Article: 26 Questions for the Red Sox Opening Day Roster

[Alex Mayes]

Opening Day is here and I've got some questions about each member of the current roster. Plus one bonus question.

Opening Day is finally here and the Boston Red Sox seemed primed to take the American League by storm in 2025. What questions remain about the 26 man roster as we head into the season?

Catchers
Connor Wong: Will the defensive progress shown in spring training carry over to the regular season?
There has been an added focus on Wong’s defense coming into the season. So far, it seems to be paying off. When the games matter though, especially in tight situations where he’s anxious or pressing a bit to get a call, we could see him revert to his old defensive habits. Should he be able to keep up the defensive strides he’s made so far, we could be looking at Wong stepping into elite catcher status in 2025.

Carlos Narváez: Will he be content remaining a backup throughout an entire season in the big leagues?
Honestly, there’s no reason to assume Narváez won’t be okay with playing this season as the backup catcher. He will see spot starts when Wong needs a break or if he develops a relationship with certain members of the starting rotation who prefer throwing to him. When that happens, though, if he shows out on both sides of the ball, there could be some ‘what if’ scenarios running through his head. As it stands, backing up Connor Wong on the team that has been picked by experts to with the American League oennant isn’t a bad spot to be in.

Infielders
Triston Casas: Can he stay healthy through an entire season without drastically changing his incredibly powerful swing?
Maddie Landis did an excellent job with this article a couple of months ago, and it’s going to be interesting to watch as the season unfolds. Casas hasn’t had a stellar spring. He finished spring training with a 91 wRC+, a far cry from his season totals over his career. His approach seems to be the same as before, but there is concern that his rib injury from last year could reappear due to his violent cut. I expect Casas to be his usual slugger self, I even predicted he would hit 40 home runs this season on the lost episode of the Talk Sox Podcast, but he has to make it through the season healthy.

Kristian Campbell: Can he take big defensive strides at the major league level?
Campbell’s bat started to come around toward the end of spring training, likely solidifying the team’s decision to make him the Opening Day starting second baseman. However, he still leaves a little to be desired on the defensive side of the ball. Throughout spring training he has made some excellent plays, but also shown that he’s still learning the position. He’s more than capable of succeeding defensively, so it's more a matter of how long it takes him.

Trevor Story: Will he rest his body after a Boston career plagued by freak injuries to this point?
I debated a few different questions for Story, but settled on this one because during interviews, he’s mentioned that he knows he needs to rest for his body to heal so he can play a full season but it’s difficult for him to do it. Story offers a calming presence in the infield and excellent veteran leadership to the young core that seems to be major league ready, so staying on the field is paramount for him this season. 

Alex Bregman: What if he doesn’t live up to his Gold Glove on defense?
I guess this is the million-dollar question right now. Alex Bregman was brought here to play third base and will stay at the position throughout the entire season according to Alex Cora. This decision has likely rubbed the longest-tenured member of the team the wrong way, even if he’s saying all the right things, and he will take some time to adjust to his new role. But what if Bregman doesn’t live up to the hype in Boston, especially on the defensive side of the ball? In fairness, I don’t see this being an issue but it’s something to consider. We sometimes forget that free agents fail to live up to the hype they bring to their new teams.

Rafael Devers: Will he continue to put the team first or will the drama from early in camp rear its ugly head again?
Devers has said all the right things to the media. Sam Kennedy applauded him for putting the team first in his decision to accept the full-time designated hitter role. There’s speculation he’s understandably still upset about it though. Will his frustration leak into his performance? What if he starts making comments similar to the ones he made early in training camp again? At the end of the day, Devers wants to win championships and will do whatever is asked of him to get that done, but don’t be surprised if there are some signs throughout the season that he’s still not totally over his role changing.

Romy Gonzalez: Does he have a place on the roster once Marcelo Mayer is ready to be called up?
In all likelihood, Gonzalez will be the person DFA’d when Marcelo Mayer is ready to join the big league club. Gonzalez plays one position that Mayer doesn’t, first base, but the team can adjust to that to make sure another member of the Big Three gets his time in the majors this season. Gonzalez has slowly become someone to rally behind, but his time in Boston is probably fairly limited at this point.

