BOSTON — The Red Sox built their core around a young, talented group of position players, specifically in the outfield.
Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu also settled into their roles with a season to grow in 2024. They continued in those spots in 2025 along with the debut of baseball’s top prospect in Roman Anthony, who virtually played at an MVP level from June through August before a Sept. 2 oblique strain abruptly ended his season (and Boston’s chances of a real October run).
All four players are set to play significant roles in 2026, but all of those athletes need consistent playing time and none of them are near a point where serving primarily as a designated hitter makes much sense. The Red Sox had up to five outfielders on the roster at times this season including veteran Rob Refsnyder, who mixed in starts with good numbers against left-handed pitching.
Boston’s surplus could be used to acquire more pitching to bolster the roster, though chief baseball officer Craig Breslow pumped the brakes on the need to move an outfielder, especially given how injuries impacted the end of the season for the Red Sox.
“It’s interesting because the surplus in the outfield was also an area where we got really thin in the outfield,” Breslow said Monday at Fenway Park. “We have to think about that any time you feel comfortable about the surplus or depth you have. Without getting into specifics, everything has to be on the table as we think about improving the team.”
All four outfielders hold specific value. Anthony could be a top-15 bat in baseball by the end of next year. Duran’s speed puts immense pressure on defenses. Rafaela is the best defensive center fielder in the sport. Abreu won a Gold Glove in 2024 and can mash upwards of 20 home runs per season when healthy. That’s a lot to ask of manager Alex Cora to handle such a logjam that’s existed for over a year in Boston.
“I would argue that having four outfielders capable of taking 550 at-bats is a great place to be,” Breslow added. “I have a ton of confidence in Alex’s ability to rotate the people and the personalities. Again, we have to think about what’s best for the organization and what’s best for building a winner.”
If things stay the same entering 2026, the manager is up for the challenge of keeping all four players in the Red Sox lineup consistently.
“If I have four, I can manage them,” Cora said. “You find ways. At the end of the day, the depth is better, to be honest with you. We got tested at the end of the season. We cannot control injuries. We cannot control slumps. As far as managing it, you can do it.”
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