We made it everyone!
After another long and often monotonous winter, baseball returns this week as pitchers and catchers officially report for spring training. Over the coming weeks the Red Sox will begin preparing for the 2025 season, which the club hopes will represent a meaningful step forward after three straight years without a playoff appearance.
So for those who haven’t been paying attention to baseball since last October ended, or for those who just need a refresher on where the Red Sox stand, here’s everything you need to know about the Red Sox heading into the new season.
The Red Sox finished the 2024 season 81-81 and third in the AL East behind the Yankees and Orioles. The club missed the playoffs by five games and were on the outside looking in for the third consecutive season.
The Yankees went on to reach their first World Series in 15 years but were beaten handily in five games by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won their second title since 2020 and are now loading up to become the first MLB team to repeat as champion since the Yankees won three straight between 1998-2000.
The biggest move of the offseason was the acquisition of left-hander Garrett Crochet. The Red Sox landed the 25-year-old ace in a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox in exchange for four prospects, most notably catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Braden Montgomery, the club’s two most recent first-round selections.
The Red Sox also signed right-hander Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million contract, and left-hander Patrick Sandoval to a two-year, $18.25 million deal, though Sandoval is recovering from elbow surgery and isn’t expected back until the second half at earliest.
Boston has added a pair of veteran left-handers to the bullpen as well, Aroldis Chapman on a one-year, $10.75 million deal and Justin Wilson on a one-year, $2.25 million contract, and several catchers to fill out the depth chart behind projected starter Connor Wong. The Red Sox acquired Carlos Narvaez from the Yankees, Blake Sabol from the Giants, and signed Seby Zavala and Mark Kolozsvary to minor league deals. Narvaez and Sabol are expected to be the primary contenders for the backup catcher spot.
Though the Red Sox have repeatedly expressed a need for a right-handed bat to help balance the lineup, the club so far has not added any position players who project as everyday regulars.
In terms of outgoing players, none of Boston’s eight free agents are expected to return. Outfielder Tyler O’Neill and catcher Danny Jansen signed with a pair of division rivals, joining the Orioles and Rays respectively, and right-hander Chris Martin signed with the Rangers. Right-hander Nick Pivetta, and relievers Kenley Jansen, Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia all remain unsigned as of this writing, and left-hander James Paxton announced his retirement.
The Red Sox also traded infielder Enmanuel Valdez, catcher Mickey Gasper, and relievers Cam Booser and Chase Shugart for minor league pitchers.
Though the Red Sox may still add another right-handed bat, the bulk of last year’s lineup should remain largely the same.
Jarren Duran is coming off a breakout season in which he ranked fourth among all American League position players with 8.7 Wins Above Replacement, behind only Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson. He also led the AL in doubles (48) and triples (14) and became the third Red Sox player to top 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season. The first-time All-Star was a Gold Glove finalist in the outfield and should remain the club’s everyday leadoff hitter.
Rafael Devers earned his third All-Star nod despite battling a shoulder injury throughout the entire season. Devers hit 28 home runs and recorded an .871 OPS on the year despite seeing his production fall off a cliff over the last two months, hitting only one homer with six RBI over his last 28 games. Devers is expected to be at full strength this year and should remain one of the league’s most dangerous power hitters.
Trevor Story and Triston Casas are expected to give the Red Sox a major boost after missing large portions of 2024 due to injury.
Story went down eight games into the year due to a freak shoulder injury suffered while making a diving stop, but was able to return in September despite initial expectations that he would be out for the year. Story hit well upon his return and could be a threat to record 20 homers and 20 stolen bases if he can stay on the field. Casas suffered a painful rib injury in late April and missed almost four months, but still managed to hit 13 homers in roughly a third of a season’s worth of action.
Wilyer Abreu is coming off a sixth-place finish in the AL Rookie of the Year vote and should continue to progress in right field, Connor Wong will be the everyday catcher and Ceddanne Rafaela is expected to see the majority of his time in the outfield after spending large portions of 2024 helping fill in for Story at shortstop.
Two areas that remain unsettled are second base and Masataka Yoshida’s role. Yoshida spent last season exclusively as a designated hitter and battled shoulder and thumb injuries throughout the year. He underwent offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to return by early in the regular season, and manager Alex Cora suggested that once healthy Yoshida could be back in the outfield mix.
Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton and top prospect Kristian Campbell are expected to be the top three contenders for the second base job, barring any late additions to the roster. Outfielder Rob Refsnyder and utility man Romy Gonzalez should retain their existing roles off the bench.
