The Red Sox' abundance of young talent gives reason for optimism in 2025
What are the Red Sox intentions this offseason? How committed are they to improving an 81-81 team that missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season?
Lacking confidence that their roster would be competitive in 2024, the Red Sox dithered in the offseason as virtually all of their projected, and even stated, free-agent targets were signed by other clubs. Will they show greater urgency this offseason?
After three seasons without a playoff appearance, the situation should be viewed as urgent on Jersey Street. The question is, where to begin?
Taking a look at the Red Sox infield, almost every position is locked up with talent: Triston Casas at first, Trevor Story at shortstop, and Rafael Devers at third. The questions are at catcher and, most especially, second base.
Connor Wong emerged as one of the better offensive catchers in the game during the 2024 season, slashing .288/.333/.425. However, he allowed 60 stolen bases this season and caught just 16 runners. The question is, who will be his battery mate? Deadline acquisition Danny Jansen (30 in April) is a free agent and he did nothing to merit a new contract during his short stay, slashing .188/.323/.300 over 30 games. Kyle Teel was drafted out of college in 2023 and has risen quickly through the Sox system. Playing at Double-A and Triple-A this season, the 22-year-old slashed a combined .288/.386/.433. It’s unclear whether the Sox believe that he can break camp with the big league camp next spring, but he will be given every chance to prove it. The Sox may be in the market for a defensively-gifted veteran this offseason to compete with Teel, and to provide insurance in case he needs more time at Triple-A.
Then there’s second base, where the Red Sox fielded a carousel of players this season. Vaughn Grissom was handed the position before spring training, but injured both hamstrings and spent most of the year on the injured list. Appearing in 31 games, the 23-year-old slashed a paltry .190/.246/.219, creating no assurances or confidence that he can provide stability at the keystone. He’s still quite young and batted over .300 during his time in the minors, so there’s still time for him to prove himself. Beyond Grissom, Enmanual Valdez, Jamie Westbrook, and Mickey Gaspar are not answers to the problem. David Hamilton had a nice season until he suffered a fractured finger in late August. The speedster stole 33 bases in just 98 games, and slashed .248/.303/.395. He’s serviceable but bats left looks more like a bench asset than a starting infielder.
In short, the Sox will surely be on the lookout for a right-handed hitting second baseman this winter. This wouldn’t be an issue had Grissom engaged in a proper offseason stretching program to protect his hamstrings (all players should; the number of hamstring injuries across the game is absurd). He’ll be given another chance in spring training, but surely the message will be that he needs to fight for, and earn, a job. Nothing will be given or granted.
The Red Sox outfield hasn’t looked this good, and young, since Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley and Andrew Benintendi helped the Red Sox win a World Series in 2018. In the trio of Ceddanne Rafaela (24), Wilyer Abreu (25), and Jarren Duran (28), the Sox have an abundance of talent and youth. All of them are controlled for years to come and are very inexpensive. Rob Refsnyder crushes lefties and is a fantastic platoon player. He’s controlled via a $2 million option for 2025 that looks like a no-brainer.
The problem is that Refsnyder is the only righty in the outfield bunch. Righty Tyler O’Neil is a free agent and Masa Yoshida has such significant defensive liabilities that he was strictly limited to DH duties this year. With an $18 million-per-year price tag for three more seasons, Yoshida clearly doesn’t fit Boston’s current or future roster. They will surely look to deal him this winter, and will likely have to eat significant salary to do so. So be it. It would be a matter of addition by subtraction. Moving Yoshida would open up the possibility of resigning O’Neil, who led the team with 31 homers the season.
No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony is on the way. The only question is whether he breaks camp with the big league club out of spring training. However, Anthony also bats left, which would still leave the lineup too left-handed. This is yet another reason that Yoshida needs to go.
The primary concerns with the Sox’ roster are with the pitching staff. Even with Lucas Giolito expected to be healthy for the start of spring training, the Sox will return a core of Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello and, possibly, Richard Fitts. Nick Pivetta is a free agent and will likely find his future elsewhere. The Sox need a star, an ace to solidify the staff and excite a moribund fanbase. They need a stopper who can break losing streaks and who can be expected to excel over the course of 30-plus starts. That pitcher will have to be obtained via free agency or trade. Free agency, though dicey, only costs money. Trades cost players and can create roster holes. By the way, if you’re hoping so, Yoshida will not fetch the starter the Sox need.
Additionally, the bullpen will have holes to fill with the expected departures of free agents Kenley Jansen, 37, and Chris Marten, 38. Josh Winkowski, Justin Slaten, Brendan Bernardino, and the returning Garrett Whitlock (remember him?) will all play important roles, but the Sox need more arms. Luis Garcia, 37, and Lucas Sims, 30, were trade deadline acquisitions that proved to be duds. Both are free agents and it’s nearly impossible to envision either of them returning. They were two of the worst moves that Breslow has made in his brief tenure as head of baseball ops in Boston.
Look for the Sox to sign two relievers of the ’sure thing’ variety, as well as about four others to compete for roster spots during spring training. The caveat is that relievers are generally an inconsistent bunch that take steps backward and forward from season to season. They are a crapshoot, which makes roster building a challenge. But Breslow has created a hierarchy of pitching overlords for just this type of situation. It’s time for them to target specific pitchers, based on the analytics and their own projections, and then bring them to Boston.
This roster is young and solid, and more youth is on the way. Anthony, Teel and Marcelo Mayer could all be in Boston next year. But, as this season proved, the Sox need to stay healthy and they need more veteran leadership. That latter is achievable. Now it’s time for some good decision-making by the front office. Get ‘er done, boys.
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