Just like every other team in this off-season, the Boston Red Sox are also working on building the roster for the 2026 season. After dropping their AL Wild Card series against the rival Yankees, that sealed their October fate. Now, as the Boston team’s focus has shifted to the international markets, looking to spend $150 million, they receive a stern warning prior to finalizing their deal.

Now that Alex Bregman has opted out of his contract, the Red Sox’s offensive line has gotten weak. This offensive vacuum forces the Red Sox’s attention towards the international market, where they have Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami. who is primarily a third baseman. The Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball posted Murakami. He is generally expected to hit 30 to 40 homers every year. However, he had a career year in 2022 when he smashed a 56-homer season.

But this hunt comes with a serious warning when MetsDUp Host James Schiano tweeted some scary data writing, “Murakami had a .095 batting average against pitches 93 MPH or harder last season.” Red Sox broadcaster Lou Merloni quickly retweeted it with his own advice to his team, writing, “If this is true, he’s a waste of money. Stay away.”

Murakami also struck out  64 times in his 224 plate appearances this year, with a 28.6% strikeout rate that was 20.6% during his amazing 2022 season. And in his last three seasons, he never posted than that 28% mark. As MLB pitchers show higher velocity and variations in general so the mark may only increase with his time in MLB.

Still, the Yankees are among the teams that can go after Murakami’s expected $150M value as they need some infield help with Paul Goldschmidt becoming a free agent, and Ben Rice is capable of taking over the backstop. However, with this latest warning, the projection will only get messier.

Now, if the Red Sox pass on Murakami, what is their Plan B?

Their primary goal will be to sign Alex Bregman by hook or crook. But if they fail somehow, they will make Marcelo Mayers their full-time third baseman. Mayers already held that duty for approximately 250 innings with just one error last season when Bregman got injured. But Mayers’ bat is still unproven with a .228 average, 4 homers, and 10 RBI in 44 games.

So, to boost the offense, the Red Sox can sign Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who will also be available in the market.  Pete “Polar Bear” Alonso was incredibly durable, playing all 162 games last season before hitting the free agency for the second straight time. Alonso hit 38 home runs and drove in 126 runs with an .871 OPS last season.

Then there is Eugenio Suárez, who offers massive power, smashing 49 home runs for Seattle and Arizona combined last year. But he also provides massive risk, hitting just .228 with a terrible .298 on-base percentage with a subpar defense.

A familiar face, Kyle Schwarber, who just had a career year, is also on the market. The former Red Sox had 56 home runs for the Phillies, and a reunion will be great, but the $37.2 million still owed to Masataka Yoshida complicates things. Boston may not want two expensive designated hitters.

And most importantly, the hot corner is not Boston’s only problem. The 2026 rotation has a plethora of injuries, as Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, and Patrick Sandoval are all hurt. Dustin May, who was also recovering, has already chosen free agency. Boston must acquire new starting pitchers alongside Garrett Crochet and Bryan Bello to bolster the lineup. Who do you think the Red Sox should sign?