Red Sox One Trade From a Much Better 2026 Roster

This article takes a look at the Boston Red Sox’s changing roster through the eyes of chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. He’s focused on a pitching staff that’s taken a huge leap, some nagging infield questions, and the idea that one more move could shift the Sox from just playoff hopefuls to real contenders.

Pitching Takes Center Stage in Boston’s Roster Evolution

Craig Breslow didn’t quite say the Red Sox are better than last year, but he made his point. The team’s foundation has changed, plain and simple.

The biggest shift happened on the mound. Boston rebuilt its pitching staff, and now it’s one of the deepest in the American League.

Adding Ranger Suárez, Garrett Crochet, and rotation/”>Sonny Gray gives the Sox a rotation that actually looks ready for October. They’re not just hoping for the best or crossing their fingers on prospects anymore.

This group brings real experience and some battle scars. It’s hard not to feel a bit more confident heading into a big series with these guys lined up.

A Rotation Built for the Postseason

Suárez leads the way with a ridiculous 1.48 postseason ERA over 11 playoff games, eight of them starts. Crochet and Gray have both handled tough situations and delivered when it counted.

Suddenly, Boston can match up with the league’s best in a short series. That’s not something we’ve been able to say for a while.

The Sox have a lot of arms right now. Their 40-man roster is stacked with starting pitching, which gives Breslow some rare flexibility.

Losing Alex Bregman Created a Void

The pitching is better, no doubt. But losing Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs left a real gap in the infield and the lineup.

Bregman’s power, eye at the plate, and steady glove—those are tough to replace. Boston moved fast to try and fill some of that hole.

They brought in Willson Contreras, who’s expected to hit cleanup and add some punch in the middle of the order.

Contreras Helps, But Doesn’t Solve Everything

Contreras brings some right-handed pop and actually improves first base defense. He landed in the 91st percentile in outs above average last season, which is a big step up from what the Sox had in 2025.

Even so, there are still questions about the infield defense. Contreras can’t cover for Bregman’s absence, especially on the left side.

The Missing Piece: One More Impact Infielder

Boston probably needs one more real infield addition to balance things out. People around the league have mentioned Nico Hoerner as a fit—he’s got great defense and a solid bat.

Someone like Hoerner could help cover what Bregman did and settle down a defense that might otherwise drag down the pitching staff.

Internal Options and Defensive Upside

The Sox do have some in-house options to watch:

Both come with risks, though. That’s why adding from outside still makes a lot of sense.

Depth Gives Breslow Flexibility

Outside the infield, Boston could use a bit more left-handed relief and catching depth. But those feel more like tweaks than urgent needs.

Breslow’s got a strong hand here. Boston actually has enough pitching and outfielders to deal from depth, without gutting the farm or the big-league roster.

From 89 Wins to Something More

If the Red Sox can snag just one more big piece, this roster could top last year’s 89 wins. Maybe they even push into the 93-win range or higher.

They’ve already got postseason-ready pitching. Sometimes, the jump from good to great really is about a single, gutsy move.

I’ve covered this sport for three decades, and honestly, teams that lean on pitching and depth usually make the most noise in October.

Boston feels closer to that winning formula than it has in a long time.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Red Sox one more trade away from much better roster than last year’s|Smith