David Hamilton: Can a utility infielder lead the team in steals?
Absolutely. Hamilton will likely see time at various spots across the infield and will pinch-run and hit late in games. Before he was injured last season, he already had 33 steals. Don’t be shocked to see him be a menace on the basepaths in 2025 as well, likely leading the team in steals.

Outfielders
Jarren Duran: Can he repeat his MVP-caliber season from 2024?
In all likelihood, Duran will put up excellent numbers in 2025. He really seemed to come into his own last year and proved that he should be counted on as a valuable, contributing member of the team for the next couple of years. However, repeating his 2024 season is going to be tough. To start, Cora has already mentioned that Duran won’t be chasing playing all 162 games this year. That should open the door for him to steal more bases because he’s not as focused on keeping his legs from tiring out. I expect the biggest contribution from Duran to be on the defensive side of the ball. Don’t be shocked to see him in the conversation for a Gold Glove at the end of the season.

Ceddanne Rafaela: Can he continue to showcase a more patient approach at the plate?
Rafaela’s defense gives fans a ton to be excited about. He likely would have been in the Gold Glove conversation last year had he not shifted positions so much, but Cora has said that Rafaela will see most of his time in center field this year. The biggest question coming out of 2024 was if he could figure out the offensive side of the game at the big leagues. So far throughout spring training, that answer seems to be yes. He’s been patient, working counts and drawing walks. In spring training he put up a 146 wRC+. I think it’s a bit lofty to expect him to do that during the season but if he takes even just a small step forward on offense then he suddenly becomes one of the better center fielders in the league. There was debate if he was worth the extension he was given, and he seems set on proving to people that he is.

Wilyer Abreu: Is he just a platoon outfielder?
I want Abreu to be more than a platoon outfielder, and if the minor leagues weren’t stacked with as much talent as they are, I expect we’d see him get more time against left-handed pitching this season. As things stand though, he’s an excellent defender who struggles too much against lefties to be trusted as an everyday outfielder. 

Rob Refsnyder: Can the Red Sox justify his position on the roster with Roman Anthony knocking on the door?
This question goes hand in hand with Abreu’s a bit, because I actually think to make room for Anthony, Abreu will be traded at some point. For this exercise though, I don’t want to speculate on trades, so the question is can Refsnyder survive Anthony’s call-up? Yes, I think he can. He’s a platoon outfielder, no doubt, but he’s a veteran leader in the clubhouse and can hit left-handed pitching better than pretty much anyone on the team. He’s valuable as a late-game pinch hitter, even if his playing time drops once Anthony is in the big leagues.

Starting Pitchers
Garrett Crochet: Is the deadline of Opening Day real or will his agent still negotiate during the season?
I don’t think the deadline is legit. It feels a lot like a hardball tactic that the Red Sox have dealt with quite a bit in the past. Sam Kennedy cited specific examples in his recent sitdown with "The Fenway Rundown" podcast and I think the belief is that they’ll get a deal worked out at some point this season. If not, they are going to have to overpay even more than they would right now to keep Crochet in Boston long-term. 

Walker Buehler: Can he build on his 2024 postseason success?
It’s not crazy to assume Buehler’s performance in the postseason is the main reason he was given the deal he was given. He’s looking to bet on himself this season and his performance in spring training hopefully bodes well for his time in Boston. If he can continue his spring training success into the regular season, the top two spots in the rotation look like legitimate Cy Young contenders. 

Tanner Houck: What if 2024 was actually his outlier season?
Houck has looked overmatched in spring training. He’s not been great in spring trainings past, except for last year. If 2024 was his outlier season, then expect him to get shuffled down in the rotation as the season goes on. They’ll use extra rest days and spot starts to reorganize the starting rotation and it wouldn’t be shocking to see one of the names below end up starting over him if he can’t figure things out.

Richard Fitts: Can he force the Red Sox to keep him in the rotation over more veteran pitchers?
Houck was the name that immediately came to mind when I wrote this question. I expect Brayan Bello to take a significant step forward this season, Lucas Giolito has the potential to pitch like he did before the back half of the 2023 season, and Kutter Crawford is dependable as long as he’s on the field. Fitts has been electric in spring training and looks like someone who can force a tough conversation about a more established starter who is underperforming. His talent would be wasted in Triple-A, so if he shows out in first few turns through the rotation, don’t be shocked for him to supplant someone more established. 

