FORT MYERS, Fla. – After a long, snowy winter, spring is finally upon us.
Over the next six weeks, the 2025 Red Sox will begin to take shape. But to figure out exactly how they’ll look, the brass will have to answer several questions. On the eve of spring training, the Herald’s Red Sox beat writers, Gabrielle Starr and Mac Cerullo, discuss.
Gabrielle Starr: It’s good to be back! I’m curious to see how the look of this team will change between now and Opening Day, because there are several spots up for grabs. Should we start with the rotation?
Mac Cerullo: The rotation is fascinating. As it stands now the Red Sox have six established and healthy starting pitchers, and it wouldn’t make sense to move any of them to the bullpen or to Triple-A. Obviously the main thing is making sure all of them get to Opening Day without landing on the IL, but if that happens the club will still have to figure out whether to use a six-man rotation or go with some kind of piggyback system where two guys always go back-to-back on the same day.
GS: Health is the name of the game. The Red Sox lost Lucas Giolito to elbow surgery early last March and sustained several pitching injuries in April. They have even more depth this year, though. Someone I’m very curious about is Quinn Priester. Do you think someone like him has a chance at cracking the rotation, or even the big-league roster?
MC: I doubt he makes the Opening Day rotation unless two or three guys go down with injuries, but Priester is the kind of insurance policy the Red Sox haven’t had in years. Between him, Richard Fitts, Cooper Criswell and Hunter Dobbins, the club should have more than enough depth to weather whatever injuries crop up. And that doesn’t even factor in Patrick Sandoval, who should be ready by the second half.
GS: The starting rotation depth also opens the door for several pitchers to move into relief roles. Garrett Whitlock is officially moving from the rotation back to the bullpen. Who else could you see joining him?
MC: There will be a core group of five established big leaguers that the Red Sox will rely on, including Liam Hendriks, Aroldis Chapman, Justin Wilson, Justin Slaten and Whitlock. After that, your guess is as good as mine. The Red Sox will probably have to rely on more than one multi-inning guy, especially if they carry six starting pitchers, so Whitlock and Slaten will be particularly important even if Hendriks or Chapman winds up earning the closer job. The club also has loads of depth arms who will cycle back and forth between Boston and Worcester.
GS: Closer-by-committee hasn’t worked out well for Boston in the past, and many players talk about how difficult it can be when they don’t have a defined role. I’d be very intrigued by having Fitts in the ‘pen on Opening Day, because he really held his own against some powerful teams last fall. Criswell, on the other hand, fared better as a starter. I don’t see Josh Winckowski making the roster out of camp, though. What do you think?
MC: Winckowski will play an important role if the Red Sox need guys who can go multiple innings, but I agree he could face long odds to make the Opening Day roster. My guess is one of the last spots will go to someone like Criswell — I feel like Fitts will start in Worcester’s rotation to stay stretched out — and one of the traditional single-inning guys like Greg Weissert, Luis Guerrero or Zack Kelly.
GS: Second base has essentially been a black hole ever since Dustin Pedroia got injured, and somehow we’re already nearly half a decade removed from that tragedy.
MC: Something tells me second base isn’t going to be a black hole for much longer though. Between the internal candidates and the external possibilities, it’s difficult to imagine someone won’t emerge as the guy. Putting aside the question of a late signing (we’ll get to that), the battle between Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton and Kristian Campbell will be fascinating to watch.
GS: I agree, this hurdle will be resolved some way or another this year. Campbell is so versatile, it almost feels like a waste to keep him at one position forever. But for now second base is the obvious choice. Alex Cora has been effusive in his praise in Grissom, who was supposed to be the everyday guy last year. I hope fans listen to the manager and give him a second chance.
MC: This question lingered far too long last season when we were talking about Jordan Montgomery right up until Opening Day. So for all of our sakes, I hope Alex Bregman makes his decision soon, and if he winds up somewhere other than Boston, that the Red Sox don’t wait around to pivot.
GS: Honestly, I don’t think the Red Sox need him. Certainly not to the extent of the six- or seven-year commitment he’s seeking. They have, as we’ve outlined, several options for second base, which isn’t even his natural position. At this point it would be better for them to assess their many in-house options — including Marcelo Mayer — and figure out who’s key to this team’s present and future, and who could be traded.
MC: I do think a player like Bregman or Nolan Arenado could help the team, and that the Red Sox could incorporate them without having to make an ill-advised trade to clear room. The trouble is I don’t think the next tier of players would really be worth it, so my guess is if neither Bregman or Arenado wind up in Boston, the Red Sox will either stand pat or add someone considerably less accomplished on a one-year deal.
GS: If you had to guess, are any of Boston’s new “Big Three” on the Opening Day roster?
MC: The more I think about it, and the longer the Red Sox go without adding any outside bats, the more likely it feels that Roman Anthony or Kristian Campbell will make the team. Between Triston Casas two years ago and Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu last spring, the Red Sox have shown they’re comfortable giving the kids a chance. Anthony and Campbell are the best prospects we’ve seen around here in a long time, and if they can put together a big spring I think both will have a chance to earn a spot. Mayer will be a factor before long too, but considering he hasn’t played a game at Triple-A yet I think he starts the season in Worcester.
GS: If I had to guess, Campbell would make the cut over Anthony, because of the positional versatility. I don’t see Mayer making it yet, either; in addition to the lack of Triple-A experience, the Red Sox are concerned about his ability to stay healthy, so he has two things to prove. Regardless, all of these questions the Red Sox need to answer in the coming weeks are far more positive and promising than the types of questions we’ve asked in recent preseasons. It’s going to be a very interesting spring training.