Red Sox 2025 MLB Season Preview: Alex Bregman, Garrett Crochet leading the charge

Following a third-place finish and .500 record in 2024, the Boston Red Sox needed to overhaul things this offseason in their effort to return to the postseason for the first time since 2021.

How did they fair in completing their winter objectives? And will they be a serious player in the AL East in 2025?

What notable offseason moves did the Boston Red Sox make?

Last season, pitching was a tale of two extremes for a team that competes in the highly competitive AL East. In ERA, the starters ranked seventh (3.81), and the relievers ranked 24th (4.39). The pitching staff lost Nick Pivetta, Chris Martin, Luis García, Lucas Sims, and Kenley Jansen to free agency.

Although Pivetta, who posted a 4.14 ERA, was not a major contributor to the starters' success, the front office made a huge move, trading with the Chicago White Sox for Garrett Crochet. Crochet brings a 6-12 record, a 3.58 ERA, and 209 strikeouts over 23 starts and 146 innings to Boston.

The record can be disregarded due to the abysmal run support the White Sox provided. Crochet will benefit from having a Red Sox offense that outscored the White Sox by 244 runs last season.

The lefty has an impressive pitching arsenal that includes five pitches: a four-seam fastball, cutter, sweeper, changeup, and sinker. This arsenal contributed to Crochet ranking in the 98th percentile for strikeout percentage last season.

The Red Sox also added free agent Walker Buehler. Buehler did not have the impressive stats Crochet did last season when the former Los Angeles Dodger posted a horrendous 5.38 ERA over 16 starts and 75.1 innings. However, in 2021, he posted a 2.47 ERA over 33 starts and 207.2 innings, and he contributed in a big way to the Dodgers' 2024 World Series triumph. Red Sox fans hope this is the form that arrives in Boston.

Martin and Jansen are massive losses to the bullpen, posting ERAs last season of 3.45 and 3.26, respectively, and throwing more than 43 innings each. The Red Sox added Aroldis Chapman to fill the closer role Jansen voided. Chapman posted a 3.79 ERA over 61.2 innings and converted 14 saves with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season.

With Chapman being the best lefty in the bullpen, there may be situations where he is needed to fill the set-up role in earlier innings, depending on the upcoming batters. In that case, Liam Hendricks, returning from missing all of the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery, will fill the closer role.

On offense, the Red Sox added a 2024 Gold Glove Award winner in Alex Bregman. He was assumed to be brought in to fill the second base void, but Rafael Devers has been dealing with a lingering shoulder injury and is not expected to play any third base during spring training. Devers's absence means he will start the season as the designated hitter, and Bregman will start at third base.

The defense is exceptionally better with Bregman handling the hot corner over Devers. Devers has had the most third base errors in the AL each season of his seven-year career. He has also led all of baseball in third base errors five times.

Devers initially said, "Third base is my position," and rumors swirled that he requested a trade. However, he has since backed off those statements, saying he would do what the Red Sox want for him. If he is a long-term designated hitter, seeing how the seven-year veteran's position status will affect the locker room will be interesting.

Are there any prospects that could contribute to the big leagues in 2025?

This Spring, the Red Sox's top three prospects — Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer — have been the center of all the talk. They all homered in their Spring Breakout game versus the Tampa Bay Rays' top prospects. Anthony hit a moonshot that has not landed yet.

Campbell looks to be the only one of the three to break camp on the Opening Day roster. Vaughn Grissom was optioned to AAA Worcester, leaving David Hamilton and Campbell as the only second-base options unless Cora decides Nick Sogard's position versatility is good enough to be Hamilton's backup. This move would allow Campbell to get some regular reps in the minor leagues, but Cora could be planning on having Campbell start for Boston.

Anthony's hopes of making the Opening Day roster rely on Wilyer Abreu's status. Abreu has been dealing with a viral illness that has limited him to only two games this spring. If he starts the season on the injured list, Anthony will be the main beneficiary.

If the top prospect begins the season in the minors, then the Red Sox cannot ignore the production Anthony can provide. In three minor league seasons, the 20-year-old slashed .284/398/474 with 32 home runs, 141 runs batted in, and 38 stolen bases in 52 attempts.

With Grissom getting optioned down, Mayer has been getting an extended look at second base. There is a chance he could crack the Opening Day roster with Romy Gonzalez starting the season on the injured list, but I cannot see the Red Sox keeping both Campbell and Mayer with only one in the starting lineup.

The team will want the non-starter to get regular at-bats in AAA, and Mayer's inexperience may be the difference maker. He has three minor league seasons compared to Cambell's two seasons, but in Mayer's last two seasons, he has dealt with significant injuries. Cora's decision will be one to watch when the final roster moves are made before Opening Day.

What is the outlook for the Red Sox's 2025 season?

Pitching to start the season will be the big question. With Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Lucas Giolito, Chris Murphy, and Patrick Sandoval beginning the season on the injured list, the Red Sox have to turn to rookies Richard Fitts and Quinn Priester at the back-end of the starting rotation.

Fitts was impressive in his short MLB debut last season; he posted a 1.74 ERA over 20.1 innings. Priester struggled with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024, posting a 5.04 ERA over 44.2 innings, but the Red Sox acquired him at the trade deadline, after which the righty posted a 1.80 ERA in only one start.

Offensively, the Red Sox returned six starters with above-average wRC+ ratings. Hamilton and Ceddanne Rafaela completed their rookie seasons with below-average wRC+ figures of of 92 and 79. Bregman, the lone offseason addition in the starting lineup, had a 118 wRC+, bringing massive power to an offense that hit 194 home runs last season.

Overall, the Red Sox should improve on their 81-81 record last season and look to return to the postseason after missing the last three seasons.

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