Insider: Red Sox To Chase 2 Big Names in Free Agency

Alex Cora addresses the Red Sox players in the clubhouse during the playoffs

The Boston Red Sox fell short in their bid to advance in this year's postseason, managing just six runs in their three-game Wild Card Series defeat at the hands of the New York Yankees. With that, writes insider Jen McCaffrey in The Athletic, Boston will be looking to add a big bat to its lineup in this winter's free agent frenzy. And they've got two names in particular on their radar.

In both cases, the goal is obviously to add some long ball thunder to the batting order, something that manager Alex Cora made clear in late September that he would like to have in his lineup.

“The teams that hit homers, they prevail. It’s hard to get three hits in a row.”

Given that, and comments from the front office, McCaffrey sees home run power being a focus.

Is Pete Alonso a good fit for the Red Sox in free agency?

Pete Alonso, New York Mets, 1B

"I do think the Red Sox will be in on Alonso. At the end-of-season news conference, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow noted on more than one occasion the need for more power in the lineup."

Alonso has racked up the 4th most homers over the last five major league seasons, with 195.

He was squeezed by the Mets last offseason into signing a short-term, two-year, $54 million contract in free agency, when he was looking for something well north of $100 million. With not many other options, he took the deal, with an opt-out, that he has now exercised. He'll look to cash in this time around.

Schwarber had great run in Boston before, they could try to bring him back

Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies, DH

Schwarber sits one spot ahead of Alonso on the 5-year HR charts, with 219 dating back to 2020. He's coming off his best season yet, with 56 dingers and 132 RBIs. The Phils can ill-afford to lose their slugger and clubhouse leader, but how much they'll be willing to pay a DH-only player going into his age-33 season remains to be seen. Of course, the same can be said about the Red Sox, if they were to seriously pursue him, as McCaffrey suggests.

Schwarber made a big impact in a two-month stretch in Beantown back in 2021, and "one evaluator highlighted that strong fit in 2021 as a reason the Red Sox should pursue him again. They already know he can succeed in and handle the pressures of Boston."

McCaffrey also feels that Schwarbs is a better fit for the Red Sox roster with the leadership he brings, in addition to the big power bat, and the fact that he could likely be had for a shorter projected deal.