The Red Sox made a record-breaking contract offer to Juan Soto and struck out anyway. But Boston is quickly moving on and is now chasing other, less expensive free agents in a quest to put the team back into contention for 2025.

Red Sox owner John Henry was reportedly prepared to shell out $700 million for Soto alone. If he remains willing to spend even a portion of that cash, the Red Sox should be able to significantly upgrade their roster, and with Soto leaving the New York Yankees and moving to the National League New York Mets, the Red Sox and several other teams in the American League now have a genuine chance to make a run at the postseason or even a trip to the World Series.

“Yanks just lost a free agent to the METS. That lineup was 2 guys (3 when [Giancarlo] Stanton was healthy),” noted former Red Sox infielder and current radio and TV broadcaster. “They need a lot. AL is wide open. Sox can still build a Playoff team. It’s time to go!!!”

Red Sox Need to ‘Go’ on Upgrading Bullpen

One area where the Red Sox need to “go” — upgrading the bullpen. The Boston ‘pen was responsible for 31 blown saves in 2024, second-most in MLB behind only the hapless Chicago White Sox who blew 38 on their way to setting a modern Major League record for losses in a season with 121.

According to baseball insider Jon Morosi of MLB Network, they are looking at doing exactly that. The Red Sox, Morosi reported Monday, are “active on free-agent relievers.” With several quality bullpen arms on the market, they would appear to have their pick, except for the fact that, also per Morosi, several other teams are pursuing the same batch of relief pitchers.

Those teams include Boston’s AL East rivals the Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays, plus the National League Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies are coming off three straight years of postseason play, including a losing World Series appearance in 2022, after a decade-long drought, so they may be looking to re-sign their own free agents to keep that going. But one of their top relievers appears likely to be a prime Red Sox target, as identified by Morosi. That pitcher would be righty Carlos Estévez, whom Philadelphia acquired at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Angels.

Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowksi — who held the same job for the Red Sox from 2015 to 2019 — gave up two of his organization’s top prospects to land Estévez, pitchers George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri. But Dombrowski appeared to see Estévez as a short-term rental rather than as a part of the Phillies’ plan for the future.

Estévez Could Fill Red Sox Closer Role

After saving 20 games for the Angels, Estévez went on to save another six for the Phillies while striking out 18 batters in 21 innings pitched and walking seven. At age 31, Estévez, a native of the Dominican Republic, is not in line for a lengthy contract, making him affordable for the Red Sox. The sports business site SpoTrac estimates his market value at $42 million over a three-year deal.

The Red Sox closer for the past two seasons was future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen, who the team inked to a two-year pact at $32 million in 2023, at his then-age of 33. The Red Sox have shown no tangible interest in bringing Jansen back, so giving Estévez a shot at the closer’s role would represent an economical solution. Jansen saved 27 games for the Red Sox in 2024 in 31 opportunities. Between the Angels and Phillies last season, Estévez also saw 31 save chances and converted 26 of them.