MLB free agent rankings: Top 10 right-handed hitters originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Red Sox have two glaring needs on their roster heading into the season: pitching and right-handed hitting.
We've covered the top starting pitchers and relief pitchers are set to hit the free agent market this winter, so it's time to focus on sluggers. Red Sox director of baseball Craig Breslow and Co. will have some intriguing right-handers at their disposal. The biggest question the front office will have to answer – beyond whether it actually wants to spend money this year – is how any of his additions will impact the roster's fit. The club may have to make difficult decisions regarding players currently in the team, such as position changes or replacements.
With that in mind, here's a look at the top 10 right-handed sluggers in MLB's 2025 free agent class.
1. Teoscar Hernandez, OF
Age: 32
Statistics for 2024: .272/.339/.501, 33 HR, 99 RBI, 188 SO, 53 BB (154 gry)
Hernandez signed a one-year contract with the Dodgers in the offseason and “proved it.”
He returned to the field after a difficult season in Seattle, hitting a career-high 33 homers. His success continued in the postseason when he scored twice, including a grand slam in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres.
Hernandez has a passion for left-handed pitching, which makes him an attractive option for the Red Sox, who have struggled mightily against southpaws throughout 2024.
2. Marcell Ozuna, DH/OF
Age: 34
Statistics for 2024: .302/.378/.546, 39 HR, 104 RBI, 170 SO, 74 BB (162 gry)
Note: Ozuna has a $16 million club option for 2025 with the Atlanta Braves.
Ozuna was one of four MLB players to appear in all 162 regular season games. The veteran slugger has been a bright spot for a Braves team that has been decimated by injuries, and like Hernandez, he can handle lefties.
3. Anthony Santander, OF
Age: 30
Statistics for 2024: .235/.308/.506, 44 HR, 102 RBI, 129 SO, 58 BB (155 gier)
Santander is a striker who can attack with fairly equal chances on the left and right. He had a surge in power this year, topping the charts in homers, RBI and OPS. However, the Red Sox outfield is already congested, making him an unlikely option for Boston unless any changes are made to the current lineup.
4. Pete Alonso, 1B
Age: 30
Statistics for 2024: .240/.329/.459, 34 HR, 88 RBI, 172 SO, 70 BB (162 gry)
Alonso joins Ozuna on the shortlist of players to play in all 162 games this season. His postseason moments may have convinced the Mets to pay him in the offseason. However, if New York moves on from their All-Star Slugger, Boston should at least consider signing him as a DH player with a swing suited to Fenway Park. Alonso has scored at least 34 times in every season except the shortened 2020 season.
5. Alex Bregman, 3B
Age: 31
Statistics for 2024: .260/.315/.453, 26 HR, 75 RBI, 86 SO, 44 BB (145 gier)
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently came up with this idea of trading Bregman from the Red Sox, moving Rafael Devers from third base to first base and trading first baseman Triston Casas to start pitching. There are a lot of moving parts there, but there is no doubt that Bregman would improve Boston's defense while balancing the lineup.
The main problem is its high price. The two-time All-Star is expected to earn more than $200 million in free agency. Considering his age and imperfect fit into the squad, this doesn't seem like the wisest investment.
6. Willy Adames, SS
Age: 29
Statistics for 2024: .251/.331/.462, 32 HR, 112 RBI, 21 SB, 173 SO, 74 BB (161 gier)
Adames is the best-hitting right-handed stopper on the market. According to MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo, some members of the Red Sox organization “highly think of Adames and would love to see him in Boston.”
This is an intriguing option for Boston and for us, I weighed the pros and cons of signing Adames. Has tons of pop and adds value as an above-average defender. Drawback? His poor stats against left-handed bowling.
7. Eugenio Suarez, 3B
Age: 33
Statistics for 2024: .256/.319/.469, 30 HR, 101 RBI, 176 SO, 49 BB (158 gier)
Note: Suarez has a $15 million club option with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2025.
Suarez regained his form in Arizona after a down year in Seattle. There will be plenty of strikeouts, but he's a safe bet to have over 30 homers on the season, and he's great at pitching both right-handed and left-handed. In terms of his fit for Team Boston, Devers would have to leave third base, otherwise Suarez would have to replace Masataka Yoshida as the team's designated hitter.
8. Christian Walker, 1B
Age: 34
Statistics for 2024: .251/.335/.468, 26 HR, 84 RBI, 133 SO, 55 BB (130 gier)
Walker is one of the most underrated players in modern football. An exceptional first baseman with two Gold Gloves under his belt, the veteran is a sure bet for around 30 homers when healthy. The D'backs will likely do everything in their power to keep him in Arizona, where he has spent the last eight seasons, but he is poised to earn a solid contract on the open market.
9. Tyler O’Neill, OF
Age: 29
Statistics for 2024: .241/.336/.511, 31 HR, 61 RBI, 159 SO, 53 BB (113 gier)
O'Neill gave the Red Sox the right-handed pop they desperately needed in 2024 while he was on the roster. The problem is that he missed a third of the season due to injury. He has missed significant time in almost every year of his career.
It wouldn't hurt to bring O'Neill back, but Boston should consider more durable sluggers that could fill the void in the right-hander lineup.
10. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
Age: 37
Statistics for 2024: .245/.302/.414, 22 hr, 65 RBI, 173 SO, 47 BB
Perhaps it was just a down year, but Goldschmidt showed his age in 2024 with the worst offensive season of his illustrious career. Just two years removed from winning the NL MVP, Goldschmidt set a career-high in strikeouts with an OPS of .716. He has never had a season with an OPS lower than .800.
Goldschmidt is a solid return-to-form prospect who should be affordable at this point in his career, but there are much better options for teams looking for a reliable right-handed shot.
Honorable Mentions: JD Martinez, Jurickson Profar, Mitch Haniger, Justin Turner, Mark Canha, Gleyber Torres, Donovan Solano, Jose Iglesias, Amed Rosario, Gary Sanchez, Adam Duvall, Andrew McCutchen, Brandon Drury, Josh Bell, Carlos Santana,
