Caleb Kohn

I highly doubt it was just media fabrications. These people make a living reporting whatever facts they can come by, They aren't about to just throw away their credibility. I think its far more likely that the Red Sox had a valuation for certain players that they were not willing to push past. The Yankees may have been dumb to go for the 8th year on Max Fried, but it got the deal over the finish line. I think Boston was willing to spend, as Sam Kennedy said, but they aren't willing to get uncomfortable to do so, and in this market, that is what it is going to take to get a deal done.

Thank you, I appreciate it. I am not sure why the song and dance from Sam that we are going to spend and then they don't. Maybe that was just to drive prices up, or maybe they just keep getting beat my more desperate teams. Whatever the hangup, its getting old.

As it's currently constructed, how much better is the Red Sox roster today than it was last season? With several big-name superstars hitting free agency, this offseason had the potential to alter the landscape across the sport, but especially for the Red Sox. When the World Series ended, the Red Sox gave every impression that they would be in on every marquee free agent, from Juan Soto to Corbin Burnes to Max Fried. The Christmas season rolled around with hopes of a big splash still high, but other than a trade for a relief pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery and an aging reliever with a checkered past, not much happened over the holidays, at least not for Boston. The Dodgers brought back Teoscar Hernández for three years at $66 million. The Diamondbacks signed coveted ace Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210-million deal. The Astros added Christian Walker on a three-year deal. While Craig Breslow did manage to swing a deal for Garrett Crochet, adding a big-time arm to the rotation, the Red Soc haven’t made a move that really feels like it moves the needle for the team as a whole. Yes, the starting rotation is deeper, but it’s full of arms coming off serious injuries. The lineup has lost Tyler O’Neill, the team leader in home runs and the big, right-handed bat needed to take advantage of Fenway Park while balancing out a lefty-laden lineup. The Red Sox indicated their interest in signing Teoscar Hernández to replace him, but that was never really happening, as a return to the champion Dodgers seemed inevitable. Few options remain on the free agent market who would be a fit for the Red Sox positionally. Even the most likely addition, Alex Bregman, would likely be playing out of position at second base if he signed in Boston. With what’s left on the market, it’s getting to the point where we wonder: Is this it? The team brass stated publicly that their intention was to compete for the division title this season, but have they done enough to improve the team? If this is all they’ve done, have they actually improved the team enough to contend? Let’s take a look at what the Red Sox 40-man roster could look like if the season started today. Starting Rotation Options Garrett Crochet Tanner Houck Brayan Bello Walker Bueller Kutter Crawford Starting Depth Options Lucas Giolito (Returning from Tommy John) Patrick Sandoval (Unavailable until at least July) Garrett Whitlock (Returning from surgery, may find himself in the bullpen) Richard Fitts Quinn Priester Cooper Criswell Lineup C: Connor Wong/Carlos Narváez 1B: Triston Casas 2B: Vaughn Grissom/David Hamilton 3B: Rafael Devers SS: Trevor Story LF: Jarren Duran CF: Ceddanne Rafaela RF: Wilyer Abreu/Rob Refsnyder DH: Masataka Yoshida Bench Options Nick Sogard Romy Gonzalez Jhostynxon Garcia Bullpen Liam Hendricks Aroldis Chapman Justin Slaten Zack Kelly Greg Weissert Luis Guerrero Hunter Dobbins Justin Wilson Josh Winckowski Brennan Bernardino Zach Penrod Luis Perales Chase Shugart Garrett Whitlock (Returning from surgery) Chris Murphy There is an argument that this Red Sox team could be worse than the 2024 iteration that finished behind both the Yankees and Orioles with an 81-81 record. While the Orioles are unlikely to add big in free agency beyond signing Tyler O’Neill, they have an abundance of young talent that is likely to take a step forward. The Yankees may have lost Juan Soto, but they should get a full season of Jasson Domínguez, and they have strengthened their pitching staff and bullpen with the signing of Max Fried and the trade for Devin Williams. The Red Sox’ additions barely keep pace, and one great starting pitcher certainly doesn’t vault them past two teams that were better, even before their offseason additions. With regard to the starting rotation, it’s important to remember that the Red Sox likely punched above their weight in 2024. Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, and Cooper Criswell all just had the best seasons of their career, which means they’re likely to regress some next season. It’s just not reasonable to assume that they’ll all pitch equally well in 2025. Swapping out Walker Buehler for Nick Pivetta could be an improvement, but there’s no guarantee of that. There’s no way to know what to expect from Lucas Giolito, and even if Patrick Sandoval pitches brilliantly, he’ll only be on the field for a maximum of half a season. The rotation added some upside and a true ace in Crochet, but it also added a ton of uncertainty. There are three main areas of concern that I would hope could be addressed by opening day. Add a Right-Handed Bat This one is quite simple. The Red Sox lost Tyler O’Neill, whose 31 homers led the team and whose 2.5 fWAR were fourth among the team’s position players. They haven’t added anyone who can step up and replace his production. The Red Sox need some thump from the right side of the plate. Not only does the ballpark favor right-handed batters, but six of the nine projected starters are left-handed, as are two of the team’s Big Three prospects. Lineup balance is not going to come from within, at least not any time soon. As mentioned before, there aren’t many options on the market who would be a fit positionally. Alex Bregman’s name has been circulating since the end of the season, and although he’s definitely not headed back to Houston, the Red Sox aren’t the only team interested in him. The Bregman situation may be complicated by the Red Sox not completing a trade with Seattle that would have sent Triston Casas packing in exchange for Luis Castillo. That would have freed up a space for Boston to potentially move Devers across the diamond and keep Bregman at the hot corner. Bregman was a gold glover in 2024 and would be an immediate upgrade defensively, something the Red Sox struggled mightily with the last few seasons. It is rumored that Bregman would be opening to moving positions for the right situation, but it is unclear if playing second base for Boston would qualify as one of those situations. The only other impact bats still on the market are Anthony Santander and Pete Alonso. Alonso wouldn’t make sense for the Red Sox, as they’ve already got Triston Casas, and Santander is a real defensive liability in the outfield. He would make sense slotting in to play some outfield and some DH, but he wouldn’t represent a significant upgrade over O’Neill. Signing shortstop Ha-Seong Kim represents another possibility. Kim isn’t a particularly strong hitter, but he’s an excellent defender, and the Red Sox are particularly short in the middle infield. Trevor Story has been injured for nearly all of his tenure in Boston, and second base is currently the team’s weakest position. He wouldn’t replace O’Neill’s offensive production, but he would be an improvement, and he could help shore up the leaky infield defense. Strengthen the Bullpen The bullpen hasn’t been a strength for the Red Sox in recent seasons, as the lack of starting pitching depth has worn down even the best relievers. The expected departure of Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen only adds to need for an upgrade. While Breslow has added some pieces to the ‘pen so far, I am not sure that they represent much of an improvement. The main objective was to add some swing-and-miss, and that has come in the form of Justin Wilson (ERA over 5.00), Aroldis Chapman (good numbers, but prone to blow-ups), and Jovani Morán (returning from Tommy John surgery). While all three have good underlying metrics and are capable of racking up whiffs, they haven’t necessarily been excellent at basic run prevention. It turns out swing-and-miss only helps if they can do it three times, and without leaving one over the middle of the plate in between. Perhaps the revamped pitching machine that Andrew Bailey is building will help identify repertoire or usage changes that will take them to the next level. Or maybe we patched a leaky bullpen with masking tape that will come undone by the All-Star break again. We shall see. The good news is there are plenty of high-end relief arms still on the market. Tanner Scott was lights out for the Marlins and Padres last year and would bring another power lefty option that could get lefties and righties out. Jeff Hoffman and David Robertson are also still available, and we shouldn’t rule out Kenley Jansen or Chris Martin, both of whom remain unsigned. The team also has some intriguing internal options. Garrett Whitlock is likely to pitch out of the bullpen this year as he returns from injury, and he has dominated in that role in the past. The reduced workload could also help him to stay healthy through a full season. Lucas Giolito has every intention of being a starter, but with the suddenly crowded starting rotation, there could be a position battle between Giolito and Kutter Crawford for the fifth rotation spot. It is highly unlikely that the loser of that battle gets sent to the minors, so the bullpen would seem like the obvious destination. While both pitchers have been