After three straight years of missing the postseason, the Boston Red Sox came out swinging for the fences this offseason.
First, they completed a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox for fireballing left-hander Garrett Crochet, sending four top prospects to obtain one of the most dominant pitchers in Major League Baseball in 2024. They further supplemented their rotation with the signing of two-time World Series champion Walker Buehler on a one-year, prove-it deal. Finally, they completed their terrific offseason by inking longtime Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract.
Those three players, along with veteran left-handed relievers Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson, will join a roster stacked with intriguing young players. Outfielder Jarren Duran broke out in 2024 and received down-ballot votes with an 8.7 bWAR season. First baseman Triston Casas slugged 24 home runs and posted a 129 OPS+ as a rookie in 2023 before a rib injury limited to just 63 games last season. Rafael Devers defensive future has been a hot topic this spring, but his ultra-reliable bat should be good for 30 home runs and 100 RBI. Starting pitcher Tanner Houck took a massive step forward in 2024 and earned his first All-Star selection, and Brayan Bello excelled down the stretch with a 3.53 ERA over his last 14 starts.
Though the Red Sox have questions at the back of the bullpen and at the end of the rotation, the talent they have assembled on their roster is undeniable. In a wide-open American League that just saw the defending champion New York Yankees lose ace Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery, the Red Sox look to have as good a chance of making the World Series as any, which is why The Athletic has them as their highest-ranked AL team in their updated Power Rankings.
“The additions of Alex Bregman, Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler should push Boston into the heart of the American League race,” Andy McCullough wrote. “The incoming prospect class featuring Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer could begin to pay dividends as early as this year, too.”
The bad news for the Red Sox is that their biggest challenge may come from within their own division. The Yankees are right behind the Red Sox at seventh overall, while the Baltimore Orioles figure to be in the heart of the race as well at ninth overall.
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