The Boston Red Sox have been quiet in free agency this offseason, but they’ve been loud in the trade market—acquiring Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, and Johan Oviedo in blockbuster deals. Yet even after those splashy moves, many believe the roster still has holes, especially in an ultra-competitive AL East.
One of those holes is at third base after Alex Bregman signed a lucrative deal with the Chicago Cubs. And newly acquired catcher Willson Contreras—the centerpiece of Boston’s offseason haul on a five-year, $87.5 million contract—just sent shockwaves through Red Sox Nation with a cryptic, mic-drop response about potentially filling that void with free-agent slugger Eugenio Suarez.
When asked directly if he had started recruiting his close friend Eugenio Suarez to Boston, Contreras delivered a four-word bomb:
“We are really close.”
That was it. No elaboration. Just a knowing smile and a statement that instantly ignited speculation across New England.
Contreras and Suarez have been tight for years, and the new Red Sox backstop didn’t hide his admiration during his introductory press conference.
“We’re friends and he is one of my best friends around,” Contreras said. “He’s a great guy, great hitter. But we’ll see what we can do about him coming to Boston.”
Suarez, fresh off an All-Star season in which he blasted 49 home runs with a .526 slugging percentage—first with Arizona and then, after a midseason trade, helping propel Seattle to the ALCS—is one of the top power bats remaining on the market. Spotrac projects his next deal to land around $30 million, a price the Red Sox could reasonably absorb even after taking on additional salary in their recent trades.
With Contreras earning $18 million in 2026 and $17 million in 2027, Boston has shown willingness to spend to contend. Adding Suarez’s elite right-handed power alongside Contreras could give the Red Sox the middle-of-the-order thunder they’ve been missing.
For now, Red Sox fans are left hanging on four simple words from their new $87 million star: We are really close.
If Contreras gets his way, Fenway Park could be welcoming another massive bat very soon.
