By the end of the summer, Kristian Campbell was largely a forgotten man, which is both a testament to how fast things can change in baseball and how crazy the roster turnover was with the 2025 Red Sox. But now is probably a good time to remember that the Red Sox believed in him enough […]
28 days ago | 3 reads
Among all of the other offseason discourse, a question looms large: “What’s the best thing to do about Jarren Duran?” The Sox just came to an agreement on a new salary number with him, but there’s still a definite chance he gets traded away. Would keeping him make more sense, or would trading him be […]
29 days ago | 0 reads
Are the Red Sox prepared to spend money this winter? Maybe yes, maybe no. I vote yes. How about you?
29 days ago | 2 reads
Yesterday, the most reliable baseball reporter in the business dropped a broad but noteworthy article. In it, using his knowledge of the industry, Jeff Passan ran a compelling exercise seeking to align a major offseason transaction to 21 of MLB’s top clubs, with the major caveat being that he wouldn’t use the same player twice. […]
29 days ago | 2 reads
Craig Breslow addressed the media on the first day of the annual GM meetings and laid out the Red Sox’ offseason wish list. What does he want? A middle-of-the-order bat and a top-of-the-rotation starter, stating that “I don’t think we’re going to spend a ton of time trying to add a No. 4, No. 5 […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
2025 In a Discarded-On-The-Dugout-Floor Nutshell After missing all of 2024 and the start of 2025, Lucas Giolito quietly put up an All-Star worthy season this year, posting the 20th-best ERA+ in baseball. But he probably won’t be back in 2026, and that’s probably just fine. The Good On June 2, 2025, Lucas Giolito lasted just […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
Happy Tuesday, Red Sox Nation! It’s November 11, so don’t forget to ask Santa, the Easter Bunny, or whatever gift-giving deity you support to ask for your favorite middle-of-the-order bat today. I can’t tell you what I’m wishing for, because it won’t come true if I do, but it’s a lefty who played for the […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
Major League Baseball’s annual GM Meetings kick off today and run through Thursday in Las Vegas. Note that this is not the same thing as the winter meetings, which don’t happen until December. There tends to be a lot less player movement at the November GM meetings (because we’re still so early in the offseason, […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
So it’s definitely past time to rethink this whole legalized sports gambling thing. I do not bet on sports, but I was and am in favor of legalization. I admit, though, that I didn’t foresee just how corrosive the combination of legalized sports gambling and smart phones would be. As dangerous as alcohol or drug […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
Brayan Bello entered 2025 looking to take a step forward. The Red Sox were rolling out Garret Crochet and Tanner Houck as a 1-2 punch, with Bello, Lucas Giolito, and Walker Buehler set to figure out the 3, 4, and 5 spots in the starting rotation. But, of course, the rotation suffered a lot over […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
2025 In A Discarded-On-The-Dugout-Floor Nutshell Nick Sogard had his second consecutive season as a product of a depleted roster with limited platoon options, but he made the absolute most of the opportunities he was given on the Major League roster with his versatility and defensive dependability. The Good If anyone has been reading my Minor […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
2025 In A Discarded-On-The-Dugout-Floor Nutshell Tanner Houck didn’t look like the ace he was in 2024, struggling tremendously in every start he made in 2025 before eventually finding the root of his mechanical issues: a flexor tear that required Tommy John surgery. The Good I want to be diplomatic in that I cannot imagine the […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
The MLB offseason is already off to a rapid start following a World Series for the ages. The Cubs said sayonara to Shota Imanaga. Alex Bregman opted out while Trevor Story opted in. And I’ve already checked to see if there’s a game on at night before catching myself on three occasions — all in […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
If I were the commissioner of Major League Baseball, one of the many rules that I would implement purely to entertain myself would be to require that every team carry at least one player who grew up in that team’s city. And I would be strict as hell about it, too. Sorry, Rich Hill, Milton […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
When the offseason started on the night of October 2nd, many of the true sickos in Red Sox Nation began looking ahead to 2026 to figure out how to fix a roster that mustered just six runs in a three-game series against the Yankees and struck out 13 times while being shutout in an elimination […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
Honest Abe. The Bull. The lawnmower. That other Canadian Guy. In case of emergency, put at first base. These are all names Abraham Toro could have been known as in 2025. And some of them he actually was, as least from time to time. The Good When Triston Casas went down and Rafael Devers refused […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
In yesterday’s news and links piece here at Over The Monster, Dan Secatore pondered the following regarding Jarren Duran’s new $7.7 million contract where they essential paid him $7.875 million: If it seems weird that the Sox would do this merely to save $125,000 — which is the difference between the $8 million option and […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
Good morning! A fun note for anyone who is convinced that either (1) baseball is dying, or (2) the Dodgers are killing interest in the sport, necessitating the implementation of a salary cap: The 2026 World Series smashed ratings expectations across the board, and Game 7 was the most-watched baseball game in 34 years. And […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
2025 In a Discarded-on-the-Dugout-Floor Nutshell Whitlock returned to the bullpen this year and morphed into one of the most trustworthy and dependable relief pitchers the team has seen in years. As the designated setup man for Aroldis Chapman, he nearly always provided clean innings and allowed Chapman, in his very dominant season, to shut games […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
Jarren Duran and the Red Sox have negotiated a new contract for the 2026 season, agreeing to a deal worth $7.7 million with an additional $75,000 that can be earned via incentives. Duran was not a free agent, of course; we’re talking about arbitration negotiations here. And, interestingly, the Sox had an $8 million option […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
BOSTON, MA — Another big figure in Major League baseball has elected free agency. The Wally Head, worn by Red Sox players after they hit home runs in the 2025 season, has declined its mutual option to remain with the Boston Red Sox in 2026, Over the Monster reports. It will join the free agency […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
Trevor Story is opting in to the final two years of his contract with the Red Sox per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Cotillo went on to add the following: With an infield full of question marks as the front office faces the upcoming winter workload, Story sticking around makes matters much less murky. The Sox’ […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
Good morning! There’s been a flurry of small activity in the past day or so — Trevor Story has decided to stick around, Jarren Duran and the Sox reached an agreement on a contract number for 2026 (note: this does not really indicate much about a potential trade from the outfield surplus; he still could […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
In his recap/warning to Blue Jays fans following their quasi-singularly traumatic World Series Game 7 experience, Defector’s Barry Petchesky, referencing the Yankees loss against the Diamondbacks in 2001, put it thusly: So let’s have a little heart-to-heart chat, you, the grieving and traumatized Jays fan, me, a fan who was on the wrong side of what […]
about 1 month ago | 3 reads
2025 In A Discarded-On-The-Dugout-Floor Nutshell Hunter Dobbins debuted earlier than just about everyone expected and was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, injuries cut his season short. The Good According to Baseball Savant, Dobbins threw six different pitches. I’ll ignore his sinker, because there are only 13 of them, and they’re close enough to his splitter to […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads