The Red Sox entered the week expecting to emerge with at least one middle-of-the-order addition.

Instead, they watched Kyle Schwarber stay in Philadelphia and Pete Alonso choose Baltimore, leaving Boston empty-handed and the fan base furious as the two best power hitters on the market will be taking their services elsewhere in 2026.

For a club that promised aggression, two big whiffs in 48 hours have only amplified pressure on the front office to land a meaningful bat - or several.

Can they afford said bats under their own reported self-imposed spending limits? That remains to be seen.

What we do know as of publishing is that there’s no shortage of options still on the board, but the margin for error is shrinking. Boston doesn’t just need someone; they need the right combination of reliability, impact, and positional fit.

Some of these names are stars. Some are high-variance upside bets. Some are depth plays with the ability to stabilize a lineup that lacks certainty and power.

Between trade options and free agents, here’s how the remaining targets stack up, ranked from least essential to most crucial for Boston’s winter pivot.

8. Willson Contreras, 1B/DH

Contreras, 33, still brings some offensive value, but not enough to justify moving significant capital to bring him in.

Once among the best catchers in all of baseball while playing for the Cubs (2016-22), Contreras’ production has stagnated since joining the Cardinals ahead of the 2023 season.

After splitting time between catcher and designated hitter during his first two seasons with St. Louis, he played 120 games at first base last season. That move to the corner infield did not help his production at the plate, with his OPS dropping from an .848 to .791 year-over-year.

While adding his 20 home runs from 2025 along with a consistent everyday glove at first base is enticing, allocating resources here would feel like a misfire compared to the other options available on the market.

7. Brendan Donovan, UTIL

Donovan’s high OBP profile (career .361) and elite versatility in the field would make him a classic Chaim Bloom Era Red Sox addition - steady, disciplined, reliable.

Funny enough, it would be Bloom that Boston would be dealing with again this offseason to get a deal done for the 28-year-old - as he is now the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations after being fired from, essentially, that same role in Boston at the end of the 2023 season (role with the Red Sox was technically “chief baseball officer”).

While an addition of Donovan would make an immediate impact, he’s more of a complementary piece than a difference-maker. Boston needs impact bats, not just table-setters.

In another offseason he’d rank higher. Right now, he’s more luxury than necessity.

6. Isaac Paredes, 3B/1B

Paredes isn’t a household superstar, but his offensive profile is deceptively valuable.

He combines solid average and power - 20 homers from a third base bat is not nothing - with the kind of on-base skills that help stabilize a middle order (.352 in 2025).

In today’s game, that OBP and ability to drive the ball consistently make him a compelling target, especially if the Sox want production without breaking the bank.

Unlike some names above him, Paredes is under club control beyond 2025 and could be a cost-controlled middle-order bat with real power triggers - a nice blend of upside and practicality. And at 26 years old, he’s within the age range that shouldn’t have Boston front office worried about a potential extension at some point in the future (this sentence was written while rolling my eyes).

His defense at the hot corner has been steady if unspectacular, and his numbers make him a strong value target if the Red Sox can land him without sacrificing premium assets.

5. Kazuma Okamoto, 1B/3B

Okamoto, 29, is one of the most fascinating options available: a relatively young, right-handed slugger entering his prime with real power upside.

He may need a runway to adjust to MLB velocity, but there’s middle-of-the-order potential here.

The risk is obvious, but so is the reward. If they miss on the proven names above him, Okamoto becomes increasingly attractive.

Plus, have I mentioned that he’s friends with Masataka Yoshida?

4. Jorge Polanco, 2B

Polanco played 138 games, slashing .265/.326/.495 with 26 home runs, 78 RBI, and an .821 OPS - one of his best full season outputs in years. He contributed 64 runs scored and walked 42 times while striking out 82 times, showing a strong overall offensive profile. Over that span, his bat was worth 132 wRC+ - well above league average - reinforcing the quality of his production.

After a rough 2024, Polanco’s 2025 was a bounce-back year that combined power, patience, and durability. His 26 homers and near-.500 slugging percentage give Boston a well-rounded middle-order option that doesn’t rely solely on home runs but produces them at an above-average rate.

While not at the star power level of the guys above him, Polanco’s consistent playing time, switch-hitting versatility, and multi-category production make him a solid fit for a club needing lineup depth and reliability.

In short: Polanco, 32, is a steady producer who delivers both average and power, and his 2025 fully healthy campaign proves he can handle a full workload - a quality Boston badly wants as it fills the offensive void left by Schwarber/Alonso misses.

3. Ketel Marte, 2B

Marte slashed .283/.376/.517 with an .893 OPS, 28 home runs, 72 RBI, and 87 runs scored over 126 games, earning a Silver Slugger and All-Star nod thanks to his all-around bat.

What makes Marte, 32, such a coveted target for Boston is the complete offense he brings.

He pairs high average (.283) with elite on-base skills (.376) and big-power potential for a second baseman - a profile that MLB clubs seldom find. He also fits any lineup spot from 2 through 6 and can handle center in a pinch, giving the Sox flexibility beyond the typical free agent signing.

In a division where pitching is tough and extra baserunners are at a premium, Marte’s well-rounded game - especially his ability to sustain both average and power - would help Boston bridge the gap left by the Schwarber/Alonso misses and provide a crucial offensive ripple effect throughout the order.

There’s a reason why this guy is high on everyone’s list.

2. Eugenio Suárez, 1B/3B/DH

Suárez, 34, finished with 49 home runs, 118 RBI, and 91 runs scored while slashing .228/.298/.526 with an .824 OPS in 159 games - ranking among the MLB leaders in long balls and run production.

This is the classic high-variance, high-reward profile:

Suárez’s batting average isn’t pretty (.228), but his power is elite, where he’s proven durable and consistent in run production.

Yes, Suárez strikes out a lot - he was among MLB leaders with 196 strikeouts - but when the payoff is 49 homers and 118 RBI, that strikeout risk becomes a manageable trade-off.

For a Red Sox lineup that desperately needs impact right-handed thump, Suárez’s upside is precisely the kind of muscle Boston failed to secure with Schwarber and Alonso.

He isn’t a table-setter, but he clears the bases in a way most free agents simply don’t.

1. Alex Bregman, 3B

Bregman is the cleanest, highest-impact fit in every possible way.

Star pedigree.

Championship experience.

Elite plate discipline.

Proven postseason performer.

An immediate middle-order anchor who raises the entire offensive floor.

…oh yeah, we all already knew that, as he just spent the 2025 season in Boston as the team’s immediate culture-setter in the clubhouse.

Bregman batted .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs, 62 RBI, and 64 runs scored in 114 games, posting an .821 OPS in his first season with Boston before opting out of the final two years of his deal, leaving $80 million on the table.

Bregman’s 2025 line reflects a complete offensive game: above-average contact skills, strong plate discipline, and power that plays well even when he isn’t raking homers.

His ability to get on base (.360) combined with slugging (.462) makes him more than just a power bat - he’s a run catalyst.

Even though injuries limited him to 114 games, his production per plate appearance remained elite, and Boston’s missing piece is a bat like his - one that can move runners, drive in runs, and punish mistakes in every ballpark.

You simply cannot miss on both Alonso and Schwarber and not bring back Bregman. Can’t happen.

Don’t care about who else is in the mix. Get it done.

MORE RED SOX STORIES:

Royals Reportedly Discuss Trading For Jarren Duran

Red Sox Reportedly Offered Pete Alonso 3-year deal worth $85 million

Alex Bregman’s Interest In Mariners A Bad Sign For Red Sox

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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.