Boston Red Sox 2026 Offseason Expectations – Nat Gordon

Boston Red Sox 2026 Offseason Expectations – Nat Gordon

Yeah, I I think you know there are a few things that we can point to. Um the most significant of which I think is to to remind ourselves that there’s no guarantee that we just pick up where we left off at the end of 2025, right? Um just you know kind of expecting everyone to take a step forward uh I think could could allow us to uh to be complacent or to fall flat. And so, uh, you know, we’ll take stock of of the roster and we’ll think about opportunities to improve that could come through multiple paths. Um, you know, I think we we can talk about, uh, you know, the different elements of of the game and say that, uh, you know, we have to examine our our defense and and and you know, we we led the league in in errors and and that’s not good enough. Um, at the same time, I think our outfield defense was was the best in baseball. Um, you know, on the whole, our our offensive unit was was good. Uh, by almost all metrics. We were, you know, a top 10 team in, you know, scoring runs, in getting on base, in slugging. Um, but we didn’t execute consistently with runners in scoring position, right? Um, we we struck out with runners in scoring position. Uh, and and that’s another thing that we can examine. Um, but you know, right now, uh, I think we’ll kind of zoom out a little bit and and take stock of where we are and we’ll be open to to all possible pathways to improving the team. All right, that’s the state of the Red Sox there. You heard Craig Brelo there. We welcome in Natt Gordon of the Play Tessy podcast family to the program. Welcome back, my man. Thanks for having me back. I love being here. Well, we love having you. And I want to say this, these playoffs without the Red Sox absolutely suck. Yeah. With the addition of I guess Tigers Mariners, which looks like a decent series, the rest of them are trash. At least the Yankees are losing, but without the Socks, this isn’t fun to me anymore. Yeah. And with We love the Yankees being down 02, don’t get me wrong. I I want to see them get swept, but the truth is, yeah, you you talk about being unhappy with what you’re seeing right now. As soon as the Yankees are out, you have even one less thing to root for. What? It’s going to be what? Like root against the Dodgers at that point. It’s like, yeah, we want the Dodgers to lose, but it’s not personal like it is with the Yankees. Yeah, you’re right. This is terrible. Like, socks, we need you in this. So now 8973 was the final record. They bow out in the wildard round. Yesterday was the end of the season press conference. We heard a bevy of things there from a lot of folks. What stood out to you? Well, I thought what stood out to me was the outfield situation is is definitely unsettled as we thought and they’re going to want to add more power to the lineup. And I think those two things are are interconnected. Like if they want to add a DH, there’s a few guys on the free agent market trade market you could you could go take a look at. But if you’re going to add a DH, you don’t have room for all four of those outfielders. We’re talking Roman Anthony, Sedon, Raphaela, Jiren Duran, Will Abrau. You’re not going to have room for all those guys if you bring in a power a power DH bat. So, it’s all connected and we’re going to see what they do. But, I I think one of those guys could be on the way out. Scary thoughts. So, the business side that has to play into this because I feel like there was a load of fans that were like, “We’re happy that we finally made it to a postseason. All is well. We talked about the bright future ahead and there’s a number of fans that are like, “No, it wasn’t enough.” Uh, if you had to play Devil’s Advocate, who do you think that they would move on from to bring in another DH? Because that’s where the tough decisions really come into play. Yeah, I mean I think the only guy I would consider truly 100% safe is Roman Anthony. He’s obviously not going anywhere. He’s the future of this organization. Let’s be real. He’s the present and future of this organization. Um if I had to lean one way, I’d probably lean Jiren Durant. It’s hard to say. Like I thought Sadon Raphaela for a portion of this year proved to be a staple both offensively and defensively on this team. Uh so really Jiren and Abrau would be the top two guys I would I would think but really it could go either which way just because so much of it is determined on what they can get back uh who they like. I mean I think that may that Abrau Raphaela Anthony have room to grow whereas Jer Durant is kind of on the other Yeah. he’s where he’s at and you know they’re in a contending window so that’s not necessarily a bad thing and all these guys have control on their deals but just you you look at guys who could keep ascending and then one guy who may be on the other side of that who teams value and would give a lot for it makes sense. Yeah, but his stock’s never going to be higher than it was. I want to stick with Durant for a second because I kind of have a take on him. I think the Red Sox gambled and as a gambler I actually appreciated it and I defended it at the time around the trade deadline there were the rumors I’m sure you remember you probably broke the story who the hell knows