RADIO
Payton Tolle Could Emerge as a True Fantasy Ace in 2027
After initially opening the season in Triple-A, Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle emerged as arguably his team's best starting pitcher in 2026. Across 148 2/3 innings (26 starts) in the big leagues, Tolle recorded a 9-6 record with a 3.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 171 strikeouts. The 24-year-old averaged 96.2 miles per hour on his fastball and struck out 28.4% of the batters he faced while allowing just a 6.6% walk rate. Tolle also only allowed a .624 OPS against right-handed hitters, which will be key for him to continue as he makes his home starts in front of the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Heading into 2027, Tolle has all the makings of a fantasy ace, and he will likely come off the board very early in most drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Masataka Yoshida Unlikely to Return in 2027
Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida does not fit the team's current roster and "looks like a goner" for next season after another subpar season in 2026, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Yoshida is due $18 million next season. If the Red Sox cannot find a taker via a trade, they could cut him outright after he hit .274/.347/.399 with a .746 OPS, only five home runs, 28 RBI, 34 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 87 games and 297 plate appearances in his fourth year in the majors. The 33-year-old Japanese native battled injuries and has essentially become a designated hitter only, limiting the options he gives Boston in terms of lineup construction. The Red Sox would prefer to get something back for Yoshida, but if they cannot find any takers this offseason, he could be a cut candidate and find himself on the open market. The left-handed hitter makes a lot of contact and has a .280 batting average in his four MLB seasons, but his lack of power and defensive versatility make him a player to ignore in most fantasy baseball leagues going into the 2027 season.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Ceddanne Rafaela Wins Second Straight Gold Glove Award in Center Field
Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela won his second career Gold Glove Award in center field for the 2026 season, according to MLB.com's Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru. Rafaela took home the hardware for a second straight season after ranking second among outfielders in outs above average (16) while tying for third overall in defensive runs saved (21). He also became the first player to win back-to-back awards in center field in the American League since Kevin Kiermaier in 2015 and 2016. The other Gold Glove winners in the AL this year were Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler, Astros first baseman Christian Walker, Mariners second baseman Cole Young, Rays shortstop Taylor Walls, Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin, Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger, Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu, Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee, and Rangers utility man Ezequiel Duran. Abreu has won the award three straight seasons in right field with the Red Sox. The 26-year-old Rafaela was also a first-time All-Star in his fourth year in the league while slashing .283/.319/.442 with a career-high .761 OPS. He matched his previous career high of 16 home runs while also driving in 70 runs and stealing 17 bases in 138 regular-season games.
Source: MLB.com - Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru
Source: MLB.com - Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru
Red Sox Exercise Garrett Whitlock's 2027 Club Option
The Boston Red Sox, as expected, exercised right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock's $8.25 million club option for the 2027 campaign on Sunday, according to Ari Alexander of 7 News. It is no surprise that Whitlock will be back in Boston next year after another outstanding performance in 2026, going 7-2 for the BoSox with a career-low 1.72 ERA (2.11 FIP), 0.89 WHIP, four saves, 59 strikeouts, and only nine walks in 52 1/3 innings pitched across his 54 appearances out of the bullpen. Whitlock pitched through a broken tibia down the stretch of the regular season, but despite doing so, he did not give up a single run in his final nine appearances. He should be fully healed for the start of spring training next year and a key late-inning cog in front of veteran closer Aroldis Chapman for his seventh season in the big leagues. Since becoming a full-time reliever in 2025, Whitlock has been lights-out out of the Red Sox's bullpen, posting a 2.03 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 150:33 K:BB in 124 1/3 frames, but he has only five saves in that span, limiting his fantasy value to holds leagues.
Source: 7 News - Ari Alexander
Source: 7 News - Ari Alexander
Sonny Gray Declines his Mutual 2027 Option
Boston Red Sox veteran right-hander Sonny Gray declined his side of a $30 million mutual option for the 2027 season on Friday to become a free agent, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Gray will receive a $5 million buyout payable in five $1 million installments each Jan. 15 from 2027-31 as he looks for a multi-year deal on the open market after pitching extremely well in his lone season in Beantown. The 36-year-old three-time All-Star led the league with 18 wins while also posting a strong 2.72 ERA (3.47 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP with 149 strikeouts and 46 walks in 169 innings pitched across 29 regular-season starts. The soon-to-be 37-year-old signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in November of 2023 and was traded to the Red Sox last November. Gray's 2.72 ERA was his best in a full season in the big leagues, and although he still has value to a starting rotation, it will be difficult for him to match his numbers from 2026 with whatever team he chooses to pitch for next season.
