Signing shortstop Xander Bogaerts is the No. 1 priority facing the Boston Red Sox front office this fall. That’s not my opinion. That’s the opinion of the man in charge of those priorities. Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made that clear the day after the season ended.

“I don’t ever want to make public any of the blow-by-blow,” Bloom said Thursday at a media conference, “but what I can say is this: That process is going to start right away from our end. Obviously, we know we haven’t found that path yet. We still want to. We’re going to work really hard at it.”

That might be where the work begins for Bloom and his staff, but it’s certainly not where it ends. The coming months represent the most important offseason in Bloom’s tenure running Boston’s baseball operations.

Depending on the accounting you follow, the Red Sox have $100 million to $125 million available to spend from a luxury-tax perspective this offseason. That money gives Bloom and his group an opportunity to completely reshape the future of the franchise.

After two last-place finishes in the last three years, it’s clear that future needs a significant reboot. If Bogaerts is the No. 1 priority, here’s what I think the other priorities should be:

2. Sign Rafael Devers to a contract extension

The lame-duck status of Bogaerts hung over the Red Sox like a black cloud this season, and it was a completely avoidable scenario. There’s no reason the Red Sox should enter 2023 with a similar situation surrounding their third baseman.

Devers is Boston’s best hitter, he’s coming off his best season defensively, and he’s still two weeks shy of his 26th birthday. Time to lock him up and make him the future face of the franchise. Manager Alex Cora told me it’s time for Devers to step into a leadership role with the Sox in the years to come. Taking care of him with a long-term deal is the first step in that process.

3. Re-sign Michael Wacha

Wacha came to Boston on a one-year, $7 million contract and was the team’s best starting pitcher. The Red Sox were 16-7 in games started by Wacha; they were 62-77 when anyone else started.

He faded at the end, but that should favor the Red Sox. Lock him up to a two-year deal, count on him as the No. 3 starter and move onto the next item on the to-do list.

4. Bolster the bullpen

Get me Edwin Diaz. And David Robertson. Bring back Rich Hill and give him a multi-inning relief role. Trade for another arm or two. Add that lot to a rejuvenated Matt Barnes, Tanner Houck and John Schreiber. Cora held his breath every time he walked out to the mound this season. It’s time to give him a group he can depend on.

5. Add some power to the lineup

The lack of home-run production was one of the most mystifying aspect of this Red Sox season. They should get some of that power back with a healthy Kiké Hernández and a full season of Triston Casas at first base. Still, they need more. Mitch Haniger, busy with the Mariners this postseason, is just a year removed from a 39-homer season. He’s the type of player worth adding to the mix. Haniger will become a free agent this winter if Seattle fails to lock him up.

6. Re-sign Refsnyder

Rob Refsnyder was one of the best pickups of the 2022 Boston season. He’s a perfect fourth outfielder for this team. Lock him up and add him to the 2023 roster. He plays hard, doesn’t make many mental mistakes, and is the type of depth player every team needs to make it through a marathon season.

7. Don’t spend much on position players in free agency

Spend the money on pitching instead. Rotate Bogaerts, Trevor Story, Rafael Devers and Christian Arroyo through the DH slot next year. You’ll save wear and tear on players and be able to get them each in the lineup more often. You can also drop a first baseman (Casas and whomever you keep in the Eric Hosmer/Bobby Dalbec battle) into the spot once in awhile.

There are other decisions for Bloom to make. Is the catcher platoon of Reese McGuire and Connor Wong enough? Is Garrett Whitlock a starter or a reliever in 2023? Do you trade Jarren Duran or hope he can figure out how to play outfield at the big-league level?

Those answers will come in time, but the time is now to get to work. It all begins with Bogaerts … but there are plenty of issues to deal with after that headline is written.

Tom Caron is a studio host for the Red Sox broadcast on NESN. He is a graduate of Lewiston High School.

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