After the duds and the sparklers, Boston still owes fans a real fireworks finale.
With New Year’s upon us, that brings along the twice-a-year conversation we all have to have about fireworks.
Some people love ’em, some people hate ’em.
Just like resolutions, they’re as polarizing as they come.
It’s safe to say if you have a dog, you HATE fireworks. And I get it.
But if you’re a Red Sox fan, even if you have a dog, fireworks should be a welcome sight this New Year’s season.
With the way the free agent season has gone for Boston (as in they have not signed a single one since their offseason began on October 3), the idea of a big splashy signing yet to come has to be enticing for anyone who cares about this baseball team.
And if we’re looking at this offseason like a fireworks display, there are some examples of the types of fireworks you get in the lead-up to a grand finale, along with some misfires (no one was hurt, thank you for your concern.
The Misfires
It probably doesn’t even need to be said at this point, but not landing Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso were both massive misses by the front office, especially when you consider the reported three-year, $85 million embarrassment of a deal Boston offered to Alonso when they were considered the leader in the club house to sign the guy within 24 hours of the Orioles pulling off the deal.
No Polar Bear. No Kyle from Waltham. No big name/big bat added.
These things happen, but they’re especially frustrating when they happen because of the price tag.
Moral of the story?
Don’t cheap-out on the bad fireworks. Always spring for the good stuff.
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The Undercards
While there haven’t been any free agent additions, the Red Sox do deserve some credit for the trade acquisitions of Johan Oviedo, Sonny Gray and Wilson Contreras.
All three of those players should, in theory, make you better in 2026.
While Oviedo, 27, isn’t a slam dunk, so to speak, he profiles as someone with really high upside moving forward. If he reaches his full potential and becomes a solid starter somewhere between your No. 3 and No. 5 slot, that’s a great get for the price they got him at from Pittsburgh.
Gray, 36, is someone who should, in theory, be an upgrade for you as your No. 2 starter over Lucas Giolito, who is almost certainly not returning in 2026 after the team did not give him a qualifying offer last month. He’s just two years removed from his last All-Star appearance, and has a 3.51 ERA since leaving New York after the 2018 season while averaging over 145 innings pitched per season over the last seven years. Durability, reliability and experience makes him more than a worthy addition to the staff for 2026, albeit not carrying the superstar moniker fans might be looking for.
When it comes to Contreras, here’s what my Roundtable colleague Brady Farkas wrote back on December 21:
“Now 33 years old, Contreras has been a solid offensive player for years. A 10-year veteran of the Chicago Cubs and Cardinals, Contreras is a .258 career hitter with 172 home runs. A three-time All-Star, he helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016, and he's had a positive OPS+ in each season of his career except one (2018). He has two years and $41 million remaining on his contract and there is a club option for 2028. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports the Cardinals are sending over $8 million.”
All three names are worth being excited about, to a degree. None of them should be viewed as finale-level fireworks, but they’re worthy additions to the show.
And The Grand Finale Is…
TBD.
Who should be?
Alex Bregman.
I’m not sure how many different versions of this blurb I can write this offseason without going crazy, but I’ll take another shot at it here.
We all know the story at this point - big free agent signing during spring training, was the reason Rafael Devers was asked to change positions, Devers’ pushback eventually led to him being dealt to the Giants, Bregman emerged as the unquestioned leader of the clubhouse, and despite missing a chunk of the season due to a quad injury was still among the best hitters in baseball at his position and was able to help deliver Boston’s first postseason berth since 2021. With all of that said, he still decided to opt out after his first season of a three-year deal, leaving $80 million on the table in search of a contract that will carry him to the end of his career.
While Boston has routinely been reported as being in the pole position for Bregman all hot stove season, rumors earlier this month from prominent baseball podcaster Jared Carrabis have raised doubt around the idea of the two-time World Series champion returning to the Red Sox to chase his third career ring.
“I don’t feel super great about Bregman coming back, but these things are always subject to change,” he wrote on X on December 16. “Bogaerts was pretty much a done deal to return until the Padres swooped in with a crazy offer. These situations are fluid. But, yeah. Doesn’t sound promising at the moment.”
Despite these whispers being floated by Carrabis, my gut tells me Bregman is back in Boston for 2026. With the team loudly swinging and missing on the likes of both Alonso and Schwarber, there’s plenty of money to go around still. And if Boston shows up to Opening Day 2026 with Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet as the only names worthy of the marquee, there might be paper bags over the heads of fans in the stands at Fenway Park.
I wish that was hyperbole - Red Sox fans are nuts.
They cannot miss here on Bregman. If they need to overpay, so be it.
If you want the ending to the show that everybody remembers, you pay the big bucks. Explosions, lights, patterns - whatever it is you’re looking for, that costs real dough.
Time to pay up to give the people what they want.
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.