Red Sox 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[Brandon Glick]

Well, thanks to Cam Shitter Schlittler, the Red Sox are heading home Early (sorry). Brutal, brutal final two games to end the year, but this was an important step forward. This team is built for the future, and this offseason is going to be crucial in making sure it lives up to the hype.

What are you most looking forward to this offseason? What's your favorite memory from the 2025 campaign? What do you lament the most? What changes do you want to see?

---

Will keep this thread pinned through the rest of the playoffs. We'll have a bunch to introduce to the forums once the offseason gets going. Thanks all for a fun season, even if that ending really sucked.

[notin]

The body is still warm…

[moonslav59]

My favorite memory might be Chapman's K to end game 1.

Rafaela's CF wall ball was up there. A few of his catches, over the season, too.

Story's homer... at the time.

[vegasbob]

21 minutes ago, notin said:

The body is still warm…

 But the autopsy tomorrow will reveal the cause of death

[Brandon Glick]

25 minutes ago, notin said:

The body is still warm…

Wanted to give people an immediate place to grieve after the last few nights

[notin]

34 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

 But the autopsy tomorrow will reveal the cause of death

And it will differ from the autopsies performed on the last two game threads?

[scs1918]

The season was fun. I'm not a Cora fan. This group got me interested again first time in awhile.  It has taken me awhile to get over J Henry and the Mookie Betts debacle.

Roman Anthony was great to watch. Ironic that he just turned up one day with Freddie's number 19. One of my all time favorites.

I'm concerned he hurt his back twice though in a couple of months.

Rafaela over the wall catch amazing. The 10 game streak before the all-star game lite a fire.

Crochet was fun to watch. I'm glad he put some innings under his belt especially the Yankee stadium playoff IP.

 

Off season moves:

What to do with Bregman? The Yankees and others will be there to give him some big money. For me, is his bat worth it? How injured was he?  I liked his old deal but how much do you want to go up.

Roster sports:

2B: ? is Meyer able to stay healthy or do you put him at 3B depending on Bregman? 

1B: I feel Casas comes back and brings some sorely missed power.

 I'm not sure of Romi's contract but he has to be a platoon player.

OF: Duran ? trade or stick with but teach him some small ball?

Abreu. Can we   help  him hit balls over his belt buckle. Excellent defender.

Leadoff hitter. Can it really be Anthony? I see Ohtani in LA but really??

 

Number 2 starter. Devers money what are they going to do with it.

Two cents: Is anyone as bored as me with NESN's announcers. Dave Obrien can almost put me to sleep. Middlebrooks, yawn.

Lou I like but there is no good banter like with orsilllo and  RemDawg. Not to ention the Eck. Pair of Shoes.

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

Being eliminated by the Yankees stings but I'm happy with the season.  They have a good young core to build on with more on the way.  I saw enough of Early to be a bit excited.  I think Tolle carves out a role in the pen.  I'm still not sold on MM, he gets hurt a lot and didn't hit well enough once he was called up.  But his defense is solid and they simply have to improve the defense.  

[mvp 78]

9 hours ago, notin said:

The body is still warm…

The Offseason Thread has been done during the season the past few years. 

[moonslav59]

8 hours ago, scs1918 said:

 I'm not sure of Romi's contract but he has to be a platoon player.

 

Romy has 3 arbs to go. He had more PAs (198) vs RHPs than LHPs (143) and did okay (.718 OPS.)

I'm not ready to pencil him in as our FT 2B or 1Bman, but he seems like a very good utility player who could be a capable back-up for China Dolls Mayer (if at 2B) & Casas (1B)

Ideally, we bring Bregman back, and then we could go with LHB Schwarber at 1B (or Alonso/Suraez) with Mayer/Romy at 2B.

[mvp 78]

One starter, but not TOTR.

One late inning reliever.

Breggie leaves.

Mayer to 3b. Signs an extension.

Romy to 2b. 

Campbell is the bench guy 1b/2b/LF/RF.

