The offseason picture became far clearer over the last few weeks, with four of DiamondCentric’s top-10 free agents signing. That still leaves room for additions in Boston, specifically regarding the infield. Other than Eugenio Suarez, Bo Bichette was the only truly enticing infield option remaining. Once the Red Sox signed Ranger Suarez, Bichette was no longer in the picture, so it just became a matter of seeing where he would land. The two primary contenders, the Mets and Phillies, both had intriguing options at third base that could be bought should Bichette have entered the fold.
Then, shortly after whiffing on Kyle Tucker, Bichette officially inked his deal with the Mets for three years, $126 million. In doing so, both Brett Baty‘s and Mark Vientos‘ place in the lineup became unclear. FanGraph’s Mets Roster Resource page currently has Baty slotted at DH, while Vientos has been relegated to being a bench piece versus righties and then playing first against lefties. Baty is likely to be benched against southpaws.
Both of these guys are too good to be platooning for each other. With the Bichette signing, the Mets are in a similar predicament at third that the Red Sox are in in the outfield. Even after their Freddy Peralta blockbuster that cost them top prospect Jett Williams, New York clearly has a logjam to sort through.
You can probably see where this is going.
Issac Paredes has been linked more intensely in recent days to the Red Sox and our own @Brandon Glick outlined how effective he could be at Fenway. But there appears to be more pressure in the Big Apple for the Mets to add and more holes to fill. Along with that, Baty and Vientos hit free agency in 2030, whereas Paredes hits the market in 2028. This will surely make one of Vientos or Baty more expensive than Paredes, but the Red Sox have the pitching and outfield depth necessary to meet the needs of the Mets to get a deal done.
Brett Baty (2025):
.254/.313/.435, 18 HR, 50 RBI, 1 11 wRC+, 2.3 fWAR
The 2025 season was a mini-breakout for Baty, finally unlocking some of his potential in the second half. After posting a pedestrian 92 wRC+ prior to the Midsummer Classic, Baty found his stride, ripping a 135 wRC+ to conclude the season. He increased his average by 65 points, shooting up from .226 to .291, and he increased his walk rate from 6.0 to 9.0 percent while maintaining a 73 percent contact rate and striking out at around the same clip. His xBA indicates that he’s somewhere in between both of those totals, sitting at .257.
Projection systems are skeptical of his power surge, but allow me to take a moment to push against the computers. The expected regression in the power department is likely due to a previous career high of nine home runs in 2023, fair enough. But a 26-year-old with a max EV of 115.6 mph, a 107 mph 90th percentile EV, and a 90.5 mph average exit velocity has more room to grow. Looking at the above graphic; Baty excels in almost every category that involves mashing the baseball.
The issue he runs into is that he hits far too many ground balls. His average launch angle is 5.8 degrees, and his 52.6 percent ground ball rate is the ninth-highest in baseball (min. 300 PA), limiting his power output. So yes, he smokes the baseball, but far too often it’s right into the dirt. Despite this, Baty was still an above-league-average bat and set career-highs in most power metrics.
Regarding his defense, his Fielding Run Value is 48th percentile, and his Outs Above Average was 69th percentile. He also boasted four Defensive Runs Saved, a five-run improvement over 2024.
There is still room to grow in this profile, and if he learns to elevate even a bit more, this is absolutely a 25-plus HR threat waiting to happen.
Mark Vientos: .233/.289/.413, 17 HR, 61 RBI, 97 wRC+, 0.4 fWAR
Vientos’ 2025 was a far cry from his breakout 2024 season, where he slugged 27 home runs, raking to the tune of a .837 OPS. Looking at his 2024 expected stats, regression appeared imminent. Vientos outperformed his xBA, xSLG, and xwOBA all by at least 20 points. Interestingly enough, his 2025 went the exact opposite way, though not to the same extreme. His skills remained largely the same as well, keeping his exit velocity in the upper-third of the league and a nearly identical launch angle.
His contact rate improved from 66 to 73 percent, and his strikeout rate fell from 29.7 to 24.8 percent, yet his batting average declined. Assuming those gains hold, he profiles as a better on-base contributor moving forward.
Like his third base partner, his second half showed meaningful improvement. The most clear jump was his performance versus lefties. Vientos supported an abysmal 49 wRC+ against southpaws in the first half, and that number jumped up to a 155 wRC+ post-All-Star break. His OPS against lefties likewise saw a dramatic increase, jumping from .547 all the way to .914. Vientos hit the IL on June 3 due to a left hamstring strain, which knocked him out for a month. It’s possible that it was a lingering injury that finally sidelined him after trying to play through it.
Defensively, he profiles more as a DH than a third baseman, providing -7 Outs Above Average at the hot corner. That could be an issue for the Red Sox, who like to prioritize versatility among their infielders.
Which option is better for Red Sox?
Vientos’ best season is better than Brett Baty’s, but I think Baty has a higher ceiling left in his career. He hits the ball harder, plays a better third base, and gets on base with a higher frequency. Both of these options look like they’re due for a better 2026 than what their full-season numbers displayed, but Baty showed tangible growth. Vientos stayed largely the same, but the good luck completely turned over on its head. He’s a player of the caliber of somewhere in the middle of his 2024 and 2025 seasons, whereas Baty has another gear we have yet to see.
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A complete offseason involves acquiring an infield bat. Whether that comes from Queens, Houston, or elsewhere remains to be seen, but there are great options available.
It’s on the Red Sox to go out and get one.
