The Red Sox will have some salary arbitration decisions to make

Yearly, MLB Trade Rumors publishes a list of salary arbitration projections based mostly on an inside mannequin. Fortunately, wage arbitration isn’t one thing Crimson Sox followers have to get too labored up about. For as a lot as Sox followers complain in regards to the Fenway Sports activities Group’s obsession with value effectivity, I can’t consider a single occasion when the Sox traded a participant away as a result of he received too costly in arbitration, as some really parsimonious groups make a behavior of doing.

In truth, the Sox have solely gone to arbitration a whopping 3 times within the final 23 years, getting there with Fernando Abad in 2017, Mookie Betts in 2018, and Eduardo Rodriguez in 2020. And it is a sensible approach of doing enterprise, particularly when you think about the dangerous emotions that the arbitration course of can engender. In any case, wage arbitration typically entails groups and gamers quibbling over a pair million {dollars} on the absolute most (it was truly lower than 1,000,000 within the case of each the Abad and E-Rod). The Sox can simply dig up that sum of money by turning over a number of sofa cushions in Aura Pavilion.

Having mentioned that, let’s check out who’s eligible for arbitration heading into the 2026 season, and what MLB Commerce Rumors initiatives every participant may obtain. After which let’s break them down based on how the Sox ought to proceed.

Simply give the dude his cash

Brennan Bernardino: $1.1MM

Each one among these guys can and might be anticipated to be a contributor on the 2026 Crimson Sox. Hell, one among them was one of many shock stand-outs on the 2025 workforce, whereas one other nonetheless has All-Star potential. (I’m clearly speaking about Casas right here, however Jake Roy would need me to provide a shout-out to Kutter Crawford, too.) And when you’re most likely not significantly enthusiastic about Winckowski and Bernardino, they’re at the very least sometimes efficient back-of-the-bullpen relievers getting paid peanuts. Simply pay these guys their cash and transfer on to different extra vital points.

Think about buying and selling, however not due to cash

Jarren Duran: $8.4MM (Crimson Sox maintain an $8MM membership choice with a $100K buyout)

All winter lengthy final 12 months I waited for the entrance workplace to commerce somebody from their surplus outfield corps. They by no means did, which resulted in dropping two-and-a-half months of manufacturing out of Roman Anthony whereas he wasted away in AAA, and complex the Alex Bregman/Rafael Devers/Masataka Yoshida roster match. I don’t want the Sox to make the identical mistake once more, particularly when one among Duran, Wilyer Abreu, or Ceddanne Rafaela might be used to herald one other beginning pitcher. It’s simply too dangerous the Sox have already missed an opportunity to get one thing actually huge in return for Duran when he was coming off a profession 12 months.

With Triston Casas anticipated to start the 12 months wholesome — together with the potential addition of somebody like Pete Alonso — I don’t see any want for the Sox to hold on to Nathaniel Lowe.

Connor Wong, then again, might be somebody we’ll see once more in Fort Myers. He was dangerous, however he’s additionally a backup catcher and backup catchers are nearly all dangerous as a rule. So whereas the Sox can and will attempt to improve there, it’s the the kind of choice that’s going to make or break a season.

Houck is probably going going to overlook the whole lot of the 2026 season after which may have solely a single 12 months of workforce management remaining when he hopefully returns to well being in 2027. Loads of groups would non-tender him in that state of affairs — in spite of everything, that’s how the Sox ended up with Patrick Sandoval. However the Crimson Sox completely shouldn’t try this. As we noticed this 12 months, pitching depth is vitally vital. As we noticed final 12 months, Tanner Houck is an above common starter when wholesome. And as we see yearly, the Crimson Sox are a money-printing machine. Get him signed, get him wholesome, and let’s see him once more in 18 months.