Hard to forecast them trading Duran or Abreu. If I had to guess, it's Duran.

[drewski6]

9 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

One starter, but not TOTR.

One late inning reliever.

Breggie leaves.

Mayer to 3b. Signs an extension.

Romy to 2b. 

Campbell is the bench guy 1b/2b/LF/RF.

Hard to forecast them trading Duran or Abreu. If I had to guess, it's Duran.

I dont want to see the lineup if breg and Duran are gone and no offensive additions.


Story
RA
Abreu
Nav
Casas /campbell/grissom/PW/ scrap heap 1b
Masa
Romy
Mayer
Cedanne

If thats 2026, 2026 will be a step back.

[drewski6]

Im very happy that the sox gave me such a fun week.  I try not to lose sight that I expect one thing from this team.  THats entertainment.  The first 2 games were a blast, and I looked forward to all 3 games, and I was not disappointed.  

Wish the Pats/Bruins/Celts gave me more to look forward to though, easier to turn the page and be satsified when you have another team to help , but thats not the red sox fault

Go Providence College Friars Hockey! Prob my best chance at a team i love winning a ship.  But Tatum looking like hes recovering fast, so maybe something there.

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I dont want to see the lineup if breg and Duran are gone and no offensive additions.


Story
RA
Abreu
Nav
Casas /campbell/grissom/PW/ scrap heap 1b
Masa
Romy
Mayer
Cedanne

If thats 2026, 2026 will be a step back.

Grissom is gone because he's out of options. 

[mvp 78]

OF of Anthony/Rafaela/Abreu/Campbell/Refsnyder should be good enough IMO

Need to add offense to DH and 1B. They are stuck with Masa. Signing Hoskins would go a long way IMO. 

[notin]

17 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

One starter, but not TOTR.

One late inning reliever.

Breggie leaves.

Mayer to 3b. Signs an extension.

Romy to 2b. 

Campbell is the bench guy 1b/2b/LF/RF.

Hard to forecast them trading Duran or Abreu. If I had to guess, it's Duran.

Romy Gonzalez would be a continuation of the struggles at 2b since Pedroia.  If Bregman opts out, I can’t predict but I can recommend Ketel Marte for 2b.  Mayer moves to third, where Story, possibly with impure motives, favorably compared him to Nolan Arenado.  Duran for Marte makes sense for both teams.

1b/Dh are the big questions.  While Ive said positive things about Lowe, Ive repeatedly said he will be non-tendered.  The Sox have Casas and Yoshida in the 1b/DH mix, and possibly Campbell as well.

Bullpen?  They could move Fitts and Tolle there, but it’s unlikely they move both.  (Really, it’s unlikely they move either.)  But they should at a minimum move Fitts.

SP is already crowded.  Once Houck (out for 2026) and Dobbins (out until June/July?) move to the 60 day IL, they still have Crochet, Bello, Sandoval, Harrison, Crawford, Early, and Perales.  (And maybe Fitts and Tolle.)Perales definitely starts in WOO.  Harrison, Crawford, Early, Fitts, Tolle and Harrison are TBD.  Some to WOO? Some dealt?

[drewski6]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

OF of Anthony/Rafaela/Abreu/Campbell/Refsnyder should be good enough IMO

Need to add offense to DH and 1B. They are stuck with Masa. Signing Hoskins would go a long way IMO. 

Thats a lot to ask of a guy who has been a league average hitter last 3 years and lost his job last year to Vaughn and Yelich.

Lowe/Hoskins/May, why we gotta shop for guys that got lost their job? Are we assuming we will stick with a mid-market mentality with little powder left after using our middle-of-the pack payroll on internal extensions?

Did I just answer my own question?

[Brandon Glick]

Now that I've had a chance to sleep that final loss off, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to the Talk Sox community. It was a lot of fun finally getting a chance to cover this team. I hope you enjoyed the year here as much as I did.

If you've got any requests/suggestions for the site, please let us know! We'll be looking over everything as we plan for 2026 and beyond.