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
Red Sox Send Tsung-Che Cheng To Tigers In Trade
The Boston Red Sox have traded infielder Tsung-Che Cheng to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations. Cheng had 39 at-bats for the Red Sox last season with no homers and five RBI while hitting .256 with seven runs scored. Cheng is from Taiwan and played in 94 games with Triple-A Worcester last season, hitting .241 with eight homers and 30 RBI with 52 runs scored.
Source: Boston Red Sox
Source: Boston Red Sox
Caleb Durbin Undergoes Surgery on his Finger
Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin (finger, toe) had another surgery, with the Red Sox saying it was "a successful partial excision of the fifth metatarsal base with tendon repair," according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. The procedure was performed by Dr. Anish R. Kadakia in Chicago. In addition to having finger surgery, Durbin also had surgery on a toe on his right foot recently. Neither procedure was very serious, so the right-handed slugger should be ready in plenty of time before the start of spring training next year. In his first season in Beantown and just his second year in the big leagues, the 26-year-old former 14th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves from Washington University in St. Louis hit .248/.332/.378 with a .710 OPS, a career-high 13 home runs, 64 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored in 153 games across 586 plate appearances during the regular season. He only hit four long balls in the second half, but he was more productive overall with a .274 average (61-for-223) compared to a .228 first-half average with nine homers. Durbin is not a prototypical power bat as a third baseman, but his speed on the basepaths makes him a valuable corner-infield asset in deeper fantasy leagues.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Triston Casas Could Open 2027 in Triple-A
Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (wrist) could be a candidate to start the 2027 season in Triple-A, per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Casas did not play at all in 2026 due to wrist, knee, and intercostal injuries. It's been a while since the 26-year-old was able to string together an extended stretch of health, as injuries limited him to just 112 plate appearances in 2025 and 243 plate appearances in 2024. However, Casas was productive in his lone healthy big league season, hitting .263 with 24 home runs across 502 plate appearances in 2023. If he can get back to full health, Casas could be a useful power bat for Boston. Still, the Red Sox currently have a logjam at first base/designated hitter between Willson Contreras, Roman Anthony, Masataka Yoshida, and Curtis Mead. Casas is a name for deeper-league fantasy managers to monitor, but he could be forced to prove he can still be productive at the lower levels before he gets another shot in the big leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Red Sox Looking to Extend Adley Rutschman?
Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic writes that the Boston Red Sox failing to come to a long-term extension with catcher Adley Rutschman after giving up a prospect haul to acquire him at the 2026 trade deadline would be "pretty rough." McCaffrey also speculates that Rutschman would likely ask for somewhere around five years and $100 million from Boston. The 28-year-old is set to hit free agency after 2027. Across 410 plate appearances split between the Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles in 2026, Rutschman hit .242/.315/.426 with 13 home runs, 60 RBI, and 44 runs scored. Rutschman could significantly improve his market if he can stay healthy for a full season and get his offensive numbers up closer to where they were in his peak season in 2023, when he posted an .809 OPS and 20 home runs across 687 plate appearances. Still, he may want the security of a long-term extension, and Boston could be looking to secure its catcher of the future.
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Trevor Story Could Lose Hold of Red Sox Shortstop Job in 2027
Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic speculates that Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story may not be guaranteed to hold the team's starting shortstop job in 2027. Story had a rough year in 2026, hitting .235 with five home runs, 29 RBI, 24 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 266 plate appearances. He's also dealt with myriad injury issues since signing with Boston ahead of the 2022 season, reaching 400 plate appearances just once in five years with the Red Sox. Story has one year and $25 million remaining on his current contract with Boston, which makes it unlikely that the team will be able to move on from him without taking on significant dead money. However, the Red Sox have top shortstop prospect Franklin Arias, who hit .331 across 188 plate appearances at Triple-A in 2026, waiting in the wings. If Story gets off to a slow start in 2027 or suffers another injury, his role in Boston could be in danger.
