Will Red Sox Sign Kyle Schwarber, Bo Bichette to Contracts? MLB Insiders Update Buzz

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly interested in some of the top players hitting MLB free agency this offseason.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi confirmed Tuesday that the Red Sox have "checked in" with Kyle Schwarber, who is testing free agency after four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Rob Bradford meanwhile reported Tuesday for WEEI the Red Sox "have shown interest" in longtime Toronto Blue Jays star Bo Bichette.

Those aren't the only top candidates Boston could pursue this winter. MLB insider Jeff Passan reported Tuesday the Red Sox "won't close the door" on re-signing free agent third baseman Alex Bregman.

About the Red Sox's interest in Schwarber, Morosi said Tuesday: "Pursuit is the word that I will use right now, as opposed to hot pursuit."

Morosi pointed out that the Red Sox have familiarity with Schwarber after acquiring him midway through the 2021 season.

Schwarber, who was playing on an expiring deal at the time, helped the Red Sox make it to the AL Championship Series before signing with the Phillies that offseason.

Should Boston decide to make another run at Schwarber, however, they won't be the only club interested in signing a player who led the NL with 56 home runs and 132 home runs while playing all 162 games last season.

Passan recently named the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers as candidates to sign Schwarber, who Passan reported is expected to receive $30 million a year on his next deal.

That price could be worth it, given that Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters during last week's GM meetings that one of his top priorities this offseason is to add a power bat to the middle of his lineup.

"There is just something about a bat in the middle of the lineup that forces another team to game plan against it that has a compounding effect on the rest of the roster," Breslow said last week, per Tim Healey of the Boston Globe. "So we didn't slug nearly as much as I think we can, or we will, and we'll pursue opportunities to improve that."

Adding Schwarber at DH would certainly achieve that. So would acquiring Bichette, who batted .311 with 94 RBI in 139 games last season, especially if Bregman leaves in free agency and leaves the Red Sox in need of more infield power.

Bichette is expected to receive interest from teams including the Blue Jays and Tigers as well as the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, according to Bradford.

Bradford noted that Bichette could be a "match" in Red Sox because his defense is viewed around MLB as more of a strength at second or third base than at shortstop.

The Red Sox could potentially revamp their infield by slotting Bichette in at second base and putting top prospect Marcelo Mayer, who filled in for Bregman during part of the 2025 season, at third. MLB.com's Ian Browne reported earlier this month the Red Sox will consider platooning Mayer alongside a right-handed batter should Bregman leave this winter.

Boston will face plenty of competition in pursuit Schwarber and Bichette this winter. Given that the club's name keeps popping up in rumors surrounding the best free agents in MLB, however, it wouldn't be surprising to see Breslow build on this fall's trip to the Wild Card round by taking a major free agency swing this winter.