Over the last three seasons, the Boston Red Sox have defined what it means to be mediocre.
Since losing in the 2021 ALCS, the team has failed to finish above .500 or make the playoffs.
After a series of blockbuster signings and trades, the Red Sox are finally poised to make a deep run and bring success back to a team that had become accustomed to finishing near the top of the talented American League East.
In December, the team landed lefty ace Garrett Crochet in a deal with the Chicago White Sox. While they did give up a handful of promising prospects, including No. 32-ranked catcher Kyle Teel, Crochet will provide a strong first option for the Red Sox.
Two weeks later, the team signed two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, right-hander Walker Buehler. While Buehler struggled during the 2024 regular season, posting an ERA above five, he showed signs of his pre-surgery self in the postseason, finishing with a 3.60 ERA in four appearances.
Buehler’s signing is a low-risk, high-reward move from the Red Sox. Boston will also see the return of starter Lucas Giolito, who underwent elbow surgery in March 2024 and missed all of last season.
In an interview with WEEI’s “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast, Giolito was adamant about his recovery and availability for the upcoming season.
“I find it funny when I see this stuff online saying that I will be coming back in June. I don’t know where that came from,” Giolito said. “Everything is going great. I look forward to a full year.”
Tanner Houck and Brayan Bello will join Giolito, Crochet and Buehler in the Sox’s starting rotation. Kutter Crawford looks to be the odd man out, but manager Alex Cora could go with a six-man rotation at certain times during the season.
Adding three All-Star caliber starting pitchers for a team that struggled in the starting rotation department will bring the Sox to contention in the American League.
Boston’s front office was not done yet— making their biggest splash of the offseason, signing former Houston Astro Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal. While some viewed this as an overpay, Bregman will provide a solid veteran presence to a team that lacked just that in previous years since the departure of Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts.
Bregman will move to second base after playing Gold Glove-caliber third for the majority of his time in Houston as All-Star Rafael Devers mans third. Rising star Triston Casas will handle first base. Filling out the Sox’s infield will include the return of shortstop Trevor Story, who underwent shoulder surgery in April and missed the rest of the season.
The Red Sox could benefit significantly from a full, healthy season from Story. Double plays turned between Story and Bregman would make the Fenway faithful very happy.
If not, though, the team could turn to shortstop Marcelo Mayer, the 2024 No. 2 overall prospect. Mayer, drafted fourth overall in 2021, has not played in the pros yet, but that time will likely come at some point this season.
Mayer is joined by outfielder Roman Anthony and utility Kristian Campbell in the top three of MLB’s top-ranked farm system. Four out of the top five prospects in Boston’s farm system play shortstop, so if Story’s season does not work out, they have plenty of options.
Aside from a few key players in last season’s success, like pitcher Nick Pivetta and outfielder Tyler O’Neill, the team did not suffer any serious roster subtractions. Closer Kenley Jansen was quickly replaced by Aroldis Chapman, and catcher Blake Sabol added catcher depth behind starter Connor Wong after Danny Jansen left in free agency.
Prediction:
Regular season record: 92-70, No. 4-seed in the American League
Postseason finish: World Series loss in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Overall, the Red Sox have a serious chance to upend the Yankees at the top of the AL East. If just two of the three starting pitchers they added in the offseason can produce solid campaigns, the team has a real opportunity to go deep in the postseason. While I’m not sure they’ll be able to topple a juggernaut like the Dodgers, expect the big “BOSTON” tile on the Green Monster standings to be at the top of the division by October.
