The Boston Red Sox offense went M.I.A. in a 4-0 loss to the New York Yankees on Thursday night, which officially ended their season. It was a promising campaign overall for the Red Sox, who weathered the storm of the Rafael Devers trade and showcased what should be a sustainable blueprint for contention in the AL East. But the result was disappointing, and there will need to be changes this winter.
Craig Breslow deserves plenty of criticism, from his handling of Devers' ill-fated position change, to his lack of aggression at the trade deadline. The Red Sox did not capitalize on opportunities and left themselves vulnerable to injuries. We won't know exactly how things play out with a healthy Roman Anthony, but Boston was far too unprepared for life without its rookie outfielder.
Yankees rookie Cam Schlittler made MLB history in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card, notching 12 strikeouts in zero walks in eight pitch-perfect shutout innings. The Red Sox, meanwhile, collapsed with a four-run fourth inning that featured egregious defensive miscues, an all-too-common problem in 2025.
The Red Sox should be right back in the mix next summer, but this roster will undoubtedly look different. Breslow has a few key free agents to deal with, not to mention high-profile trade candidates. Here's who won't be back.
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These Red Sox free agents are halfway out the door
LHP Steven Matz
Boston acquired Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline. It was a productive move for the Red Sox — he put up a 2.08 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 21.2 innings out of the Red Sox bullpen — but it was also a sign of where Breslow went wrong. Matz was their only bullpen addition at the deadline. This was his best season since, like, 2016, but the Red Sox needed more ambitious maneuvering from the front office.
Matz did his job in Boston, but the 34-year-old now hits the open market, hoping to parlay his renaissance success into a nice payday. He probably won't get another starting opportunity at this point in his career, but there will be contenders willing to give Matz a solid two- or three-year contract to provide length out of the bullpen and occasionally stretch out into a starter when injuries strike.
The Red Sox aren't going to pony up. Their resources will be focused elsewhere, whether it's retaining their own free agents or chasing more consequential names on the marketplace.
OF Rob Refsnyder
Rob Refsnyder, an ex-Yankees draft pick, has put together four excellent seasons in Boston. The book on Refsnyder is fairly straightforward. He mashes lefties (.959 OPS in 138 plate appearances) and disappears against righties (.616 OPS in 71 plate appearances). That makes him a highly useful platoon bat, with positional flexibility between the outfield or the right side of the infield (although he was almost exclusively used in right field or as DH in 2025).
He finished the campaign with an overall .269 average and .838 OPS, with a 131 OPS+ that ranks among the best on the Red Sox roster. He's a situational bat, but Refsnyder is genuinely elite in those situations, which is part of what makes Boston's outfield logjam so tricky.
At the end of the day, he's 34 and there's only so much value in someone who can't hit right-handed pitching. Boston has a full outfield, with more quality options coming up through the farm system. Refsnyder might not be the only cut (more on that later). He will latch on with a new team, hit like gangbusters in 100-odd ABs against southpaws, and that will be that. Boston can survive without him as the youth movement takes hold.
3B Alex Bregman
Alex Bregman built opt-outs into his contract with the Red Sox, which sets up a stressful offseason in Beantown. On the surface, there's no way the Red Sox should let him walk. Pretty much whatever it takes is worth it for a leader of Bregman's caliber, especially when he's producing at the plate (.821 OP and 128 OPS+) and providing airtight defense at third base.
Bregman's contract — three years, $120 million — was never meant to go the distance. It gave Bregman security, but it was pretty much designed for this exact outcome. He was essential to Boston's success and now he will chase a more substantial long-term commitment in free agency, with teams lined up around the block to speak with him.
All signs point to Boston having the upper hand, as Bregman clearly enjoyed his time there, but the open marketplace tends to breed chaos. A lot of high-spending teams could use Bregman's services. Think the Mets, even the Yankees. Diamondbacks. Angels. Phillies. There will be competition, and Boston may wind up reallocating those resources toward a better pitching staff while betting on the development of Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell to flesh out the infield.
These Red Sox trade candidates are next up on the chopping block
RHP Jordan Hicks
Jordan Hicks was the centerpiece of the Rafael Devers trade which is just super depressing in hindsight. Once a promising closer in St. Louis, the Giants attempted to convert Hicks to a starter in 2024. The results were mixed. It got even worse in 2025, as Hicks appeared in 13 games (nine starts) for San Francisco before the trade, posting a 6.47 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. Somehow it got worse in Boston: 8.20 ERA and 1.98 WHIP in 18.2 innings, all out of the bullpen.
Next season is a fresh slate and a chance for Hicks to reassert himself, but the 29-year-old's value has hit rock bottom. He's still under contract for two more years at $12.5 million each, which makes trading him tricky. But if Boston is willing to absorb a bit of dead salary to clear up space in the bullpen and create flexibility to, say, re-sign Bregman or Trevor Story, then it's still workable.
We shouldn't close the book on Hicks entirely. He has pretty lively stuff and he has a track record of moderate success as both a closer and a starter, so there's the upside of a passable swingman, if nothing else. But the Red Sox should be eager to cut bait and leave the Devers saga behind them.
OF Jarren Duran
I think Red Sox fans want to trade Jarren Duran more than the Red Sox want to trade him, but there's a reason his name popped up in rumors around the deadline, despite solid production in a winning situation. Boston just has too many quality outfielders. Duran is already competing for reps with Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu. And, with Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell due for their MLB coming out parties in 2026, it will be a lot harder to just stick Rafaela at second base (plus he's the best defensive centerfielder in the AL, so Boston should want him in the outfield).
That puts Duran, with an imminently affordable $8 million club option for next season (and under team control through 2028), on the trade block. He was better than he gets credit for this season, posting a .774 OPS with 16 home runs, 84 RBI and 24 stolen bases. The defense is left field is an adventure, but Duran is an athlete capable of special plays. He also has a laser for an arm, which helps.
If Boston floats him to prospective buyers, it shouldn't take much effort to drum up a healthy return of high-ranked prospects. Duran would help a lot of teams and he's in his prime at 29 years old. By trading him, Boston can clear up its outfield depth chart, make sure the young guns have a spot in the lineup, and hopefully improve the vibes in the locker room (or at least the fanbase) ahead of 2026.