but Duran to the Padres’s who have been flirting with him for years for Dylan CE and we saw Dylan CE in the postseason he pitched pretty well they’re at Cancun right now not because of Dylan CE okay so I of course hindsight being what it is you make that deal you may still be playing right now because you have Crochet and a Dylan CE, right? You had that one-two punch. But needless to say, I think the Socks gambled because Durant was an emotional leader in the clubhouse. He was a spark plug and I understood it. But when we got to the postseason, Gordo, I think his performance or lack thereof against the Yankees, if they move on from him, I personally believe the playoff performance did him in. Do you? Well, his his his performance in that series wasn’t good. It was it was a really just it was a bad series for Jiren Durant. I don’t think he would tell you otherwise. At the time the the talk of that deal made some sense, but in the end with Roman going down and Abrau going down it it was probably for the best that they didn’t make that trade and in the end like they they had some arms come up and contribute like Connelly early ended up contributing. I don’t know where they would have been had they traded him then. Even though he was playing his best ball of the season at that point and his value certainly was higher then than it’s going to be this off seasonason, but at the same time, I just don’t know where they would have been without him. Even though once they got there, he just wasn’t very good. Yeah. Um Craig Brezlo mentioned no guarantee to pick up where we left off. That can be a little nerve-wracking considering what I just mentioned. But what’s probably the most pivotal point that they do need to pick up from where they left off within the entire encompassing of like their game and what they brought this season. Yeah, I think where they definitely need to pick up where they left off is with the pitching and and Alex Core talked about it as well. The pitching pipeline that Craig Brezlo talked about wanting to build and this is going to be his third year on the job. And when the second he got here, that was what he said that the Red Sox needed to do. We got to build out a pitching pipeline. We got to have pitchers. We got to have a depth of pitchers in Triple A that can contribute and we need to be able to produce and develop stud pitchers at the big league level. And I think this year they showed the beginnings of that with guys like Payton Tullley, Connelly Early, Hunter Dobbins. Like you had guys coming up and contributing that fans hadn’t heard of before the season. And again, this is this is the beginnings of that. Like we we haven’t seen what these guys are going to be capable of once they start hitting their prime years, once they start pitching full seasons at the big league level. I mean, I do think that this offseason they need to increase the ceiling of that unit, but they have enough depth to get through a full season with pitchers that can keep you in games and win you games. It’s just going to be a matter of when you get to the postseason, are they going to have enough guys that can go out there and win a game on their own like Crochet did in game one. Remember too, they drafted a s ton of pitchers as well. And nowadays with this Red Sox team, it’s not like the old days where you develop these guys for years. We see these guys coming up in five minutes. So to your point about depth, it’s definitely there in terms of the youth movement. I also heard them talk a lot about adding a number two starter. So I’m hearing all this and and we’re kind of connecting the dots here as we talk. Okay. So youth pipeline is filled with young arms, right? You’re talking about going out and signing or trading for a number two stud to go with Garrick Crochet. So, I’m hearing all this and I’m thinking, I mean, Lucas Gelo couldn’t finish the season for you because of health. He’s in a situation where you can retain him. You can bring him back. You got to pay for it. I didn’t hear a lot of mention of Glo. Do you think he’s out of here or do you think they’ll work something out with him? It wouldn’t surprise me if if he wasn’t back next year just because they have so many arms. Like you can fill that number three, four, five and beyond spots in that in that rotation. He pitched well though, Gordo, didn’t he for you? He was. He was terrific this year, but there’s so much uncertainty with his elbow. I mean, this is now the second straight season he’s had an elbow issue, right? And let’s be honest with ourselves, like they need a guy that they that they can trust to go out there and win you a playoff game. And even before the injury, you know, Gilito, I mean, probably due to the injury, but he had he had kind of an up and down September. You look at guys around the league that they could trade for like a Joe Ryan who they obviously were after at the deadline, Mackenzie Gore, who they talked about as well, Sandy Alcantra, who they talked about, or even free agents like Dylan, your guy Dylan Cece, like these are these are guys that as as good as Lucas Gilito was for the Red Sox this year, those guys would increase the ceiling of the team. Doesn’t mean they can’t bring back Gilito as well, but to me, I just think with the amount of pitching they have, you’re kind