It’s only been about two weeks since pitchers and catchers reported to Red Sox camp, but it’s hard to believe how much has already changed.
The tone and tenor surrounding the club has radically shifted, and so have expectations for the upcoming season. But even with the Red Sox looking poised to contend for their first playoff berth since 2021, there are still plenty of questions still unanswered as the Grapefruit League season gets into full swing.
So now that the dust is beginning to settle, here are five things we’ve learned since the start of spring training, and what we can expect in the days and weeks to come.
They actually did it. Not only did the Red Sox talk the talk, but this winter they also walked the walk.
By signing Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal, the Red Sox capped off their best offseason in years. In addition to the two-time All-Star infielder, the Red Sox also pulled off a blockbuster trade to land left-handed ace Garrett Crochet, signed right-hander Walker Buehler on a high-upside one-year deal, and rebuilt the bullpen by adding left-handers Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson to a group that also gets Liam Hendriks and Garrett Whitlock back from injury.
With that group joining the club’s rising young core, the Red Sox enter 2025 as credible challengers for not just a playoff spot, but an AL East championship. Boston is also expected to carry its highest payroll in team history, a significant benchmark after the last few years of relative stinginess.
Up until the moment that Bregman signed, pessimism and cynicism ruled the Red Sox fanbase. But since his arrival things have changed, and now there is a level of buzz around the team we haven’t seen since the spring of 2019.
You can see it everywhere you look. The discourse on social media has flipped, the Red Sox are leading the local sports talk shows, and instead of people just complaining about who the Red Sox did or didn’t sign, there’s intrigue surrounding actual baseball topics. Like, who is going to be the starting second baseman? Will Rafael Devers move off third base? Will one of the top prospects make the team?
Beyond just the buzz, there’s actual drama. Devers’ declaration that he won’t move off third base raised eyebrows across New England, and Triston Casas’ subsequent comments that Bregman should start at second base and the prospects should start the season in Triple-A got people’s attention too.
In a weird way, controversy can be a blessing, because it means people care and are interested in what’s going on. Apathy had long set in with this club, but now the Red Sox appear to have reclaimed their place in the local sports consciousness.
Usually when you’re watching spring training, it’s a few familiar faces and a whole bunch of nobodies. Maybe someone unexpected will pop off here and there, but inevitably the big leaguers will make the team and the others will go to the minors and play out their seasons in obscurity.
One thing that immediately stands out about this group is how few pure camp bodies there are.
No matter who takes the field any given day, fans have a chance to see someone interesting. There are the big leaguers, yes, but most of the others in camp are either top prospects or legitimate contenders to impact the major league club. Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell are clearly the headliners, but Jhostynxon Garcia is another top prospect who could factor into the equation by next year, and guys like Abraham Toro and Trayce Thompson are established big leaguers who will probably play in Boston at some point.
And as for the pitchers, almost everyone in camp could conceivably make the team. Adam Ottavino and Matt Moore are particularly interesting, and even the longshots like Yovanny Cruz and his 101 mph fastball will be worth watching.
The Red Sox have made a concerted effort to build up their pitching depth, and that depth is already being tested. Kutter Crawford probably won’t be ready on time for Opening Day, and Brayan Bello’s status is still up in the air too.
That could mean next man up for someone like Quinn Priester or Richard Fitts, both acquired over the last year to help provide insurance for exactly this kind of scenario.
How the Red Sox rotation shakes out will be fascinating to watch, but it’s already evident the club is much better positioned to weather those setbacks than they’ve been in recent years. The club’s depth elsewhere is similarly impressive, and the rise of Anthony, Mayer and Campbell could force Alex Cora into some tough decisions if they perform over the next few weeks.
That will be a good problem for the team to have.
One thing we haven’t learned is what the Red Sox defensive alignment will be, because frankly, there’s still a lot up in the air.
We know Casas will be the first baseman, Trevor Story will play shortstop and Connor Wong will start at catcher, and we can say with a high degree of confidence Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu will take two of the three outfield spots. But beyond that? Devers and Bregman are effectively competing for the third base job, there’s a three-way free-for-all between Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton and Campbell for second base (if it isn’t Bregman), and Anthony is pushing for a spot in the outfield, potentially relegating Ceddanne Rafaela to the bench.
There’s also the question of Masataka Yoshida, who is working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery and could start the season on the IL. If he isn’t ready that will leave the DH spot open, potentially opening the door for Bregman to play third and for Devers to shift off the position.
One thing is for sure, these are exciting times for the Red Sox. The next few weeks should be a lot of fun.