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Red Sox Expected to Pick Up Garrett Whitlock's 2027 Option
The Boston Red Sox will surely exercise right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock's one-year, $8.25 million ($1 million buyout) club option for the 2027 season, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Whitlock and left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman were an excellent one-two punch at the back end of the bullpen for Boston in 2026, so they will be looking to bring that duo back next year. Whitlock ended the season on the injured list due to a fractured tibia, but he has been a star as a reliever for the BoSox since he became a full-time reliever in 2025, recording a 2.17 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 107 outings (116 innings pitched). The 30-year-old former 18th-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2017 from Alabama at Birmingham went 7-2 for Boston this year with a sharp 1.72 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, four saves, and 59 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings pitched. Whitlock should be fully recovered from his fractured leg by spring training next year and will once again be a valuable reliever in fantasy leagues that count holds.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Sonny Gray Will Return for Another Year in 2027
Boston Red Sox veteran right-hander Sonny Gray said that he plans to continue his playing career in 2027, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. The 36-year-old and three-time All-Star will enter free agency this winter, but despite his age, he should have some suitors after a strong first season with the Red Sox. Gray led the league with 18 wins (five losses) while posting a 2.72 ERA (3.47 FIP) and a 1.15 WHIP, with 149 strikeouts and 46 walks in 169 innings across his 29 starts. He broke a streak of two straight 200-strikeout innings in 2026, but fantasy managers were not complaining about his production in his 14th year in the big leagues in the tough American League East. Teams looking for an experienced veteran starter on the open market will definitely be giving Gray a look this offseason as he looks to pitch a 15th MLB season in 2027.
Source: The Boston Globe - Alex Speier
Source: The Boston Globe - Alex Speier
Caleb Durbin Has Surgery on his Finger
The Boston Red Sox announced that infielder Caleb Durbin (finger) had surgery on his pinkie finger last week, which was a "left fifth finger PIP joint reconstruction," according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Durbin played through his finger injury in 2026 in his first year in Boston and finished with a .248/.332/.378 slash line with a .710 OPS, a career-high 13 home runs, 64 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored in 153 regular-season games across 586 plate appearances. It was only Durbin's second season in the big leagues after he hit .256/.334/.387 with 11 homers, 53 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 60 runs scored in 136 games and 506 plate appearances as a rookie in 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers. Durbin should be fully healthy for the start of the 2027 regular season in his second season in Beantown. Although he only had four round-trippers in the second half, Durbin hit a strong .274 (61-for-223) with 25 RBI and 10 steals in 66 games played. The 26-year-old leaves a lot to be desired in the power department as a third baseman, but his speed at the hot corner is still very enticing as a corner-infield option in fantasy leagues.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Garrett Whitlock Pitched Through Leg Fracture
Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock (leg) dealt with leg pain throughout the final month of the season, and a fractured right tibia was found after he underwent imaging after the Red Sox were eliminated from the Wild-Card round against the division-rival New York Yankees, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. Whitlock is expected to avoid surgery on his leg, but he will spend around the next six weeks in a walking boot as his leg heals. Barring a setback this winter, Whitlock should be ready to roll for the start of spring training in 2027. The 30-year-old veteran has become a full-time starter over the last couple of years, and he was solid again for the BoSox in 2026 in his sixth year in the league. Whitlock recorded a career-best 1.72 ERA (2.11 FIP) with a 0.89 WHIP, four saves, 59 strikeouts, and nine walks in 52 1/3 innings pitched over his 54 appearances out of the bullpen in the regular season. He does not have high-end fantasy appeal as a reliever because of his lack of saves, but Whitlock has carved out plenty of value in leagues that count holds.
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Curtis Mead the Favorite to Start at Second Base Next Year
Boston Red Sox infielder Curtis Mead is considered the favorite to open next season as the team's starting second baseman, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. The Red Sox acquired Mead from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline this summer, but he ended up playing in only one game for Boston due to a fractured wrist that he suffered in his second at-bat with the team. The 25-year-old will now have all offseason to heal up, and he will enter spring training as the team's primary option at the keystone as they attempt to get back to the playoffs in 2027. The Australian native was having a breakout 2026 campaign with the Nationals before being traded to Boston, and he finished the year with a .253/.353/.498 slash line with an .851 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 285 at-bats in 88 combined games with Washington and Boston. "That would be, I would say, broadly our plan," said manager Chad Tracy when asked about second base. "He was acquired for a reason. You see the numbers that kind of project at least toward a 30-home run season. And adding that, we were really excited about that."
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