of looking at let’s get one really good dude. Yeah. To increase the ceiling and everyone else can kind of help us. I’ll be honest, if I’m GO or I’m like on his team, like his his peeps, his posi, I’d be like, “Bro, do a one-year like kind of hometown discount deal. Stay with the Socks and finish.” Like I I if I was him, I would want to show I could stay healthy, right? And I can finish the season. and I can pitch for you in the playoffs. I only bring that up because if Lucas Gilito is your fourth or fifth starter, you’re in great shape. You’re in great shape. That’s all. Yeah. And with with him, he could potentially get the qualifying offer this year too from the Red Sox. A one-year 20some million dollar deal. If Yeah. And if his elbows barking at all or if he’s concerned at all that teams might think he can’t stay healthy, then he’s going to have trouble getting a contract. That’s right. after rejecting that deal, he could take that deal and be back on a one-year, which let’s be honest with ourselves, the Red Sox should be thrilled if he takes it. I would think so. Would you want to see Gil to stick around or is there somebody else on the market that you feel like they need to be able to pull in? And then also maybe some of the youth being able to shine up Connor Early, more specifically, does that change the conversation of how aggressive or less aggressive this team needs to be offseason wise with situating this pitching staff with a lot more confidence going into next year? Yeah, I really think what what Earlyie did this year does change the conversation because I think had you not seen what he can do, you’d be sitting here saying I think maybe they need to get two guys like bring Gito back and get another guy to increase the ceiling. Sure. Now, I mean, you can still do that. I It would be great. Like, I’d love to see them pay Lucas Gileo or him take the qualifying offer and then them go out and get a guy to to raise the bar a little bit. Get a Joe Ryan. Like I I love I love the idea of trading for Joe Ryan or McKenzie signing Dylan CE like like Dylan he led the league in K per this year and you know the RA was a little bit higher but you just see the stuff and how much better he could be. Get him in with this group and see what he can do. You you could have a dude for years to come if you go that route. Yo dog I’m writing this down. Rocher Ryan writing it down or manifesting cease beo and then whoever at five early fine like whatever that’s a that’s a nice rotation Gordo and then you talk about guys like like you’re not even talking about Dobbins cutter Crawford you’ve got so many options which is which is why I really do think I mean I they’re going to have to address the offensive side of the ball too so they they’ve got a couple of holes to plug here. Okay, let’s go offense. Let’s do it. Trevor Story can opt out. Bregman’s opting out. I mean, what are we doing with these guys? I I understand the business. Opt out, you hit the market, your numbers go up, but are you staying with the Red Sox? That’s my question for both. Yeah. And you saw with Brezlo yesterday, it was it was very they were non-answers when he was asked specifically about Alex Bregman, which understandably right now the decisions in Bregman’s hand as well as Story like those guys can opt out of their deals. I think Bregman probably a little bit more likely than Story, but both definitely on the table. Okay. You you get those reports saying that Bregman is is for certain opting out, which surprised me a little bit. Me too. A little bit. Well, it’s just it’s just numbers. Like I don’t necessarily think that he wants to leave. No. But I think he’s saying, “Yeah, I’ll stay, but you’re going to pay me at market value.” Yeah. Which I I get, I guess. And And he’s definitely built up some leverage. I mean, he proved this year with the Red Sox just how important he is. Yeah, talk to every single player on both sides of the ball. Like we talk about Lucas Gileo, like Bregman caught a pitch tipping issue with Gelito against the Yankees and it and it helped him make it through the next month. Uh he stayed on Raphaela when he was on his heater. He credited Alex Bregman for going on that heater. So like this guy obviously what he does on the field is super important, but it’s what he does off the field for his teammates, the leader he is in that locker room, in that clubhouse that makes him so important. And I think for him, he wants to be in a place that’s gonna that can win. He wants to be in a ballpark he can hit in. It’s a perfect fit for both sides. It’s just going to be how can they get there? How much money? He can age well here. I I mean, I guess my only concern if I’m the socks and I ain’t writing the check, so what do I care? But my only concern would be the length of the contract cuz he’s not getting any younger. But he can age well here with the youth movement here. He’s a leader. He’s clutch as all hell. Like that’s really what you need. I I think he he’s set up to age well here. It’s just the length of the contract. I would have a little bit of concern. Part of it too is the fact that I mean he made a statement leaving his old team to come here and like I’m sorry the walk out song has a lot to do with it. If you’re not going to appreciate him, he’s going to walk on and so I feel