The Boston Red Sox had to know when the offseason began that there was a chance they’d lose Alex Bregman in free agency. One would then think that they came up with a list of alternatives at the beginning of the offseason. If they had done such a thing, they’d have clearly seen that Eugenio Suárez was always the next best option at third base.
After all, the Red Sox reportedly inquired about Suárez at last year’s trade deadline (with the intention of playing him at first base), meaning they’ve already envisioned how Geno’s right-handed power bat would play in the haven known as Fenway Park.
Boston shockingly displayed a degree of lethargy in its courting of Bregman that allowed for the Chicago Cubs to win out at the buzzer. Now it looks like that same malaise will extend to their pursuit of Suárez.
According to reports, the Red Sox showed initial interest in the slugger at the beginning of the offseason, but had not seriously engaged with him before Bregman bolted.
Reports that the Red Sox hadn’t seriously engaged Eugenio Suárez before Alex Bregman’s departure put them behind the eight ball again
Given what we knew about Bregman’s desires, long-term security, and the biggest payday possible, it seems unfathomable that the Red Sox hadn’t taken a serious look at the top hot corner alternative before it was cemented that the former Houston Astros star wasn’t coming back.
The lack of self-awareness is astounding. We’ve seen the club’s reluctance to spend big in free agency in recent years, and given that they’re the ones putting up those self-imposed roadblocks, it’s very curious that they didn’t open negotiations with Suarez to see if he could provide a more palatable value proposition.
After all, if they weren’t willing to go all-out for Bregman, better to operate from a position of strength and have a backup plan in place while utilizing that preparedness as leverage against their top target.
Instead, Craig Breslow thought he could simply figure it out later. Other teams, however, haven’t been treating Suárez as an afterthought. There are plenty of clubs that could use help at third base, and not all have the financial might to compete for Bregman. Suárez, however, will be cheaper in terms of both years and dollars, and it’s likely that he’s been a top priority elsewhere.
Some competitors for his services are likely further along in their pursuit of the former Seattle Mariner, meaning that the Red Sox will have to scramble to catch up.
Frankly, it’s organizational malpractice, and the consequences could be losing a 49-homer bat to another competitor and then dealing with giving in to Bo Bichette’s demands or watching the bottom fall out of the third base market and signing a very underwhelming replacement.
If the Sox whiff on Suárez too, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves.
