4. The Red Sox lose Xander Bogaerts and sign Brandon Drury
Boston’s relationship with Bogaerts is officially severed as he signs a deal with the San Francisco Giants this offseason. That move means that Trevor Story moves over to shortstop (where he earned All-Star honors with the Colorado Rockies) and the Red Sox fill his former position at second base by signing Brandon Drury to a three-year deal.
The second base market is very light this offseason, so Drury will be in demand. Boston will need a second baseman with the coming infield moves, and will likely jump on Drury as soon as they see that Bogaerts won’t be returning.
San Francisco makes a splash at shortstop and sets the stage for the future after Brandon Crawford’s contract runs out at the end of this season.
5. Aaron Judge stays in New York
While many signs point to Judge heading west to join the Giants, the Yankees will figure out a way to keep the face of the franchise in the Bronx for years to come.
After a disappointing end to the 2022 campaign, New York needs to find something to show it is serious about not only winning in 2023, but also finally getting back to the World Series. Losing Judge not only weakens the lineup, but also is a black eye publicly. New York won’t let that happen, finding a way to sign him to a deal that locks him up for years to come.
Turning 31 near the start of next season, Judge and the Yankees will work on a contract with shorter length and higher average annual value.