I have a lot of reason to believe that this will be a good offseason for the Sox. Breslow KNOWS how much this team needs another elite starter now. Plus, a Tolle/Early/Dobbins (if healthy)/Harrison/Perales/Sandoval competition for the final two spots behind Crochet, Unnamed No. 2 starter, and Bello should be a lot of fun in spring training.

[notin]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Grissom is gone because he's out of options. 

Trade or DFA.  Any trade will likely be inconsequential…

[notin]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

OF of Anthony/Rafaela/Abreu/Campbell/Refsnyder should be good enough IMO

Need to add offense to DH and 1B. They are stuck with Masa. Signing Hoskins would go a long way IMO. 

I’m assuming Refsnyder retires and Duran is traded.  But Eaton might be a 4th OF.  
 

Password is a trade candidate as well.

 

I figure Alonso is a long shot but will be linked to Boston.  Hoskins is a more realistic target…

[drewski6]

Just now, notin said:

Romy Gonzalez would be a continuation of the struggles at 2b since Pedroia.  If Bregman opts out, I can’t predict but I can recommend Ketel Marte for 2b.  Mayer moves to third, where Story, possibly with impure motives, favorably compared him to Nolan Arenado.  Duran for Marte makes sense for both teams.

1b/Dh are the big questions.  While Ive said positive things about Lowe, Ive repeatedly said he will be non-tendered.  The Sox have Casas and Yoshida in the 1b/DH mix, and possibly Campbell as well.

Bullpen?  They could move Fitts and Tolle there, but it’s unlikely they move both.  (Really, it’s unlikely they move either.)  But they should at a minimum move Fitts.

SP is already crowded.  Once Houck (out for 2026) and Dobbins (out until June/July?) move to the 60 day IL, they still have Crochet, Bello, Sandoval, Harrison, Crawford, Early, and Perales.  (And maybe Fitts and Tolle.)Perales definitely starts in WOO.  Harrison, Crawford, Early, Fitts, Tolle and Harrison are TBD.  Some to WOO? Some dealt?

Right now, I would happily do Duran for Marte, but Im not sure they would. Marte is easy a top 3 hitting middle infielder and serviceable defensively. On a team friendly deal.

I mean sign me up.  Id even throw in a pitching prospect that isnt Tolle , Early, Witherspoon but if they demand witherspoon i prob do it.  Cuz top talent is top talent and Marte is.

[cp176]

It was a great year, but also one with holes.  More power is needed in that lineup for sure.  We need another quality starting pitcher regardless of whether or not everybody comes back.  Bello is a good piece to have going forward but over the course of the last month, I think we did see who is - a good quality number 3 guy in the rotation.  Rafaela and Anthony would be the only two outfielders that I think can be penciled in for sure.  I‘m pretty sure the metrics guys are going to tell me I’m wrong on this one but I don’t think that Abreu or Duran provide the kind of defense that would make this an elite fielding outfield.  Once again if everybody comes back, the issues I see in the infield are at first base and possibly second.  I don’t count on Casas for anything and I think that Gonzales is a super sub.  If Mayer is healthy enough to stay on the field, he becomes our everyday second baseman.  We are pretty close to being really good.  As for me now, it’s UCONN basketball - men’s and women’s teams.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

Romy Gonzalez would be a continuation of the struggles at 2b since Pedroia.  If Bregman opts out, I can’t predict but I can recommend Ketel Marte for 2b.  Mayer moves to third, where Story, possibly with impure motives, favorably compared him to Nolan Arenado.  Duran for Marte makes sense for both teams.

1b/Dh are the big questions.  While Ive said positive things about Lowe, Ive repeatedly said he will be non-tendered.  The Sox have Casas and Yoshida in the 1b/DH mix, and possibly Campbell as well.

Bullpen?  They could move Fitts and Tolle there, but it’s unlikely they move both.  (Really, it’s unlikely they move either.)  But they should at a minimum move Fitts.

