Top 10 Right Handers - NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox have two glaring needs on their roster heading into the offseason: pitching and right-handed hitting.

We’ve profiled the top starting pitchers and relief pitchers set to hit the free agent market this winter, so it’s time to focus on the Sluggers. Several interesting right-handers will be available for Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and Co. The biggest question the front office needs to answer — aside from whether they actually want to spend money this year — is how the new additions would fit into the roster. The club may have to make some difficult decisions with players currently in the team, such as: B. Change of position or exchange.

With that in mind, here is a look at the ten best right-handed hitters in the 2025 MLB free agent class.

1. Teoscar Hernandez, OF

Age: 32

Statistics for 2024: .272/.339/.501, 33 HR, 99 RBI, 188 SO, 53 BB (154 games)

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Hernandez signed a one-year, “prove it” contract with the Dodgers last offseason, and he’s proven it.

After a difficult season in Seattle, he rebounded with a career-high 33 home runs. His success continued into the postseason, where he hit two game-winning home runs, including a grand slam in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres.

Hernandez loves left-handed pitching, making him an attractive option for a Red Sox club that has struggled mightily with southpaws in 2024.

2. Marcell Ozuna, DH/OF

Age: 34

Statistics for 2024: .302/.378/.546, 39 HR, 104 RBI, 170 SO, 74 BB (162 games)

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Note: Ozuna has a $16 million club option with the Atlanta Braves for 2025.

Ozuna was one of four MLB players to appear in all 162 regular season games. The veteran slugger has been a major bright spot for a Braves team decimated by injuries, and like Hernandez, he bats against lefties.

3. Anthony Santander, OF

Age: 30

Statistics for 2024: .235/.308/.506, 44 HR, 102 RBI, 129 SO, 58 BB (155 games)

Santander is a switch hitter with fairly even splits against lefties and righties. He experienced a performance surge this year with career highs in home runs, RBI and OPS. However, there is already a logjam in the Red Sox outfield, making him an unlikely option for Boston unless there are changes to the current roster.

4. Pete Alonso, 1B

Age: 30

Statistics for 2024: .240/.329/.459, 34 HR, 88 RBI, 172 SO, 70 BB (162 games)

Alonso, along with Ozuna, was on the shortlist of players to appear in all 162 games this season. His defining moments in the postseason may have convinced the Mets to pay him this offseason. But if New York moves past its All-Star contention, Boston should at least consider the possibility of signing him as a DH with a swing tailor-made for Fenway Park. Alonso has hit at least 34 home runs in every season except the shortened 2020 season.

5. Alex Bregman, 3B

Age: 31

Statistics for 2024: .260/.315/.453, 26 HR, 75 RBI, 86 SO, 44 BB (145 games)

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently floated the idea that the Red Sox should sign Bregman, move Rafael Devers from third base to first base and trade first baseman Triston Casas for starting pitching. There are a lot of moving parts, but there’s little doubt that Bregman would improve Boston’s interior defense while balancing the lineup.

The main problem is its high price. The two-time All-Star is expected to earn more than $200 million in free agency. Given his age and imperfect place in the squad, that doesn’t seem like the wisest investment.

6. Willy Adames, SS

Age: 29

Statistics for 2024: .251/.331/.462, 32 HR, 112 RBI, 21 SB, 173 SO, 74 BB (161 games)

Adames is the best right-handed shortstop on the market. According to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, some within the Red Sox organization “highly value Adames and would like to see him in Boston.”

It’s an interesting option for Boston, and we’ve weighed the pros and cons of signing Adames here. He has a lot of power and is an above-average defender. The downside? His poor numbers against left-handed pitching.

7. Eugenio Suarez, 3B

Age: 33

Statistics for 2024: .256/.319/.469, 30 HR, 101 RBI, 176 SO, 49 BB (158 games)

Note: Suarez has a $15 million club option with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2025.

After a weak year in Seattle, Suarez found his form again with Arizona. There will be a lot of strikeouts, but he’s a pretty safe bet to hit 30+ home runs in a season and he combines both right-handed and left-handed pitching. As for his fit with Boston, Devers would have to leave third base or Suarez would have to replace Masataka Yoshida as the team’s designated hitter.

8. Christian Walker, 1B

Age: 34

Statistics for 2024: .251/.335/.468, 26 HR, 84 RBI, 133 SO, 55 BB (130 games)

Walker is one of the most underrated players in the game today. An exceptional defender at first base with two Gold Gloves under his belt, the veteran is a safe bet for around 30 homers when healthy. The D’backs will likely do their best to keep him in Arizona, where he has spent the last eight seasons, but he is expected to get a hefty contract on the open market.

9. Tyler O’Neill, OF

Age: 29

Statistics for 2024: .241/.336/.511, 31 HR, 61 RBI, 159 SO, 53 BB (113 games)

O’Neill gave the Red Sox the right-handed pop they desperately needed in 2024 when he was in the lineup. The problem is that he missed a third of the season due to injury. He has missed significant time in almost every year of his career.

It wouldn’t hurt to bring O’Neill back, but Boston should consider more durable hitters to fill the right-handed hole in the lineup.

10. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

Age: 37

Statistics for 2024: .245/.302/.414, 22 HR, 65 RBI, 173 SO, 47 BB

Maybe it was just a bad year, but Goldschmidt showed his age in 2024 with the worst offensive season of his illustrious career. Goldschmidt was just two years removed from being named NL MVP and set his career high for strikeouts with a .716 OPS. He has never had a season with an OPS below .800 before.

Goldschmidt is a solid rebounding prospect who should be affordable at this stage of his career, but there are far better options for teams looking for reliable right-handers.

Honorable Mentions: JD Martinez, Jurickson Profar, Mitch Haniger, Justin Turner, Mark Canha, Gleyber Torres, Donovan Solano, Jose Iglesias, Amed Rosario, Gary Sanchez, Adam Duvall, Andrew McCutchen, Brandon Drury, Josh Bell, Carlos Santana,

Top 10 Right Handers – NBC Sports Boston