Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox are reportedly “open” to adding a complementary hitter in free agency.
In the early weeks of MLB free agency, much of the discussion surrounding the Red Sox has been focused on which big-name hitters they will go after. But it appears they’ll seek to add another hitter beyond the top-tier group of free agents, too.
The Red Sox are “open” to adding a complementary hitter in free agency, The Boston Globe‘s Alex Speier reported Saturday.
Of course, the definition of complementary is up to anyone’s interpretation. But for the sake of argument, let’s assume that the likes of Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber, Bo Bichette, Munetaka Murakami, and Eugenio Suarez are considered to be in one of the upper tiers of free-agent hitters.
Which hitters does that leave? Well, let’s rank the five best possible “complementary” hitters the Red Sox could acquire in free agency this offseason.
5. Rhys Hoskins
If the Red Sox feel comfortable moving forward with Triston Casas at first base for the 2026 season, Hoskins would make sense as an option to help spell him and use as a designated hitter.
Hoskins, who’ll turn 33 in March, had a fine year at the plate for the Brewers in 2025. He hit .237 with a .748 OPS and 12 home runs in 90 games. He put up a respectable .332 on-base percentage as well, which would’ve ranked 36th in the National League if he had enough at-bats to qualify. He’s been one of the better hitters in the league in terms of drawing walks as well, ranking toward the top of the league in walk rate during his time with the Phillies.
Hoskins definitely isn’t the same player he was just a few years ago in Philadelphia, though. He missed the 2023 season due to an ACL tear, and he missed multiple months in 2025 due to a thumb injury.
4. Ryan O’Hearn
O’Hearn, 32, doesn’t fit the exact mold the Red Sox are reportedly looking for in free agency this offseason. However, he might be a fail-safe option for the Red Sox if they’re able to re-sign Bregman, but fail to land Alonso and if Casas’s future looks uncertain.
The veteran first baseman is a left-handed hitter who doesn’t hit for a tremendous amount of power. O’Hearn was a reliable hitter, though, at the plate for the Orioles and Padres this past season, which was arguably a career year. He hit .281 with a .803 OPS and 17 home runs over 144 games with the Orioles and Padres.
Those numbers are in line with what O’Hearn’s put up at the plate since he was traded from the Royals to the Orioles ahead of the 2023 season. He’s hit .277 with a .788 OPS over the last three years.
Considering O’Hearn’s age and relative lack of long-term production, he isn’t expected to get a huge contract in free agency. Both MLB Trade Rumors and The Athletic project that he’ll get a two-year deal worth less than $40 million in total value. So, he could be a stopgap option for the Red Sox at first base.
3. J.T. Realmuto
Realmuto’s name surprisingly emerged as a possibility for the Red Sox this past week. The veteran is the top catcher on the open market this offseason, and Boston doesn’t have a pressing need to get help behind the plate.
But Realmuto could soon make the transition to first base, like many catchers do later in their careers. So, the Red Sox could theoretically have him split time at first base, catcher, and designated hitter throughout the year.
And, of course, Realmuto is a good presence at the plate. The 34-year-old right-handed hitter posted a .257 batting average with a .700 OPS and 12 homers in 134 games with the Phillies last year. His numbers were actually stronger against righties (.277 batting average) than lefties (.213). Realmuto had a top-10 MVP finish in 2022 as well, but it seems unlikely he’ll have a year like that again.
Just like O’Hearn and Hoskins, Realmuto is expected to get a shorter-term deal with a relatively smaller average annual value. Both The Athletic and MLB Trade Rumors project he’ll land a contract worth $15 million per year.
2. Kazuma Okamoto
Okamoto is another name that’s begun to emerge as a possible target for the Red Sox in recent days. The 30-year-old Japanese star is widely viewed as the second-best international free-agent hitter this offseason behind Munetaka Murakami.
Okamoto, a right-handed hitter, doesn’t possess the power that Murakami, nicknamed the “Japanese Babe Ruth,” does. But he still has some good pop, hitting 15 homers in 77 games for NPB’s Yomiuri Giants in 2025. He’s also hit 113 home runs over the last four seasons, logging a batting average north of .275 in each of the last years.
The Athletic‘s Tim Britton compared Okamoto’s hitting profile to the one that Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki had in his international career. So, that’s promising as Suzuki has become a vital piece for Chicago.
In terms of positional fit, Okamoto spent most of his NPB career at third base, although evaluators project that he’ll be a first baseman in the MLB.
All in all, Okamoto has the makeup to be the No. 1 player on this list, but there’s still a bit of projecting that you need to account for when signing him. Both The Athletic and MLB Trade Rumors project that Okamoto will receive a four-year deal in the $64-$76 million range.
1. Jorge Polanco
When you factor age, recent production, upside, and positional versatility, Polanco should be the top player on this list.
Polanco, 32, is coming off one of his best seasons in at least a few years. The switch-hitter posted a .265 batting average with a .821 OPS, 26 home runs, and 78 RBIs in 138 games with the Mariners this past season, proving to be a key piece for Seattle on its run to the ALCS.
The season Polanco had was more in line with the numbers he put up with the Twins between the 2019-21 seasons before injuries began to sideline him from 2022-24. The 2019 All-Star hit .279 with 59 home runs and a .808 OPS in 360 games over that three-year peak he had in Minnesota.
Polanco has mostly played second base, where he’s had some struggles, and has filled in at third base in recent seasons. However, he’s also shown a willingness to play first base, according to The Boston Globe‘s Alex Speier.
Both The Athletic and MLB Trade Rumors both expect Polanco to receive a two- or three-year deal with an average annual value shy of $20 million.
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