Sean Newcomb: How many times will he travel between Boston and Worcester in 2025?
A lot. He’s looked great in camp but undoubtedly will be the first name sent back to Worcester as the rest of the staff gets healthy. Should he have a good showing during his time on the big league roster, expect him to be the first pitcher called up when the need arises.

Relief Pitchers
Aroldis Chapman: How long will he be the closer in 2025?
If we’re lucky, not very long. Chapman was once a dominant closer but those days are behind him. Sure, he’s looked good during the end of spring training and can still hit 100 mph on the radar gun, but he’s not reliable. It won’t take long for him to walk in the winning run with a blown save opportunity, and he’s going to be on an incredibly short leash as the season gets underway.

Liam Hendriks: Can he return to form or is he unable to be an effective relief pitcher this season?
(After I wrote this article, Hendriks hit the IL, so consider this a bonus question.)
Watching Hendriks in spring training has been rough. We all are rooting for the guy and want him to return to form after everything he’s been through, but it’s just not happening so far. He’s made the roster but looks like a guy who could benefit from an extended spring training. I don’t think any of us will feel comfortable watching him jog in from the bullpen until he gets his velocity up and isn’t knocked around as hard as he has been so far.

Cooper Criswell: Can he make a case to not be optioned back to Worcester while Hendriks is on the IL?
Last season was a pleasant surprise from Criswell. He posted a 4.08 ERA, which is what you’d hope for from a back-of-the-rotation starter. He ended up finishing the season a a bullpen piece and that’s where he will begin this season with Liam Hendriks landing on the IL just a few hours before first pitch. He flashed solid stuff last year and has a pitch mix that should work well out of the bullpen for an extended period of time. Should the IL stay be a long one for Hendriks (and elbow inflammation is rarely a quick trip), Criswell can easily make the case that he should be the man to take over that mid to high-leverage position.

Justin Slaten: How long until he takes over as the closer in 2025?

My prediction is the beginning of May. I believe Slaten is the prime closer candidate in the bullpen and has the mental fortitude to take over the position. It won’t take long for Chapman’s inability to control his pitches to grow old with Cora and we’ll see Slaten start to take a more prominent position in the closer role. Right now, he’ll be the eighth-inning guy, but that won’t last long.

Garrett Whitlock: Will the transition to the bullpen prove to be the thing that propels him to dominance again?
Let’s hope so. Whitlock is an incredibly likable guy who has struggled to find his footing after being shuttled between the bullpen and starting rotation. He shined as a high-leverage reliever in 2021 and should do so again in 2025. 

Justin Wilson: Can he be the go-to left-hander in the bullpen?
Right now, yes. As long as Chapman is closing Wilson should be the go-to lefty out of the bullpen, but once the closer role is adjusted, we’ll likely see him come in for specific matchups and be used as someone who takes over when the starter can’t get out of the fifth inning.

Brennan Bernardino: Just which version of him will we see in 2025?
Another loaded question here in the bullpen. Bernardino struggled mightily last year, especially in the second half of the season. His pitch mix was ineffective, but he’s been working on that with Andrew Bailey, so a return to his 2023 form would be a welcome change. It would likely solidify him as the best left-handed reliever in the bullpen as well.

Greg Weissert: Will he have more than a mop-up role this season?
Weissart started strong in 2024 then fell apart as the season carried on. He spent some time in Worcester where he seemed to figure things out and had a bit of a resurgence at the end of the season. Currently, he feels like he’s jockeying for the low-leverage innings. If he can excel in that role early on, expect Cora to start using him in higher leverage spots as the bullpen wears down throughout the season.

Zack Kelly: Can he stick on the roster over Newcomb and Fitts once the rotation is fully healthy?
Out of all the options in the bullpen, I think Kelly is the one most likely to be optioned to Worcester if Cora decides to keep either Fitts or Newcomb. Kelly offered glimpses of what he could be last season but wore down with extended use. He has the stuff to make a play for the closer role, but he will have to prove to be more reliable before that conversation can even begin to happen. 

It will be incredibly interesting to track these questions as the season unfolds. What questions do you have about the Opening Day roster? Let’s discuss them below!

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