the team signed starter Ranger Suárez," Speier wrote. "There has been a sense in the industry that the Sox are now prioritizing defense (with solid on-base ability) ahead of power.

"Along those lines, the Cubs represent a potentially interesting trade match. With the signing of Alex Bregman, the Cubs have two-time Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner and second baseman/third baseman Matt Shaw, a strong solid defender who hit .226/.295/.394 with 13 homers and 17 steals as a rookie."

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow himself talked about defense being a key to run prevention. Boston wasn't good defensively in 2025, specifically in the infield. The Red Sox led the league with 116 errors. There's no denying the fact that defense is important. But the club arguably needs power. The New York Yankees won 94 games in 2025 with the seventh-most errors in baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays won the American League, despite the 12th-most errors in baseball. Boston won 89 games with the most errors in the game.

Run prevention is immensely important, but if you don't score runs yourself, a 2-1 loss is the same as 10-1. The Red Sox traded Rafael Devers and lost Bregman, two huge run-producers. Roman Anthony should take a step forward and bringing in Willson Contreras was great. But adding someone specifically to help take a run off the board on defense, doesn't guarantee success.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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