The meetings, which run Monday through Thursday at The Cosmopolitan, annually serve as an offseason kickoff, when clubs are in fact-finding mode more so than actually making moves. But there is opportunity to be more productive this time around.
MLB pushed the event back a week, in part so that it didn’t start within a day and a half of the World Series ending. In recent years, these meetings have occurred during the so-called quiet period, before teams and free agents are officially allowed to actually talk dollars and cents (and sense).
With this version of the calendar, early-offseason housekeeping is complete, providing a degree of roster and financial clarity. The Red Sox know, for example, that Alex Bregman opted out of his contract to become a free agent and Story did not. They know they didn’t give the qualifying offer to Lucas Giolito, so their is no waiting and seeing there. And free agency opened Thursday evening, so discussions with agents can be meatier than they would have been last week.
For whatever budget Breslow may be working with, the above means $23.3 million is committed to Story for 2026, as calculated for the luxury tax, with $53.7 million not attached to the duo of Bregman and Giolito.
Among the questions that should receive answers in the coming days:
▪ What is the Red Sox’ attitude and sentiment toward Bregman? At last check, at the club’s end-of-season news conference in early October, Breslow didn’t hesitate to heap braise on Bregman, saying in part, “I will not miss an opportunity to talk about his contributions on the field, in the clubhouse, to the coaching staff, to the front office.” We’ll see how the vibe has shifted, if at all, now that the third baseman’s market is starting to form and the Sox have direct competition.
▪ How open is Pete Alonso to spending time at DH? Like Bregman, Alonso is looking for the big payday in free agency he didn’t get last offseason. For the Sox and others, Alonso being willing to split time between first base and DH would make him more attractive. His agent, Scott Boras, who also represents Bregman and free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, is due to speak to reporters this week, at which point he should shed light.
▪ Is there another wave of front-office restructuring? Breslow made major changes in each of his first two offseasons. Recent departures mean the Sox need to make at least a couple of important hires, including at the top of their fundamental and physical development department (to replace Paul Toboni), as well as the director of pitching role (to replace Justin Willard). It’s not clear whether those openings will trigger outside additions or be an opportunity to move personnel around/promote from within.
Following marked progress over the past year, this offseason is another critical one. The Red Sox turned an eventful last offseason — during which they were active in free agency (closer Aroldis Chapman, reliever Justin Wilson, eventually Bregman) as well as the trade market (primarily staff ace Garrett Crochet) — into their first playoff berth in four years. Then they lost in the first round.
It was like one of those rockets that takes off but explodes before breaking through the atmosphere — a definite success, legitimate progress, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the very end.
This time, they want more. They’re building for a big-time blastoff.