Roman Anthony, the Red Sox’ #19, won’t need surgery on his mysteriously strained hand after a lost season that saw him bow out of the playoffs in the middle of the first game. While that’s a relief for the kid, it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence when Craig Breslow says, “What we’ve been told [is] that we don’t even know what surgery we would do.” Yeah, not exactly a ringing endorsement of clarity there. His healthy and productive 2027 season is absolutely key for the Red Sox, but let’s be real: this team’s biggest issue is home run power, and Anthony alone isn’t fixing that.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: A Step Backward in Power
It’s one thing to say you need power, it’s another to actually get it. The Red Sox brass knew coming into last offseason that adding power was a priority, but their lineup actually took a massive step backward. Just look at these numbers: in 2025, the Sox hit 186 homers, good for 15th in MLB. They had an impressive .324 on-base percentage, 8th best, and slugged .421, putting them 9th in the league. Now, flash forward to 2026. They dropped to a pathetic 163 homers, plummeting to 26th overall. Their OBP dipped to .319 (12th), and their slugging fell to .398 (20th). Yikes. That’s a huge slide, and it tells you everything you need to know about where this team’s offense is at.
New Faces and Crucial Conversations for 2027
So, if Anthony isn’t the sole answer, where does the power come from? The Red Sox might have another internal option in Curtis Mead, who they’re reportedly penciling in at second base for the offseason. Chad Tracy sounds pretty hyped, saying, “He was acquired for a reason. You see the numbers that kind of project at least toward a 30-home run season. And adding that, we were really excited about that.” A potential 30-homer guy would be a huge boost, no doubt.
Then there’s Willson Contreras, who was their best source of power in 2026. The guy wasn’t exactly thrilled when he last spoke to the media, especially after the Sox’ embarrassing exit from the playoffs. But Tracy and Breslow reportedly met with Contreras for over two hours on Sunday, trying to smooth things over. Breslow described the chat as “incredibly constructive” and covering a “wide scope of things.” He even added that Contreras “spoke very, very highly of his time here, how much he’s looking forward to 2027, and the way that he and his family appreciated the Red Sox.” Keeping the details private is probably smart, but let’s hope whatever they talked about truly sets the stage for a happier, more powerful Contreras next season. Because if the Red Sox want to avoid another lost season in 2027, they’re going to need every ounce of power they can get.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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