2025 MLB Season Preview: Boston Red Sox

Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images The retooled Red Sox have added some vets and are expecting some young talent.

Will it be enough to win the AL East? Lets admit it its been incredibly fun to watch the Boston Red Sox put together a string of middling seasons after they won it all in 2018.

After all, this is a Yankees blog, so there shouldnt be any shame in our collective schadenfreude.

Its the only salve that lessens the pain of the Yankees own failures in the same time frame.

Last year, the Sox managed to finish third in the AL East with an 81-81 record.

They had a decent offense that put together a cumulative 104 wRC+, tied for 11th in the bigs.

Their pitching was more mediocre, with starters and relievers combining for a 4.05 ERA.

A decent offense with pedestrian pitching are the perfect ingredients for a .500 season.

2024 Record: 81-81 (3rd AL East)2025 FanGraphs Projections: 86-76 (2nd AL East)The offseason has been an interesting one for the Sox, and Boston fans have reason to be optimistic.

They added Cy Young contender Garret Crochet from the White Sox, who has a 0.87 ERA in 10.1 innings so far this spring.

They inked Alex Bergman to a three-year, $120 million contract this offseason (with $60 million of that total deferred until 2035-2046).

They are expecting Trevor Story and Lucas Giolito to rejoin the team, and Walker Buehler will also join the rotation.

Hell, even Aroldis Chapman is a Red Sox player.

The Red Sox returnees are another cause for optimism.

Rafael Devers put together another ho-hum 134 wRC+ season, Jarren Duran had a breakout year, Ceddanne Rafaela did his best 2018 Jackie Bradley Jr.

impression as he posted a 12 DRS in center field, and Wilyer Abreu compiled a 114 wRC+ season as a rookie.

And yet, Red Sox Nation is perhaps most excited for their prospects.

Youve likely heard the names: Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer.

Anthony and Campbell are ranked the number one and three prospects in baseball by Baseball America, respectively.

Theres a lot of moving parts to the 2025 Red Sox.

Their rotation is definitely interesting any rotation with a pitcher as frightening as Crochet is bound to be, and the Buehler signing could turn out to be a savvy move.

But theres a lot of underlying concerns: Brayan Bello has yet to post an ERA under 4.24 (despite the projections favoring him), Tanner Houck cooled off considerably after a red hot start last year, Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito have both had their careers derailed by injuries, and Kutter Crawford is simply not good.

Thats to say nothing of a bullpen relying on Chapman and Liam Hendriks turning back the clock.Still, the Sox have a very deep lineup.

Bregman is suited to raking in Fenway all those shots into the Crawford Boxes in Houston will now turn into doubles off of the Monster.

Devers, while being deprived of matchups against Gerrit Cole, can still be penciled in for an OPS above .850 and around 30 homers.

Triston Casas has light tower power, putting up 13 homers in 63 games.

Jarren Duran established himself as a star in his own right last year too.

Despite the loss of Tyler ONeill, who signed with the Orioles after a strong second half with Boston, the Red Sox will have a fun offense to watch, especially considering the young talent they have waiting in the wings.

That young talent can be used to make a move as well, as the Red Sox have the third-best farm system according to MLBs own rankings.

2025 is shaping up to be a year with meaningful Yankees-Red Sox games for the first time in a while..

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