HUH? The First Big Red Sox Offseason Rumor Involves A Free Agent Catcher After They Made A Big Trade For A Catcher Three Months Ago
This is not the big news.
The Red Sox are shopping Jarren Duran. Good. They should be
Just like they should have been a few years ago. And then last offseason. They have a logjam in the outfield, and Duran had more on-field, fan, and media-related incidents in 2026 than he did impactful moments for this baseball team. Hopefully some team sees that 9.0 WAR season from 2004 and thinks, "We can fix him," and overpays. That would be a win for the Red Sox and the fans
No, the big name attached to the Red Sox offseason Wednesday was catcher/DH Ryan Jeffers.
Rob Leiter. Getty Images.Hm.
Big-time baseball guy Jeff Passan wrote that signing Jeffers would be a "perfect transaction" for the Red Sox.
Arizona's Ketel Marte, on the other hand, would fit perfectly at second base. The concerns about his reliability are real. Boston talked about Corey Seager at the trade deadline this year, so that could be rekindled. If they do decide to spend money, though, there are worse options than getting a backup plan for Adley Rutschman (who hits free agency next winter) and adding another powerful right-handed bat who can play DH, too. Sign catcher Ryan Jeffers.
Jon Heyman also linked the Red Sox to the free-agent catcher later on Wednesday, who is represented by Super Agent Scott Boras.
Two things I don't like about this.
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1. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, didn't they just trade some legit prospects for Adley Rutschman? He doesn't turn 29 until this winter. Wouldn't the idea be to re-sign him to a long-term deal? Why back yourself into $75 million worth of Jeffers if you're confident you can re-sign the guy you just traded those prospects for? I don't get it.
2. The cost. Not just the money. But as a free agent with a qualifying offer attached to him, the Red Sox would have to give up $1MM in international bonus pool money, as well as two draft picks — their second- and fifth-highest selections in the 2027 draft. Plus a reported $75 million or so, which is the consensus cost.
ALL THAT FOR RYAN JEFFERS?
Pros: He's a decent right-handed bat who walks a lot, and his swing should play at Fenway.
Cons: Not a good defensive catcher. Redundant after you traded for Adley and Curtis Mead a few months ago. The cost.
I've seen some Sox fans say this would be good "Adley insurance." How about just spending the money and re-signing Rutschman? It seems impossible the Sox would pay both Jeffers and Rutschman, right? So signing Jeffers this offseason is basically saying goodbye to Adley after 2027, or whenever they play baseball next. Fucking lockout.
Ryan Jeffers seems like a big move for a team like the Rays - which I guess is fitting since the Red Sox ownership and front office want to run their BIG MARKET team like one of the small guys.
If the Sox had not traded for Mead…or traded for Rutschman, this would make a lot more sense. He's a nice player, but signing him feels like an admission that you've already let Adley walk.
Don't love it. In fact, don't like it. And don't like the signal it sends about the catcher you just traded for. And if Ryan Jeffers is indeed the headliner, it feels like an admission that the Sox won't be making many major moves this offseason.