effective as starters, we have seen stuff play up when a starter moves to the pen and can empty the tank for an inning (see Nick Pivetta). This could be a surprising but significant upgrade. The Catching Situation While this may not be an immediate need, it is going to be one by the end of the year. Connor Wong took some large strides forward with the bat in 2024, but he was the recipient of quite a bit of batted ball luck. More importantly, his defense has ranked toward at the bottom of the league in 2024. Both his blocking and framing hurt his pitchers. If this team has aspirations of contending for the division, they’ll need more. By trading Kyle Teel for Garrett Crochet, the Red Sox turned the catcher of the future in to the ace of today. While that need was definitely more pressing, not being able to get the trade done with our surplus of young outfielders or middle infielders creates a large lack of depth. The free agent market held a couple good catchers and many solid ones, but the Red Sox eschewed free agency entirely. They gave up their top-ranked pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz for Carlos Narváez, a passable catcher who ranked fourth on the Yankees’ depth chart. This was a real area of need, which meant that it was a real area where the team could make a big improvement, and they decided not to do so. If Boston finds itself as a buyer at the trade deadline, don’t be surprised to the team bring a veteran catcher. A reunion with Christian Vázquez is a possibility, as the Twins have indicated he may be available. Another possibility could be Sean Murphy of the Braves, who is coming off a down year. It’s genuinely exciting that the Red Sox decided to strengthen the starting rotation, but so far, they haven’t replaced O’Neill and have more or less treaded water with regard to the bullpen, and the catching situation. Narváez is the only player they’ve brought in who has several years of team control. Maybe Craig Breslow and company feel that the team was close already enough to contending that these smaller moves would put them over the hump, or maybe they felt like this wasn’t the year to make a splash on the free agent market. Either way, it does not yet feel like they are making their best effort to build a championship team. View full article

The Red Sox have added another left-handed starter to the rotation. Well, you really can never have too much pitching depth. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Red Sox have agreed to terms with LHP Patrick Sandoval on a two-year contract worth $18.25 million. This is a pillow contract for the lefty, as Sandoval is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and should not be expected to pitch for the big league club any earlier than July. As such, the deal is structured so that Sandoval will make $5.25 million in 2025 and $15.75 million in 2026, reports Alex Speier. Sandoval has just over four years of big-league service time, and he was only available in free agency because the Angels non-tendered him at the end of the season. This is a similar move to the signing of Liam Hendricks last offseason, as it features a rehabbing pitcher eyeing a midseason return, although Hendricks suffered several setbacks and ultimately was unable to make his Red Sox debut before the end of the year. Sandoval had some excellent seasons for the Angels, pitching to a 3.53 ERA over 380 1/3 innings from 2021 to 2023; a mix of quality and quantity that only 28 other pitchers were able to match. However, made just 16 starts and struggled to a 5.08 ERA in 2024 before undergoing internal brace surgery to repair his UCL. He will be looking to regain his top form and rebuild his value over the next two seasons. Despite the downturn and the missed time due to injury, Sandoval has put up 8.8 fWAR over the past four seasons, making him one of the top 50 most valuable pitchers in the game. . Even if Sandoval doesn't approach those heights again, this move gives Alex Cora another solid option to turn to as the dog days of summer test the depth of even the best teams. View full article

I feel like its already too late. Gunner Henderson just put up a monster season, I don't see any way he doesn't touch free agency now. Jackson Holiday is going to break out this year, and Adley is one of the games best catchers. They should have done what the Brewers did with Churio

