Winter Meetings Heat Up
- Last year, the Boston Red Sox made their biggest splash of the offseason at the Winter Meetings, landing future MVP and Cy Young winner Garrett Crochet. This year, they returned to the annual event with the same aggressive mindset and wasted no time reshaping their roster.
Before Boston could begin negotiating, a wave of notable free agent deals set the market. Michael King opened the action, signing a seven year, $241.5 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians. As is often the case, once the first major pitching domino fell, others quickly followed.
Framber Valdez agreed to a one year, $32 million deal with the New York Yankees, and Kyle Finnegan soon landed in Philadelphia on a three year, $37.5 million contract. After missing out on Finnegan, the Phillies pivoted to Brad Keller, signing him to a one year, $9.4 million deal.
Position players also moved quickly. Harrison Bader secured a four year, $59.45 million contract to stay in the Twin City, and J.T. Realmuto returned to Florida, joining the Tampa Bay Rays on a three year, $38.3 million agreement.
While other clubs focused on free agency, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Kyle Red worked the trade front.
The long rumored swap between Boston and the Mets finally materialized: Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso, both 32, traded coasts in a high profile one for one deal.
“Alex was a key piece of our surge to the postseason last year, and we thank him for his efforts,” Red said. “But a major goal of mine was getting Raffy back on the diamond. It’s where he wants to be, and we want to put our best players in their best positions. Rather than ask him to adapt again, we addressed third base by moving a surplus for a position of need.”
Alonso echoed the sentiment: “I wanted to be somewhere I fit long term. Boston checks that box perfectly.”
Yet as significant as the Alonso deal was, it wasn’t Boston’s most impactful move.
After watching Framber Valdez sign with the Yankees, the Houston Astros suddenly found themselves in need of a frontline starter. Meanwhile, Boston, planning to return Rafael Devers to third base, needed a premier bat comfortable slotting in at designated hitter.
Houston and Boston found their match.
The Red Sox pulled off a blockbuster, acquiring Yordan Alvarez in exchange for Brayan Bello, Triston Casas, and Patrick Sandoval.
“Houston had been exploring Alvarez trades even before Valdez left,” Red explained. “Once Framber was gone, the fit became obvious. Bello was someone we loved, but talks started with him and stayed centered on him. Alvarez is an elite, transformational bat. It was a sacrifice we had to make.”
Bello leaves Boston after establishing himself as a frontline arm, including a 250-strikeout season behind Crochet, and he remains under contract for five more years at just $9 million annually.
Boston wasn’t the only club busy at the Winter Meetings. Across the league, contenders retooled aggressively:
The Philadelphia Phillies traded SP Christopher Sanchez, SS Aidan Miller, and RP Orion Kerkering to San Francisco for CF Jung Hoo Lee.
Tampa Bay traded Junior Caminero to the Baltimore Orioles for SP Vade Pavich and 3B Jordan Westburg.
Arizona trades 2B Tim Tawa to the Dodgers for 1B Freddie Freeman and RP Alex Vesia.
Chicago trades RF Seiya Suzuki to Houston for 1B William Tripp and CF Jacob Melton
San Diego trades RP Alek Jacob to Detroit for 3B Matt Vierling and SP Dylan Smith.
2025 Offseason Transactions
Kansas City trades SP Steven Zobac and RP Lucas Erceg to San Francisco for CP Camilo Doval
Minnesota trades SP Pablo Lopez and CF Byron Buxton to Milwaukee for SP Freddy Peralta and Sal Frelick
Texas trades 3B Josh Jung to Houston for CF Jake Meyers and 1B Christian Walker
Boston trades SP Richard Fitts and SP Payton Tolle to Oakland for CP Mason Miller
Boston signs SP George Kirby 3yr/$62M
Boston signs SS Bo Bichette 5yr/$112.7M
Tampa Bay trades SS Ha-Seong Kim to Atlanta for RF Diego Tornes and SS Diego Benitea
Colorado trades SS Ezequiel Tovar to Chicago Cubs for SP Ben Brown and 3B Matt Shaw
St Louis trades RF Jordan Walker to San Francisco for SP Carson Whisenhunt
Boston trades 3B Alex Bregman to New York (N) for 1B Pete Alonso
Philadelphia signs RP Brad Keller 1yr/$9.37M
Cleveland signs SP Michael King 7yr/$241.5M
New York signs CP Kyle Finngean 3yr/$37.5M
New York signs SP Framber Valdez 1yr/$33.32M
Tampa Bay signs C JT Realmuto 3yr/$38.3M
Philadelphia Phillies trades SP Christopher Sanchez, SS Aidan Miller, and RP Orion Kerkering to San Francisco for CF Jung Hoo Lee.
Tampa Bay trades Junior Caminero to the Baltimore Orioles for SP Vade Pavich and 3B Jordan Westburg.
Boston trades SP Brayan Bello, 1B Triston Casas, and SP Patrick Sandoval to Houston for LF Yordan Alvarez
Arizona trades 2B Tim Tawa to the Dodgers for 1B Freddie Freeman and RP Alex Vesia.
Chicago trades RF Seiya Suzuki to Houston for 1B William Tripp and CF Jacob Melton
San Diego trades RP Alek Jacob to Detroit for 3B Matt Vierling and SP Dylan Smith.
Minnesota signed Harrison Bader 4yr/$59.5M
