The Boston Red Sox will come into 2025 fresh off a mediocre season with them dancing around a .500 record. This play along with previous years of not spending to win, anguished Sox fans and put immense pressure on the organization to go out and get talent. New GM Craig Breslow went to work immediately and made the Red Sox a true contender in a couple of complex and simple moves. In this part of the article, we will review my projection for Boston’s 2025 lineup.
Lineup Projection
LF- Jarren Duran
Jarren Duran projects as the Sox leadoff hitter and best overall player after a breakout season, leading him to his very first all-star appearance, which was cultivated with an MVP in the game. Duran had 14 triples last season while batting .285 and leading the team in WAR at 8.7 by a wide margin. The Sox star will also move to leave this year as he will now play in front of the Green Monster. Look for Duran to raise his average a little this year and make a run at the MVP.
DH- Rafael Devers
Devers comes into the year with a lot of questions surrounding his name, especially after the recent signing of Bregman to the roster. This could pull Devers off third base and put him in a DH role if the Sox decide to go that way. Devers is a great power bat, and the Sox will need him down the stretch as he slugged 28 home runs on the season to come in second on the team. Questions regarding his defense have been raised for years, and now that the team has someone who can play outstanding defense at the corner, they might decide to go that way.
3B- Alex Bregman
The Sox’s latest addition, Alex Bregman, also has some question marks surrounding him going into this year. He will hold an infield slot this year, however, the question is where. Many see Bregman as a second baseman, allowing Devers to remain put at third. With the bat, Bregman is an all-around hitter who will play to his advantage at Fenway Park using the green monster to his advantage.
1B- Tristan Casas
Tristian Casas comes into 2025 with a chip on his shoulder. After a breakout campaign in 2023, Casas was injured for long periods last season, begging the question if he belongs in Boston. Casas, however, will prove the doubters wrong as he owns one of the most powerful bats in baseball, and in limited action, slugged 13 long balls last year. Casas was also a trade topic this offseason, as the Sox looked to add pitching; however, it seems those talks have stalled. Casas will have another breakout season this year and look for him to hover around the 35-home run mark as he hits cleanup in the Sox lineup.
C- Connor Wong
Connor Wong will come into 2025 as an experienced player having caught in the big leagues for many seasons now. Wong has good defense and a strong arm behind the plate and should be on runners’ radars. He ranked in the top five in runners caught stealing last season. He was also second among catchers with bases stolen, proving that he can earn extra bases for his team. His spot is secured as the catcher of the future as Teel was shipped off to Chicago. Wong will have a very important role in managing games with new pitchers, and it will be crucial that they are all on the same page come April.
SS- Trevor Story
Veteran Trevor Story is back for another campaign with the Red Sox after having back-to-back seasons with devastating injuries. Story is healthy and will look to get back to an All-Star level and make it worth the Red Sox investing in him. The veteran will be the everyday shortstop and should have a solid role in the clubhouse. Look for Story to have a great season barring any injuries as he looks to return to his former self.
RF- Wilyer Abreu
Wilyer Abreu returns in 2025 as a very underrated player who had a great rookie season for the Sox. Abreu was a catalyst in many key wins for the team with his plate discipline and defense. There were numerous times when Abreu would make amazing catches in the right field to save runs and even games. He had a .322 OBP last year and will look to add to that number this year along with his AVG which sat at .252. Abreu could break out or have a sophomore slump, which would open the door to even more chatter about Sox top prospect Roman Anthony.
2B- Kristian Campbell
Kristian Campbell comes into camp never seeing a major league field as he has spent his whole career in the minors. At only 22 years of age, Campbell is one of the most exciting prospects in baseball and seems primed to make the jump to the Bigs. In Class-AAA last season, he hit .330 while providing great power at times. His defense was also great as he could slide to different positions. However, in the bigs, he projects as either a Second Baseman or Left Fielder for the time being.
CF- Cedanne Rafaela
Cedanne Rafaela will hit last as he will provide a spark to the lineup at times. As a super utility player, his hitting is not his best attribute. However, if he can hit the ball like he did last season, he should have no problem staying on the field. Rafaela is also here to stay after signing a 50-million-dollar deal to keep him in Boston for 8 years. With 15 home runs and 75 RBIs, Rafaela will look to add 15 more to both those totals and become a true star in Boston on a team-friendly deal.
Schedule Outlook
The Red Sox will look to get back to the playoffs in 2025 and they will do that by dominating their opponents and stealing wins. The team will start the season in Texas on March 27th, playing a four-game stretch before heading to Baltimore for three more. The Fenway home opener will be much awaited and will be played on April 4th versus St. Louis. Boston’s two major series over the first half will include a homestead versus the Yankees and the Mets. In the second half, they will play two great back-to-back series, hosting Philadelphia and then shipping off to LA to play the Dodgers in July. They will also take a trip to San Diego to play the Padres. These five series will be a great test for the team as they will look to make noise come October.
Postseason and Record Prediction - 93-69 – Loss in AL Championship Series
If everything goes to plan, the Red Sox should find themselves with a good enough record at the end of the season to make the playoffs. They will likely enter as a high-end wild card team and should be either the 4th or 5th seed. This will probably draw the Yankees depending on who wins the division, and this would be a great first-round matchup that Boston would ultimately win. In round two, the Sox would face another AL East team: the Orioles, in another series that would go down to the wire. However, the Red Sox would pull through in the end. In the Championship series, they would likely face either the Astros or the Rangers, both very good teams in their rights. The Sox would go to seven with either team, though Texas would have great pitching performances down the stretch, especially from former Red Sox Nathan Eovaldi, which would ultimately be too much for the Red Sox offense. Boston would be eliminated, capping off a great season that saw the franchise’s resurgence and a lot of promise and hope for the future.