Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow’s lengthy search for a bat landed him a solid right-handed-hitting veteran first baseman in Willson Contreras and cash in a trade with the Cardinals on Monday.

The Red Sox have solved their first base problem by acquiring Willson Contreras, but they still need to re-sign Alex Bregman at all costs.

The Boston Red Sox have made three significant trades late in 2025, heading into the 2026 season, without giving up elite prospect talent.

Here’s what’s next for the Red Sox, Cardinals, and the trade market after Wilson Contreras’ big switch to the cutthroat American League East.

Even if Bregman leaves, the Red Sox still have outfielder Jarren Duran (.774 OPS in 2025), shortstop Trevor Story (.741 OPS), and 21-year-old stud outfielder Roman Anthony (.859 OPS). They made the AL Wild Card Round while the Orioles finished in last place in the AL East in 2025.

Triston Casas appears to be the odd man out after the trade that brought Willson Contreras to Boston. On Monday, Craig Breslow called him with a simple message about 2026.

The Boston Red Sox might need to find a new answer against left-handed pitching… The Seattle Mariners came to an agreement with outfielder Rob Refsnyder on a one-year contract on Monday. ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the deal.

Mariners sign former Red Sox, Yankees hitter with 1 special skill — Rob Refsnyder to Seattle The Seattle Mariners have bolstered their batting order against left-handed pitching. On Monday, the Mariners announced that they had signed Refsnyder to a one-year deal.