
The 2025-26 offseason could be one of the most intriguing in recent years due to the number of high-tier free agents available.
Last year's offseason narrative was dominated by the Juan Soto sweepstakes as well as the pursuits of several top-tier pitchers, such as Max Fried, Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell.
This year, the free agent market will be a lot more spread out among the elite players available.
Designated hitter/outfielder Kyle Schwarber, outfielder Kyle Tucker, infielders Alex Bregman, Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez, Pete Alonso and international players Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto are all set to be or projected to be free agents.
The Boston Red Sox are coming off their first playoff berth since 2021. Boston fell in the Wild Card-round to the New York Yankees in three games. That series was closely-contested. The Red Sox won Game 1 of the best-of-three series 3-1 and the Yankees won Games 2 and 3 by scores of 4-3 and 4-0.
There will be pressure on Boston's front office to make the necessary moves needed to take the next step into being contenders in what will likely be a wide-open American League in 2026 (pending potential moves).
And one move the Red Sox might make, according to a recent report from New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman, is a reunion with one of the best sluggers in baseball.
"The Phillies are making Kyle Schwarber a top priority," Heyman said in the story. "'I doubt (baseball president Dave Dombrowski) lets him leave,' one rival said. The Red Sox, who also love him, make sense, as might his original Cubs."
Schwarber played for Boston in the second half of the 2021 season. The Red Sox acquired him in a trade with the Washington Nationals on July 29, 2021.
Schwarber was a key contributor on the club that year. The Red Sox made it to the American League Championship Series and lost in six games to the Houston Astros.
Schwarber scored 34 runs in 41 games with Boston in 2021. He hit 10 doubles and seven home runs with 18 RBIs and slashed .291/.435/.522 with a .957 OPS.
In the '21 playoffs, Schwarber scored eight times in 11 games and hit a double and three homers with six RBIs. He slashed .205/.286/.432 with a .718 OPS. He hit a grand slam in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Astros.
If the Red Sox due bring back Schwarber, it could be the crown jewel of what could end up as an elite offseason for the organization.
Boston is also expected to be in contention to bring back Bregman, who played for the Red Sox in 2025 and is expected to opt out of his three-year, $120 million deal.
"The Red Sox are hopeful Alex Bregman stays," Heyman said in the report. "There will be competition, but it makes sense."
Bregman scored 64 runs in 114 games and hit 28 doubles and 18 home runs with 62 RBIs in 2025. He slashed .273/.360/.462 with an .822 OPS.
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