The Boston Red Sox are officially fed up. After making a splash by trading for Sonny Grey and stacking up enough after giving Rafael Devers mid-season, you’d think they would go all in this season. But instead, the front office seems to have hit a wall. And the fans are tired, and now calls of “SELL THE TEAM” have already started making the rounds.

Plus, add in the entire Alex Bregman situation: Craig Breslow wants him back, and the fanbase needs him back–but while everyone else seems to be ready to spend big, Fenway Sports Group is putting on the brakes, as per Sean McAdam of MassLive.

He reported that the Red Sox are okay with going just over the first luxury tax line, but anything beyond that? They are reluctant because it would incur bigger deficits. And honestly, this line alone seems to have outraged the fans. And it makes sense.

They traded away the franchise cornerstone with Devers, and even then, Boston, with the spare money, doesn’t want to upgrade. How does one explain that? Plus, they are in a division with the New York Yankees and Blue Jays, both of whom are ready to spend big–the Jays just spent a huge amount on Dylan Cease, even after warnings of it being a mistake, so for fans in Boston, this feels insulting. Also this isn’t the first time they gave away an important player, right? Remember circa Betts?

So, right now, even though they have been connected to names like Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman himself, the realistic option is something else. Alternatives like Kazuma Okamoto, J.T. Realmuto, and Jorge Polanco make sense for the Boston Red Sox. Sure, they are solid players, but are they game changers? Not really. But if you need a star player, you have to shell out star money, don’t you?

With just $22 million in flexibility under last year’s spending and ownership wanting to penny pinch, the big splash is going to be hard. Even the second luxury tax threshold at $264 million offers only a little wiggle room. If fans are dreaming about some big names, this is a crash landing nightmare.

Boston Red Sox Fans Slam Ownership, Payroll, and PR Spin

Frustrated, a fan sighed, “This has been the biggest sticking point with this ownership group the past 6 years. They spend money recklessly and make poor decisions that lead them to shy away from the areas they need to address.” And honestly, it is hard to argue with that. But there are ways to make room. Moving Mastaka Yoshida or Jordan Hicks, who combine for $30.5 mm, or even Jarren Duran, who is owed $7.7 mm, could free cash. Sure, it might take sweeteners or trade partners willing to take on salary, but Boston has options if it really tries to act.

“Sell the team,” said a fan. Well, isn’t the fan frustration obvious? Boston is a big market team just as much as LA or New York, but even then, they don’t spend like one. Now, though, is no time to act angry, but rather smart. A trade candidate or two could make sense and allow the Boston Red Sox to add a bat without breaking the bank. So, Brendan Donovan ($5.4MM), Ryan Jeffers ($6.6MM), or Alec Bohm ($10.3MM) are all names that make sense. They rank in the MLBTR’s Top 40 Trade Candidates this offseason and could sync with the lineup. Plus, getting them would also leave room for Boston to make that Bregman or Alonso move if they want to at all.

One fan had a genuine question, “Question, and it makes me sick to ask it: does luxury tax reset if the 2027 season is cancelled, which we all think it will be…?” Well, it is a real concern. Six of the 12 postseason teams carry payrolls over $200 million, and Boston sits just $500k short. Right now, the question is whether the management is purposely not willing to spend big in fear of what might happen in 2027? The CBA is expiring in December 2026, and more and more talks about the luxury tax and the stoppage of games are coming forward.

“Cheap ass ownership, sell the team”, one fan grumbled online. And well, Boston needs to shell out big if they need anything to happen at all. It seems Bregman, Alonso, and Schwarber are all making $26-$28 million a year. Even if Boston pushes right up against the second luxury tax threshold, adding two of them seems impossible without moving a bunch of salary. So, staying in the $245 m range in 2026 means even one big signing needs some other creative moves elsewhere.

Showing Boston the mirror, a fan said, “Liars. The worst part is that their warped PR brains probably thought fans would take this as exciting news.” Well, hope is a killer when not backed by actions. How do you explain the fanbase that you have that capacity in payroll when you have gone for sweepstakes of someone like Juan Soto? Was it all a facade then? They were making an offer north of $700 million to the now Mets star. This also makes the “running at a loss” theory a bit difficult to believe.