SP is already crowded.  Once Houck (out for 2026) and Dobbins (out until June/July?) move to the 60 day IL, they still have Crochet, Bello, Sandoval, Harrison, Crawford, Early, and Perales.  (And maybe Fitts and Tolle.)Perales definitely starts in WOO.  Harrison, Crawford, Early, Fitts, Tolle and Harrison are TBD.  Some to WOO? Some dealt?

SP is crowded, but it wasn't crowded at the end of the year! Injuries are to be expected now. 

I'm just forecasting what they'll do, not what I'd want them to do TBH.

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

I’m assuming Refsnyder retires and Duran is traded.  But Eaton might be a 4th OF.  
 

Password is a trade candidate as well…

Too high on the depth chart for me.

[drewski6]

10 minutes ago, cp176 said:

It was a great year, but also one with holes.  More power is needed in that lineup for sure.  We need another quality starting pitcher regardless of whether or not everybody comes back.  Bello is a good piece to have going forward but over the course of the last month, I think we did see who is - a good quality number 3 guy in the rotation.  Rafaela and Anthony would be the only two outfielders that I think can be penciled in for sure.  I‘m pretty sure the metrics guys are going to tell me I’m wrong on this one but I don’t think that Abreu or Duran provide the kind of defense that would make this an elite fielding outfield.  Once again if everybody comes back, the issues I see in the infield are at first base and possibly second.  I don’t count on Casas for anything and I think that Gonzales is a super sub.  If Mayer is healthy enough to stay on the field, he becomes our everyday second baseman.  We are pretty close to being really good.  As for me now, it’s UCONN basketball - men’s and women’s teams.

Go Friars.

[sk7326]

Overall the season was a success.  The team was flawed and probably deserved its fate.  When you lose your #2 starter and arguably your best hitter, the margin for error goes away.

That said, it's 2025 - and you see how the league OBP has dropped 20 points from where it was when Boston broke the curse ... it's hard out there when you don't hit tons of homeruns.  It sounds crude - but the Red Sox need to see the ball leave the yard more consistently.  Over the season this was fine - but when you get to the playoffs, that sort of margin of error would have come in really handy.  In particular, they need to solve the black hole at 1B and 2B ... maybe Campbell can take one of those positions.  Casas?  I need to see him not shattered into a thousand pieces first.  

Pitching-wise, things look promising.  Crochet is unimpeachable.  Bello wore down, but tracks to be a perfectly good #3 starter type at worst.  The team could use another starter because of course they could.  I'd definitely see if Giolito wanted to come back - his injury at the end of the season might have increased that possibility.   Considering his velocity, Early was shockingly effective coming up at the end of the year.  I am excited about him - maybe as lot a #2 starter or anything, but as a quality rotation arm.  Tolle's range of outcomes is wider.  While a team cannot plan for this - I would not be surprised is Kyson Weatherspoon cracks the rotation at some point later in 2026 - we see how college pitchers are being moved across the game.  

[cp176]

Weatherspoon hasn’t been mentioned much but I agree with you.  He very likely might get his shot next year.

[mvp 78]

13 minutes ago, cp176 said:

Weatherspoon hasn’t been mentioned much but I agree with you.  He very likely might get his shot next year.

Unlikely. 

[mvp 78]

58 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Thats a lot to ask of a guy who has been a league average hitter last 3 years and lost his job last year to Vaughn and Yelich.

Lowe/Hoskins/May, why we gotta shop for guys that got lost their job? Are we assuming we will stick with a mid-market mentality with little powder left after using our middle-of-the pack payroll on internal extensions?

Did I just answer my own question?

Hoskins would be very good at Fenway.

[sk7326]

20 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Unlikely. 

I would not bet on it.  But college pitchers have moved fast across the bigs - and Witherspoon by most assessments was further along than Tolle was.  Again, I am not expecting it - nor should the Sox plan for it - but he is the profile of the sort that has moved very quickly.