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 all the moves the sox made from this offseason, along with a rotation projection and season outlook. We will also dive deep into the controversy regarding Boston’s top prospects and the question of who will play third base.
Offseason Moves and Acquisitions
Trade – Garret Crochet for Prospects
The Red Sox made their first big offseason splash by trading for White Sox ace Garret Crochet. Crochet was one of the best pitchers in baseball last year, as he held a 3.58 ERA for Chicago while on the worst team in baseball. Crochet wants to win and hopes he can accomplish that with the move to Boston. There is also an extension in the works with Crochet as he only has two years left on his contract. Boston lost star-catching prospect Kyle Teel in the deal. However, they got a great arm in return.
FA Signing – Alex Bregman
With spring training getting ready to start, there were many questions about whether the Red Sox had another move in them. Breslow went ahead and signed Alex Bregman to a deal worth $120 million over three years with opt-outs and a net AAV of 40 million. Bregman comes over as a winner as he had been a centerpiece in the Astros’ dominance over the last five years. He will look to prove in Boston that he can still be that game-changing player as his prime comes to a close.
FA Signing – Walker Buehler
Walker Buehler signed with the Red Sox on a one-year deal worth 21 million and he was an advocate to also bring Bregman to Boston after he signed with the team. Buehler comes over from LA where he has a champion pedigree and experience that will be key for a Red Sox team looking to make a deep run into the postseason.
Rotation Projection
SP Garret Crochet
The team’s new star Garett Crochet will headline the team’s rotations as they look to build on a pitching staff that was mediocre at best last year. Pitching coach Andrew Bailey will also be big for the lefty, as he will look to help Crochet once again be in the Cy Young conversation come the end of the season.
SP Tanner Houck
Tanner Houck is back for another season as a Red Sox. He took a jump in 2024, as he solidified himself as a true starter and a guy that manager Alex Cora could rely on to go out there and pitch. Houck held a 3.12 ERA to lead the team last year and he will look to get that number below three as he looks to take his career to the next level.
SP Lucas Gilito
Lucas Gilito will make his first start with the Red Sox after being injured all last season. As a seasoned veteran, Gilito can control the zone and make big-time pitches when needed. Look for him to start as a middle-of-the-rotation arm with a high upside and a bit of a downside. It could take him a few games to get comfortable out on the mound, though he looks to be a solid option for Alex Cora.
SP Bryan Bello
Bryan Bello returns after an interesting 2024 season which saw the low-lights and highlights of an MLB season. In 162 innings pitched, Bello went 14-8, which was the best mark on the team by far. He also owned an ERA of 4.49. Bello is an interesting topic of conversation among Red Sox fans due to his potential, as he is only 25 years old and is nowhere close to his ceiling. If Bello worked hard during the off-season, he could be poised to make a huge leap in 2025 and maybe even pass Houck as the team’s number two option.
SP Walker Buehler
Walker Buehler will be a piece that could be very flexible for the Sox as he is a starter, although he has proven he can close out big games out of the bullpen. This was a very low-level risk addition for the Red Sox, as Buehler inked a one-year deal. If it works out for both parties, it would be great, as the Sox would arguably have one of the best rotations in baseball when Buehler is on point. He also brings a winning dynamic to Boston that has not been seen in a few years and will be key to mentoring some young players.
SP Kutter Crawford
Kutter Crawford will come back to the Red Sox after a solid last season where he was a reliable option that gave the Sox a chance to win. Like Bello, though Crawford was very up and down, he will need to show consistency in his outings to take his career to the next level. His 4.36 ERA will not cut it this season and with the added depth he could have a chance to be bumped into the bullpen if things don’t go right.
Bullpen Projection
RP Liam Hendricks
Liam Hendricks comes back to baseball after an inspirational journey battling cancer. One of the best relief pitchers in the game, Hendricks will be back on the mound as he looks to have a great 2025. His age is a factor as he is in the back end of his career, however, if he can grow comfortable, he should be a reliable option.
RP Josh Wincowski
Josh Wincowski returns to Boston after a solid season in which he held a 4.14 ERA in 40 games. His main calling card though is that he was ready to pitch when called upon and even though the ERA is not great, he shows much promise. He is a piece that Bailey can continue to develop at the Major League level and turn into a number one bullpen guy.
SU Aroldis Chapman
The Cuban missile has chosen the Red Sox as his next franchise, and fans are excited. The radar gun does not stand up like it did in his prime, however, Chapman is still one of the fastest pitchers in baseball. Adding a lefty arm was huge to this bullpen as Chapman will project to either be the closer or set-up man for the Sox this year.
CP Garrett Whitlock
Garrett Whitlock is projected to be a Swiss Army Knife for the Sox, however, for the article we have him slated at Closer. Whitlock could see time this year starting and or pitching out of the pen on different occasions. Even though he threw well, Whitlock was stretched to an extent as a starter. Going back to the bullpen will be good for Whitlock as he started there early in his career and likes the late-game intensity. He should have another breakout year and come back from injury strong as he could sneakily perform this season, making him a top reliever in the league.
Prospects
OF Roman Anthony
Anthony is the best prospect in baseball, other than Roki Sasaki who just signed with the Dodgers from overseas. Anthony is 21 years old, and a true 5-tool player that makes a name for himself with his bat. He ascended the minor league system last year as handled every challenge given to him. There is no distinct place for him to see playing time in the MLB, however, look for a late-season call-up to get him seasoned to become an everyday starter next year.
SS Marcelo Mayer
Marcelo Mayer is in a great situation in his career as he looks to make the next step to the big leagues this year. He had an injury-riddled last season which hurt his prospect ranking and overall hype with the media. In terms, though, this will be good for a player that is only 23 years old and projects to take over at shortstop shortly. He could have a great chance to learn something from Story as Mayer looks like the captain of the infield in the coming years.
SP Luis Perales
Luis Perlas is Boston’s best pitching prospect and 4th best overall. He features a high 90s fastball that can blow away hitters at times. He had a 1.23 ERA in half a season with Class-AA Portland last year and will look to jump to Class-AAA and contribute this year. At 21 his future is very bright and there will be no rush to get him to the bigs.
3B Blaze Jordan
Blaze Jordan is an interesting player as he is family-known for hitting 400+ foot bombs from a young age. Drafted out of high school, Jordan has been in the system for a hot minute now and has had some success. In Portland last year he hit .261 along with driving in 61 runs, however, the home runs were not there as he only totaled seven. Jordan will look to adjust his game as he looks to one day be on the big-league roster. He should start the season in Class-AA and if all things go well, he should be in Worcester by the All-Star break.