Some big-time pitching deals headline the week's activity as one of the toughest divisions in baseball improves across the board. Well, it turns out that there is still life after Juan Soto. With the superstar finally ending the drama and inking a megadeal with the New York Mets, the hot stove reached a boiling point. While teams across the board had some roster shakeups, the tremors ran deepest in the American League, and the balance of power appears to have shifted. Last season, the AL Central surprisingly sent three teams to the playoffs. The AL East, which has been a powerhouse, is apparently determined to not let that happen again. Today we are recapping some of the major moves and rumors around the division and divining who might be poised to make some noise in the market this week. Yankees Pivot To Pitching After the Yankees sufferred the indignity of being beaten out for one of their own players by their crosstown rivals, everyone was waiting to see where the team would turn for reinforcements. Having saved $700 million on Soto, general manager Brian Cashman didn’t waste any time, signing lefty Max Fried to an eight-year deal worth $218 million. The contract is the largest ever given to a left-handed pitcher. Gerrit Cole and Fried give the Yankees a formidable one-two punch at the top of the rotation. Over the past five seasons, Fried has a 2.81 ERA, the lowest among all pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched. The rotation depth allowed the Yankees to make another significant move, trading World Series standout Nestor Cortes (if you know you know) and prospect Caleb Durbin to the Brewers in exchange for closer Devin Williams. Williams is known for his devastating changeup and his ability to completely shut down opposing teams. Since his debut in 2019, he has been one of the best in the game, earning two All-Star selections, getting MVP votes in two seasons, and winning the National League Reliever of the Year award in 2021 and 2023. Williams has a career 1.83 ERA and has struck out nearly 40% of the batter's he's faced. The Yankees have some major holes to fill in the outfield and first base, but they have been connected to a player who could fill either one. Cody Bellinger was already rumored to be available before the Cubs acquired Kyle Tucker, but that trade likely makes Bellinger a necessity. The Yankees need a left-handed bat and were rumored to be in on Bellinger as a free agent before he eventually signed with the Cubs. Bellinger has been inconsistent (to say the least), but he has superstar potential at his best. Perhaps the short porch in right field would be a good fit, and his defensive versatility would be a bonus. The Yankees have also been mentioned as potential destinations for Pete Alonso or Christian Walker. The Red Sox Get an Ace After losing out on Juan Soto and Max Fried in a matter of days, Red Sox fans were getting a little bit antsy. If Craig Breslow was capable of making a big move, he needed to act. Thankfully Breslow didn’t disappoint, as the Red Sox were able to swing a trade for coveted White Sox ace, Gerrit Crochet. The 26-year-old immediately slots in at the top of the Boston rotation, bringing a league leading 12.6 K/9 with him. While the trade came at a sizable cost, including first-rounders Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery, the deal did prove one thing: The Red Sox mean business. The Red Sox also swung a deal with the Yankees, giving up highly-ranked pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz in exchange for catcher Carlos Narváez. The trade has been widely regarded as a minor one, not even earning a writeup by MLB Trade Rumors, but if Narváez slots in as the backup catcher behind Connor Wong, the move could have an outsized effect on the results of the 2025 season. While there are still holes to fill, the Red Sox have been linked to multiple big-name players in both free agency and the trade market. A big-time bat like Teoscar Hernandez, Alex Bregman, or Anthony Santander would play well at Fenway Park and would bring some much needed thump to the lineup from the right side. Ken Rosenthal listed the Red Sox as a possible destination for starter Jack Flaherty, mentioning that the Red Sox were interested in him before he signed in Detroit last offseason. The trade market opens up all kind of interesting possibilities, from bringing in Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals to prying some pitching away from the Mariners (Luis Castillo has been mentioned) or Pirates (Jared Jones?). Craig Breslow has a lot of options right now, but it definitely feels like the team is on the cusp of another big move. They need to be. Orioles Do Nothing…Again The Orioles have built a young core that is the envy of almost every fan base. Led by the likes of Gunner Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Colton Cowser, and Grayson Rodriguez, the Orioles should be the class of the American League for the next five years or so. After all, the Astros have gone on an incredible run after their rebuild, and the Orioles are built in much the same manner by many of the same architects. After back-to-back playoff appearances, Baltimore is still just a piece or two away from making a deep playoff run, but free agency rumors have them been linked to…[checks notes]…absolutely no one. Ken Rosenthal reported one rumor: That they don't want to sign anyone encumbered by Qualifying Offer. It's not ideal for the most prominent rumors to be