As players report to Spring Training the Red Sox brass are showing their faces as well. And for some reason they are deciding to speak publicly.
While availability to the press is definitely a better than the Where In the World Is John Henry? (Do it Rockapella!) game that has been played the last few seasons, the continued attempts to spin things to their benefit just keeps reaching new levels of silliness. This shouldn’t be a story. This shouldn’t have been a press conference.
But we did get a press conference from Sam Kennedy yesterday. And instead of looking to the future in 2026 we got more of the same nonsense about the past. Specifically, we got this nonsense from Kennedy about Alex Bregman’s free agency:
“If Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately he’d be here.”
First of all, in September the very same Sam Kennedy had no problem saying this about Bregman:
“That’ll all take care of itself. He wants to be here, we want him to be here, and I’ll leave it at that.”
It’s actually understandable for Kennedy to not know what was coming in September, well before Bregman opted out. Heck, all Kennedy needed to say in September was “let’s finish the season, we’re focused on getting to October.” That far ahead of free agency, why would the the Sox want to set expectations?
I’m not even that upset they didn’t sign Bregman. After another year of mixed performance marked by injury, 2025 was more proof that a long-term deal was a risky proposition. But that is entirely beside the issue. At the end of the day we know that the Chicago Cubs acquired his services for five years and $175 million. It’s believed the Red Sox topped out at 5/$165. Chicago offered a no-trade clause and Boston, presumably, didn’t.
The Cubs have Spring Training in Arizona, Boston in Florida. Was that a factor? Sure. Maybe. Many MLB players make a lot of sacrifices to be on the road most of the year. Maybe it was the extra $10 million. Maybe he developed a fear of Wally. But again, this isn’t the point.
Sam Kennedy didn’t need to set himself and the team up for this by saying “That’ll all take care of itself.” He could have ignored it. Why did Bregman sign a deal with the Red Sox that had opt-outs instead of the rumored deal with the Tigers? Because he was always opting out. After a year in Boston, maybe they’d be the top of his list but that’s it. If he really, definitely, wanted to stay in Boston for five more years, surely he could have arranged that.
It’s too bad. Because the Red Sox went out and added two staters (Gray, Suárez). They added some infielders (IKF, Durbin). Willson Contreras was acquired. They are getting a full season of Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. Obviously those last two spent time on the IL but for Anthony especially that’s not the expectation.
There is a lot to be excited about and the Sox brass are stepping on rakes. He wanted to make one more comment about Bregman, sure, I guess. But having it be his words from the fall in reverse and used to defend not re-signing their third baseman? Who is that for? What reasoning?
The Red Sox play Northeastern University on Friday and then it’s a rocket ship of major league opponents until Opening Day. Let’s just look ahead. This is a team to promote. If mistakes were made in the fall, that time has passed.