Even with Sandoval not likely to be ready until the second half, the Red Sox are still expected to go into camp with six healthy, proven MLB-caliber starting pitchers.
Crochet and Buehler join homegrown arms Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford, along with the returning Lucas Giolito, who missed all of last season due to injury. How the Red Sox manage those six, and whether or not the club opts for a six-man rotation, will be something to watch closely as the spring progresses.
In terms of the bullpen, veteran closer Liam Hendriks will finally make his Red Sox debut after spending all of last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He will enter camp among the favorites to earn the closer job along with new arrival Chapman and second-year right-hander Justin Slaten.
Garrett Whitlock is also returning to the bullpen after an injury-riddled run in the Red Sox rotation. The right-hander is expected to return from elbow surgery in time for Opening Day should occupy a similar multi-inning role as the one he thrived in as a rookie.
Those four and Wilson will form the core of Boston’s bullpen, and there will be fierce competition for the remaining spots among the club’s younger arms. Among those in the mix will be Greg Weissert, Luis Guerrero, Zack Kelly, Cooper Criswell, Josh Winckowski, Brennan Bernardino and Zach Penrod.
By far the biggest storyline to watch in camp this spring will be the play of top prospects Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer. All three rank among the top-15 prospects in MLB according to most major outlets, and Anthony and Campbell in particular are expected to make a push for spots on the Opening Day roster.
Anthony, who many outlets have as either the No. 1 or 2 prospect in MLB, is only 20 years old and last year became the youngest Red Sox prospect to reach Triple-A in decades. The outfielder dominated once getting there, hitting .344 with a .983 OPS in 35 games in Worcester while posting elite under-the-hood metrics.
Campbell, a fourth-round pick out of Georgia Tech in 2023, entered his first full year as a professional in relative obscurity but burst onto the scene by delivering arguably the best offensive season by any player in the minors. Campbell swept the top MiLB awards after hitting .330 with 20 home runs, 24 stolen bases and a .997 OPS across three levels. Like Anthony, Campbell earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A and continued to dominate upon his arrival.
All three prospects have been invited to big league camp. Campbell is expected to compete for the starting second base job and Anthony will make a push for the starting left field job. Mayer, who did not play in a game at Triple-A following his promotion due to injury, is expected to start the season in Worcester but could be a factor in the Red Sox infield before long as well.
On paper the Red Sox should be better than they were in 2024, though there is disagreement among the experts on where the club could finish.
One concerning projection came courtesy of Baseball Prospectus, which released its annual PECOTA projections this past week. The Red Sox were pegged as finishing 78-84 and last in the AL East, which would be a hugely disappointing outcome and a notable step back from last year.
Though not exactly a projection, the Red Sox were also identified by Mike Petriello of MLB.com as having added the third most WAR of any club in baseball, specifically about 5.5. That would suggest the Red Sox should finish closer to 86-76, which would likely put the club in position to earn a Wild Card berth.
Whether the Red Sox take a step forward or remain a middling outfit will depend on a couple of things.
First, health. If the club’s key players can stay on the field then the Red Sox will be much better positioned to contend.
Two, player development. Can the club’s younger big leaguers like Abreu and Wong take the next step as players? Can Duran sustain his elite production?
Lastly, the Big Three. What kind of impact could Anthony, Campbell and Mayer have in the majors this year? If they emerge as productive options — or better yet, impact standouts — the Red Sox will be in fantastic shape. But if not, the club will be counting on a lot of other things to go right, a strategy that hasn’t paid off over the past few years.
Pitchers and catchers officially report on Wednesday, and the first full squad workouts will take place next Monday, Feb. 17. The Red Sox will host their annual exhibition opener at JetBlue Park against Northeastern University on Friday, Feb. 21, and the club’s Grapefruit League opener will be the next day against the Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte.
The Red Sox will also participate in two prospect showcases in mid-March. First will be the club’s official Spring Breakout game against the Rays’ top prospects in Port Charlotte on March 13, and on March 14 the Red Sox will host a Futures at Fenway South game at JetBlue Park.
Boston will wrap up its Grapefruit League schedule and break camp on March 23 against the Twins, and the Red Sox are scheduled to fly to Mexico for a two-game series against Mexican League club Sultanes de Monterrey, March 24-25. After that the club will head back stateside for the regular season opener against the Texas Rangers, which will be at Globe Life Field in Texas on March 27.