like he’s got to continue to hold on to that. But you don’t want to when you talk about makeup, which was a lot of the conversation around Duran and why he didn’t go at the trade deadline. This is a guy who really did become a makeup of this Red Sox team. So, I would hope that they would find a way to connect here and make sure that he sticks around and ages well in Boston. Which leads me to another conversation that took place a lot throughout the season. First base, uh, we don’t know we what we don’t know with Tristan Cases. Then there was all this we need to get a first baseman in here. Then they bring in Nate Low. Then there there’s just so much up and down. Is this going to be another conversation that we’re having in the offseason when it comes to solidifying some money that might have to get shued out? Yeah, definitely. I I I think Brelo being non-committal to Tristan Cauus yesterday, although expected uh definitely spoke volumes. They’re they’re going to explore any way they can to get a 30 plus home run bat into this lineup, which they desperately need because Trevor Story led the team with 25 homers this year. And even though they’ve got a fair amount of guys that you think, yeah, they could be 20 plus homer guys, you don’t have that 30 plus to 40 home run bat that Raphael Devers was and they traded Devers and and by all means for the reasons they they had to do that, I get it. But you do have to replace that caliber of bat, that home run power in the lineup. And with Tristan Cases’ injury history missing the majority of the last two years, you can’t count on him to be that guy either. So you need certainty. Okay. Okay. Gordo, you talking around all this. Let’s put some names on it because I’ve been saying this team needs a big burly lumberjack of a man with a bat in this lineup. And there’s two names right now. One of them should have never left. Kyle Schwarber. The other one’s Pete Alonzo. Who are the socks getting it? Cuz it’s got to be one of them. Well, I would I would go I would be head over heels for Kyle Schwarber. I don’t think the Phillies are letting him get away. Okay. I I I’m telling you that would be prime number one option. Just Kyle Schwarber on this team would be such a perfect fit. And you’re right. Should have never let him laugh. That to me like call me crazy like that that one was even even more inexplicable than Mookie Bets. Yes. But I digress. Like him Pete Alonzo felt like you were describing Pete Lonzo. They need a big burly guy. He’s going to get in here 30 plus lumberjack. Choose rocks type. Exactly. You’ve got you got a couple others maybe. Maybe two frocks type like you don’t need teeth. We just need you to have a hot bath. Exactly. Yeah. Totally fine. But Auaneo Suarez is a free agent. 34 going to be 35 in July. He hit 49 home runs this year. Josh Naylor also a Mariner. Could be a middle of the order guy. All these people were available at the deadline. And man, I know. And the and the socks were up to them, too. I know. The Mariners get both. uh Marcelo Zuna, a free agent. And then another guy out of Japan that people have been talking about for a couple years, Munitaka Murakami. They call him the Japanese Babe Ruth. Whoa. I don’t I don’t know if the Red Sox should be taking shots on unproven commodities, but if there was an unproven commodity to take a shot on, maybe it’s the Japanese Babe Ruth. Wow. Tell me more about this guy. I know he’s going to be expensive. Is he young, old? What is he? He’s young. I young. He’s He’s 25 or 26 years old. He he kind of made his mark in the World Baseball Classic. That’s when he kind of like him and Roi Sasaki and Yoshi Nobu Yamamoto kind of became household names, at least on in the in the US at that time. But yeah, that’s a guy he has some swing and missing miss in his game, but he can hit the ball out of the ballpark. That’s for sure. There’s one thing that you’re that you’re going to get there. He’s going to hit home runs. All right. Hey, we learned that the Red Sox are going to get a big burly man with a bat at some point with no teeth and shoes. Yeah, we don’t know who, but we know he’s coming to the Red Sox. That’s all that matters. Gordo, thanks for getting up with us, man. You know, we love when you come here, whether it’s on Zoom or in studio. We appreciate you, man. Thank you. We love having you here, actually. Yeah. Well, we prefer here, no doubt. All right. When we come back, hey, the Patriots are like the new flavor of the moment right now in the NFL, but all of us are like, “Duh, no shack, Sherlock. We tried to tell you this team would be good.” We’ll talk about it next. State of the Pats here on Boston has entered the chat. Come with us.

Now that the Boston Red Sox are in the offseason, fans might see some changes from the team. Nat Gordon from the Play Tessie Podcast joins Travis Thomas and Kasey Hudson to discuss his Boston Red Sox offseason expectations.

GET NESN 360: https://nesn.com/download-the-nesn-app/

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/NESN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NESN
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NESN/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nesn
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nesn
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/nesn/