The Red Sox made it back to the American League playoffs in 2025 after a four-year absence. While the team made significant progress during the most recent season, manager Alex Cora's team has multiple holes.
One of the biggest is at first base. As the season got underway, the Red Sox were hoping that Triston Casas would stand in and deliver 35-40 home runs and play a decent defensive first base. That hope turned out to be a huge folly. Casas could not stay healthy as he tore his Achilles in May and was lost for the season. However, even before his injury, he was having a difficult start to the season. He struggled at the plate, his power was nearly non-existent, his fielding was inconsistent and he was a liability on the bases.
He was replaced by players like Romy Gonzalez, Abraham Toro and Nathan Lowe, and none of them were able to get the job done effectively — although they were all more productive than Casas. If chief baseball officer Craig Breslow wants the Red Sox to improve, he has to go after a legitimate first baseman. Perhaps Bryce Harper will be within his sights.
The Red Sox have to make a move at this position in the offseason. Casas has missed too much time over the past two season to be considered anything more than a question mark, and that may be giving him the benefit of the doubt. Toro was let go before the end of the season and Lowe had been released before the Red Sox picked him up. Gonzalez is a fine utility player who can fill in at a number of positions, but first base is not his best position.
Harper offers clutch hitting, toughness and leadership
Harper has been a key player for the Phillies since they acquired him in 2019. He is now a 14-year veteran who has played 7 years with both the Washington Nationals and Phillies.
He was a phenom when he came into the National League as a 19-year-old with the Nationals, and he made the All-Star team in his first two seasons. However, he came into his own in the 2015 season when he slashed .330./460/.649 with a career-best 42 home runs and 99 runs batted in. His performance allowed him to win the MVP Award for the first time in his career.
He would win it again in 2021 with the Phillies. He had superb production at Citizens Bank Ballpark by slashing .309/.429/.614 with 42 doubles, 35 home runs and 84 RBI.
Harper has made the National League All-Star team eight times, with his last selection coming in 2024. He slashed .285/.373/.525 with 30 home runs and 87 RBI that season, and that's just what the Red Sox would want to see from Harper if they are able to acquire him.
Phillies have Harper under contract, but have multiple free agents
The Philadelphia first baseman is slated to earn $27.5 million in 2026 (per Spotrac) and he has five more years left on his contract after next season. While he is a major asset for the Phillies, they have quite a bit of offseason work to do since designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, catcher J.T. Realmuto and star left-handed pitcher Ranger Suarez are all headed for free agency.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has to figure out who he is going to try to make significant offers to after the World Series concludes.
It would be difficult to see the Phillies failing to deliver major offers to any of those key players, and that may mean that another high-priced player like Harper will be traded.
Red Sox must make Phillies a significant trade offer
While Casas has been injury prone for the Red Sox, there is little doubt that he has a home run swing when he is healthy. Casas hit 24 home runs and drove in 65 runs in the 2023 season, and Dombrowski would have to believe he is capable of building off that total.
Nobody is suggesting that Casas would be enough to entice the Phillies to trade Harper.
In addition to Casas, relief pitchers Garrett Whitlock and Greg Weissert would be major additions to the Phillies. Whitlock and Weissert were arguably the No. 2 and 3 assets in the Red Sox bullpen behind Aroldis Chapman.
Whitlock had a 2.25 earned run average while pitching 72.0 innings and building a 7-3 record. The relief pitcher struck out 91 batters while walking 24, giving him a 3.79-1 strikeout to base on balls ratio
Weissert had a 2.82 ERA and a 6-6 record. He was especially effective in the second half of the season.
Since the Phillies likely have to pare salary from their roster, this offer could help the Red Sox land Harper in a blockbuster deal.
