While the Boston Red Sox didn't make a deep run in the 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs, this is a team that arguably will be right in the mix next year.

The bones are there with this roster. An infield featuring Willson Contreras, Caleb Durbin and then some combination of Curtis Mead , Trevor Story and maybe even Franklin Arias is very good on paper. The outfield is still a massive strength with Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran . Boston has a top-five catcher in Adley Rutschman . The rotation has building-block pieces in Garrett Croochet, Payton Tolle, Ranger Suarez, Jake Bennett and Brayan Bello. Plus, the bullpen is among the game's most elite.

This team is going to be good. But there is still work to do and Contreras was just like Boston fans when asked what this team still needs, as transcribed by The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham.

"I think we need some more offense,” he said.…