As Spring Training lurks waiting around the corner, the Boston Red Sox still haven’t accomplished one of their primary objectives for the offseason.
Last season, one of Boston’s biggest weaknesses was its lineup imbalance, allowing left-handed pitchers to dominate the lefty-heavy Red Sox order. And so far, the problem has only gotten worse, with top righty slugger Tyler O’Neill departing in free agency to the rival Baltimore Orioles.
The main righties the Red Sox have been connected to are Alex Bregman in free agency and Nolan Arenado via trade. Either could still happen, but the buzz has calmed down in recent weeks.
What if, however, there is another trade to be had with a National League Central team?
On Sunday, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo named Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki as a realistic trade candidate for the Red Sox in their quest to replace O’Neill.
“Beyond Bregman and Arenado, there’s a limited list of righty-hitting options that includes free agent Randal Grichuk and Cubs trade candidate Seiya Suzuki,” Cotillo wrote.
Suzuki, 30, had a career-best 138 OPS+ in 2024, posting a .283 batting average and 21 home runs in 132 games. He is entering year four of a five-year, $85 million deal, and the Cubs recently traded for Kyle Tucker, which is likely to force him into designated hitter duties if he isn’t dealt elsewhere.
The Red Sox would be wise to at least gauge Chicago’s temperature on a potential Suzuki trade. While he may not be worth depleting the farm to acquire, he could be just the shot in the arm the Boston offense needs at the right price.