about the players you don't want to sign (though Baltimore was listed as one of the teams that checked in on Castillo). The only deals they have made so far simply replaced like for like. They signed Tyler O’Neill to a three-year contract to take the place of Anthony Santander and signed Gary Sánchez to a one-year deal to replace the departing James McCann. Aside form that, the Birds have been quiet so far. With the team leader in home runs (Santander) and the ace of the rotation (Corbin Burnes) reaching free agency and division rivals making serious moves, the Oriole’s chances at winning the division suddenly look a lot worse. The offseason is young, but the market is moving much faster than it has in previous years. If the front office is planing on making serious moves to keep pace in the increasingly competitive AL East, they need to do it quickly. Orioles fans have waited a long time for their competitive window to open up, and it won’t be here forever. They have a young, exciting core and a brand new ownership group. The time to spend is now. Toronto Faces a Crossroads The Blue Jays were finalists for Juan Soto’s franchise-altering services, a year after being finalists for the unicorn himself, Shohei Ohtani. The problem is they can’t seem to get past the last stage, and after being spurned for two consecutive years by the best free agent on the market, the franchise appears to be at a crossroads. The last two major pieces of their young core are reaching free agency after the 2025 season, and it is unlikely that either Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Bo Bichette will want to miss out on the open market after seeing how Soto got paid. So what now for Toronto? They could follow the Yankees playbook and pivot to pitching. The Blue Jays have been linked to Corbin Burnes, who will likely get the largest contract of any pitcher on the market this offseason. They could also look to recoup some value from Vlady, especially after the Astros netted Cam Smith, the Cubs' electric 2024 first-round pick, in exchange for one more year of Kyle Tucker. They were able to swing a major move, landing defensive superstar Andrés Giménez and right-hander Nick Sandlin from Cleveland in exchange for cost-controlled slugger Spencer Horwitz (whom the Guardians promptly traded to Pittsburgh). The team is rumored to be looking for a starter and a right-handed bat, likely a corner outfielder. One thing is for sure, the Blue Jays need to pick a direction and run with it. View full article

Kind of what I mean, he needed time to develop

Keep in mind, its not like Teel was our starting catcher. Yes he played well at AAA so far, but there is a decent chance that he wasnt going to make an impact on the roster in 2025 anyway

The Red Sox are on the board! The Red Sox are finalizing a deal that would address their biggest need this offseason: finding an ace. Jeff Passan is reporting that the Red Sox are acquiring White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet for a top package of prospects. Ken Rosenthal reports that the package includes top catching prospect Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, and others. This trade would be an upgrade to a Red Sox rotation that finished 17th in MLB with a 4.04 ERA. Crochet was the bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for Chicago, posting a 3.58 ERA with an MLB-leading 12.9 K/9. The ace lefty was in the 98th percentile in strikeout percentage (209 strikeouts 146 innings), and though he was on an innings limit in 2024 while transitioning to being a full-time starter, he should be able to push past that in 2025. Crochet has two arbitration seasons left before free agency and is projected to earn just under $3 million this season, according to MLB Trade Rumors. The expectation across the industry was that it would take a large prospect package to get Crochet's two remaining years of contractual control, but the Red Sox had the depth to meet the White Sox’ high asking price. Former first-round pick Kyle Teel headlines the deal, including first-round picks Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Wikelman Gonzalez. View full article

This week has shed light on some exciting possibilities for Red Sox fans, and it begs the question: is it time to take the ownership seriously again? Perhaps Craig Breslow watched “The Comeback” on Netflix with Jon Henry, and it reminded them of a time when the Red Sox were in on every big free agent that the Yankees wanted. Whether the Red Sox land the biggest hot stove prize since Alex Rodriguez, all early reporting has the Sox in on every big name in free agency or the trade market. One way or another, it seems that this is the offseason that Craig Breslow has license to go for it and build around the young core. Juan Soto Sweepstakes According to Sean McAdam of MassLive, representatives from the Red Sox met with Juan Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, in Southern California on Thursday. The 3-hour meeting was a chance for the Red Sox to share their vision for the future and showcase how Juan Soto could add to the fabulous legacy of Dominican-born players in Boston. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Soto grew up rooting for the Red Sox when they boasted stars like David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, and Manny Ramirez. All accounts say the meeting was “productive,” but no contract size or length terms were discussed. Soto has meetings scheduled with the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Mets, so everyone will likely have a chance to make their pitch before negotiations begin in earnest. That should give Sox fans plenty of time in the next week to plan what their lineups would look like with Soto’s generational talent added. If the Red Sox do manage to sign Soto, it is not too hard to imagine him going into Cooperstown in 20 years with a Red Sox hat on his plaque. Top Pitchers Talking with Sox Without a doubt, the biggest need that the Sox have this offseason is pitching. It is a safe bet that Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, and Brayan Bello will take up three of the five spots in the rotation after they all made strides forward in 2024. However, the Red Sox cannot expect to reasonably contend for a division title in 2025, something that Craig Breslow has stated this offseason's goal without adding to the pitching staff. Lucas Giolito and Garrett Whitlock will likely contribute at some point during the season, but with both coming off Tommy John surgery, it is unclear to what level they can pitch to. What the Red Sox need is an ace. While they could pursue options on the trade market, free agency would be the cleanest way to add to the top of the rotation while saving the prospect capital to fill other holes. According to Jeff Passan, in addition to the meeting with Juan Soto, the Red Sox have been in conversation with both Blake Snell and Max Fried. Both pitchers would be an immediate upgrade at the top of the rotation and add a much-needed lefty to a current right-handed rotation. Blake Snell got off to a slow start after winning the Cy Young Award in 2023, battling injuries in the first half, but turned it on in the second half. In 14 starts in the second half, he posted a 2.19 ERA, threw a no-hitter, and posted a 34.7% strikeout rate and 37.7% whiff rate (both 98th percentile). Max Fried had another consistent year for the Atlanta Braves, posting a 3.25 ERA over 29 starts. While he doesn’t have overpowering swing and miss in his game (166 strikeouts over 174.1 innings), he consistently limits hard contact. He held hitters to an average exit velocity of 86.3 MPH (95th percentile) and boasted a 59.2 ground ball percentage (96th percentile). This combination of a low batting average against (.224 in 2024) and weak contact makes the 30-year-old one of the most attractive options on the starting pitching market, and his ability to pitch effectively without relying on the strikeout should help him as he ages into his next contract. Trade Possibilities? Garrett Crochet Tops the List While the Red Sox are widely viewed throughout the industry as having the prospect capital to trade for just about anyone, they have been repeatedly linked to White Sox starter Garrett Crochet. The ace lefty was in the 98th percentile in strikeout percentage (209 strikeouts, 146 innings), and while he was on an innings limit in 2024 while transitioning to being a full-time starter, he should be able to push past that in 2025. Crochet has two arbitration seasons left before free agency but may be open to signing an extension with the team he is traded to. It would take a large prospect package to get Crochet, but the Red Sox have the prospects to do it. Roman Anthony, Marcello Mayer, Kristian Campbell, and Kyle Teel are all possibilities that would pique the White Sox's interest. From the major league side, a package fronted by Wilyer Abreu, who is coming off a gold glove season in a solid rookie year, would be a good starting point. It remains to be seen who the Red Sox would be willing to part with, but rest assured that if they want Crochet, they should have what it takes to get a deal done. Bullpen Reinforcements The Red Sox did make one signing this week to sure up their bullpen, snagging veteran lefty reliever Justin Wilson on a 1-year deal. The contract is a base salary of $2.25 million with various performance incentives. While Wilson pitched to a high ERA of 5.59, his peripheral stats were much better, as he was in the 95th percentile of chase rate. The Red Sox desperately needed to add more swing and miss in the bullpen, and Wilson will likely be the top lefty for Alex Cora to go to, at least until other potential moves are made. When Chris Cotillo of MassLive asked about the addition at an event on Saturday, Manager Alex Cora was excited about it. “He kind of struggled at the end, but early in the season, his stuff was really good,” Cora said. “Obviously, we’ll make some adjustments here and there. He has been doing it for a while. It’s a guy whose name has always popped up throughout the years because of the stuff. The more, the better. That’s the way I see it.” Wilson will give the Red Sox a second lefty alongside Brennan Bernardino in the bullpen. View full article

