David Ortiz Chooses Between Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber As Next Red Sox Slugger

The Boston Red Sox are missing a David Ortiz-like presence in the middle of the order.

Ortiz has been gone for nearly a full decade, and though Rafael Devers was never quite Ortiz, he was a very good slugger in his own right. And with Devers in San Francisco, the Red Sox hit the 23rd-most home runs in the majors from June 16 onward this past season.

The two names that have floated around most consistently as fits to fit into the middle of the order and blast 35-plus home runs for the Red Sox next season are Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso. Either would make a great addition, but if the Red Sox can afford one, it's worth discussing which would be the better fit.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Ortiz thinks Red Sox should prioritize lineup balance

As it turns out, Ortiz himself has some thoughts on the matter. He's rocking with Alonso as the stronger Red Sox fit for lineup balance, though if Alex Bregman re-signs, he doesn't have a strong feeling either way.

"Either way, you can be satisfied," Ortiz told Joey Copponi and Scott Neville on the "ITM Podcast" on Friday. "You're talking about two monsters. But if I had to pick one, because I have Roman Anthony as a left-handed batter, I would go with a right-handed bat. There are a lot of left-handed power pitchers coming out of the bullpen. Which with these guys, they don't really care.

"But you know (opponents) are going to be doing the match-ups. When you have two lefties, one behind the other. I think we've loaded up really well with lefties. One right-handed power hitter to take advantage of the monster, it'll be a plus. But, if we sign Bregman, I don't care who we go for. Because at the end of the day, you can put them in a mix: Schwarber, Bregman, Roman, or vise versa, and you'd be in good shape."

Schwarber, of course, was already in Boston for half a season, and he excelled. He also took things to a completely new level this past season, leading the National League with a career-best 56 home runs.

Alonso was close behind Schwarber in terms of OPS+, though (150 to 144), and he's got easy 40-homer potential as well. With Bregman not currently on the roster, there's undoubtedly a need for more right-handed impact.

Landing either of these two would be a game-changer for the Red Sox, but it's interesting to note that Ortiz sees more of a fit right now with Alonso.

As part of his fundraising efforts, Ortiz is holding a silent auction loaded with priceless items that will be live until Saturday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET. You can also donate to the cause on the David Ortiz Children's Fund's website.

More MLB: Red Sox Icon David Ortiz Explains Why Rafael Devers Didn't Work Out In Boston