Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Effectively Wild Episode 2445: Season Preview Series: Red Sox and Reds

Feb 27, 2026
Guest
C. Trent Rosecrans
Guest
Alex Speier
Alex Speier, Boston Globe reporter covering the Red Sox, previews Boston’s roster, prospects, and strategic offseason moves. C. Trent Rosecrans, The Athletic’s Reds beat writer, breaks down Cincinnati’s rotation, lineup changes, and organizational depth. They discuss roster construction, positional logjams, pitching development, and realistic goals for 2026 in short, lively conversations.
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INSIGHT

Red Sox Carry Too Many Outfielders With Trade Options

  • Red Sox face an outfield logjam with Abreu, Duran, Roman Anthony, Yoshida and Rafael Devers adjustments.
  • Speier says team is open to trading Yoshida or Duran in spring talks but values Duran highly and sets a high trade bar.
ADVICE

Encourage Roman Anthony To Continue Ball Flight Adjustments

  • For Roman Anthony, focus on ball flight and mechanical tweaks to elevate flyballs and tap raw power.
  • Speier notes Anthony improved late in the season with adjustments that yielded a multi-HR spike before his oblique injury.
INSIGHT

Red Sox Intentionally Built A Command-First Rotation

  • Red Sox rotation upgraded via Crochet, Sonny Gray, Suarez and Baez, giving a strong top four and organizational depth.
  • Speier emphasizes command/zone control (ABS era) as a deliberate front-office emphasis when adding Suarez and Gray.
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