This week, we've been posting our 2024 Red Sox awards. Today, we share our vote on the Most Valuable Player. The 2024 Red Sox exceeded expectations for most of the season before tailing off to finish at .500, but with injuries to several key players, it took a village to keep the Sox in a tie for 3rd place in the AL East. This article is the results of voting among the TalkSox.com writers for MVP of the team in 2024. Honorable Mentions Wilyer Abreu: .253/.322/.459 (.781 OPS) 15 HR – 58 RBI – 59 R – 3.5 bWAR Brayan Bello: 30 Starts – 162.1 IP – 153 SO – 4.49 ERA – 1.5 bWAR Kutter Crawford: 33 Starts - 183.2 IP - 175 SO - 4.36 ERA – 2.0 bWAR Kenley Jansen: 27 Saves – 54.2 IP – 62 SO – 3.29 ERA – 1.3 bWAR Ceddanne Rafaela: .246/.274/.390 (.664 OPS) 15 HR – 75 RBI – 70 R – 19 SB – 2.8 bWAR 4th : Tyler O’Neill: .241/.336/.511 (.847 OPS) 31 HR – 61 RBI – 74 R – 2.7 bWAR “TO” impressed in his first year in Boston, leading the team in homeruns (31) despite playing only 113 games with a few stints on the injured list. Acquired from the Cardinals as a bounce back candidate, O’Neill gave the Red Sox the powerful righthanded bat they desperately needed in a lefty heavy lineup and was solid in the outfield as well. He is a free agent this offseason but has expressed interest in returning to Boston. 3rd : Tanner Houck: 30 Starts – 178 2/3 IP – 154 SO – 3.12 ERA – 3.5 bWAR Houck went from fighting to make the 5th spot in the rotation out of spring training to being the ace of the staff, a true testament to his mental toughness. After coming off back surgery and taking a line drive to the face last season, Houck never really got momentum behind him, and struggled with a 5.01 in 2023. With a full offseason of health, and improved command, Houck lowered his ERA to 3.12 over 178 2/3 innings, both of which are career bests. Houck was a first-time all-star in 2024 and will anchor the pitching staff in 2025. 2nd : Rafael Devers: .272/.354/.516 (.870 OPS) 28 HR – 83 RBI – 87 R – 3.7 bWAR Devers was on pace for the best offensive season of his career before nagging shoulder injuries caused him to slump down the stretch. Despite his late season struggles, Devers still led the team in OPS (.870) and OPS+ (139), while hitting 28 home runs and 34 doubles. At age 27, he became the youngest Red Sox player to reach 200 home runs and set a Red Sox record by homering in six straight contests from May 15th through May 20th . Look for a healthy Devers to put up monster numbers next season. 1st : Jarren Duran: .285/.342/.492 (.834 OPS) 21 HR – 75 RBI – 111 R – 34 SB – 8.7 bWAR Duran quite literally ran away with this award, with his hustle and attitude setting the tone from the leadoff spot all year long. Duran was the spark that kept things going even when no one else was clicking in the lineup. He finished with the major league lead in doubles (48) and tied for the lead in triples (14). Duran was a first time all-star as the leader of the “Runnin’ Red Sox” and captured the national spotlight with a homerun in the All-Star Game, winning MVP of the Midsummer Classic. Duran also recognized the importance of posting and set a goal to play in every possible game this season. He led the team with 160 games played. With a team that was decimated by injuries, counting on the speedy leadoff man to terrorize opponents on the base paths meant everything to the Sox and the Fenway Faithful. The biggest weakness for Duran in past years has been his defense, something that he more than turned into a strength this season. Duran was 95th percentile in Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value. With an 8.7 bWAR, this season takes him from a borderline breakout player in 2022 to a true star in 2023 and beyond. That is how we drew it up. Who do you think the MVP of the Red Sox was in 2024? Even more fun, who do you think we will be writing this article about in 2025? Will Duran or Devers be leading the charge again, or will a newcomer take the top spot? Let us know in the comments. Others receiving votes: Masataka Yoshida, David Hamilton, Justin Slaten, Tristan Casas, Nick Pivetta, Connor Wong. View full article

Duran had a very good season last year as well. His OPS was almost the same. The difference for me is how much better he was driving the ball for extra bases opposed to stretching singles (although he does that too). I wish we would have gotten a longer look at D-Ham down the stretch. His speed really lengthened the lineup and it seemed to start really sputtering when he broke his hand.

I agree that Criswell gave us a lot of production out of nowhere. He was supposed to be a depth piece and wound up pitching a lot, and more effectively than expected.

We kickoff our awards week by looking at the Most Improved Players on the Red Sox roster. Every year, we go into the baseball season with our hopes high and our predictions abounding. There are players that we count on every year to put up big numbers for their teams. Ohtani, Judge, Mookie, Devers. It’s not a surprise when superstars have superstar seasons. But part of the magic of baseball is that we always seem to get contributions from somewhere unexpected. Injuries happen, rosters change, and players get their chance to shine. After all, every superstar has to have their breakout season. As the 2024 season comes to a close, here are some contributions from players that were rather unexpected but made a big difference for the Sox. From the writers of TalkSox.com, here are the voting results for the Most Improved Player. Honorable Mentions David Hamilton: .248/.303/.395 (.697 OPS) 8 HR – 28 RBI – 47 R – 33 SB – 2.6 bWAR Tyler O’Neill: .241/.336/.511 (.847 OPS) 31 HR – 61 RBI – 74 R – 2.7 bWAR Kutter Crawford: 33 Starts - 183.2 IP - 175 SO - 4.36 ERA – 2.0 bWAR The Top Two 2nd: Tanner Houck: 30 Starts – 178.2 IP – 154 SO – 3.12 ERA – 3.5 bWAR If you had asked at the start of the season who would be the best pitcher on the Red Sox in 2024, I doubt you would have found anyone who would have said Tanner Houck. After a strong first impression in 2020, Houck dealt with inconsistency as he bounced between roles in the bullpen and the starting rotation. Amid injuries and setbacks, he carried a 5.01 ERA over 21 starts and 106 innings in 2023. There were plenty in Red Sox nation who wondered if Houck would be better suited in a high leverage role in the bullpen instead. As spring training rolled around, Houck looked like he might be the odd man out in a three-man race for the 5th spot in the rotation. He managed to win that spot, and hasn’t looked back since. As injuries ravaged the Red Sox rotation, Houck was a consistent presence the whole year through, making a career high 30 starts. With improved command and a 93rd percentile groundball rate, he lowered his ERA to 3.12 over 178 2/3 innings, both of which were also career bests. Houck was a first-time all-star in 2024, and his signature moment was throwing a complete game shutout on April 17th against the Cleveland Guardians on just 94 pitches. Look for Tanner to be a huge part of the Red Sox rotation moving forward has he looks to build on his breakout campaign. 1st: Jarren Duran: .285/.342/.492 (.834 OPS) 21 HR – 75 RBI – 111 R – 34 SB – 8.7 bWAR While Jarren Duran took steps forward in 2023, no one except perhaps Duran himself could have foreseen this kind of leap forward coming. Alex Cora placed his confidence in Duran by naming him the leadoff hitter in spring training, and he responded by setting the tone all year with the kind of dynamic speed season the red sox have been looking for since prime Jacoby Ellsbury. While Duran made strides in 2023, and seemingly stretched singles into doubles at will, he drove the ball more consistently in 2024, with his XSLG increasing nearly .60 points from 2023 to 2024. Duran cut his strikeout rate, increased his walk rate, and boosted his barrel percentage. What do you get when a player who runs like an angry lizard starts driving the ball more consistently? You get the league leader in doubles (48) and triples (14, tied with Corbin Carroll). And it wasn’t just the bat that improved. Take a look at how Duran improved his game across the board from 2023. 2023 MLB Percentile Rankings Batting Run Value – 76th percentile Baserunning Run Value – 97th percentile Fielding Run Value – 41st percentile 2024 MLB Percentile Rankings Batting Run Value – 88th percentile Baserunning Run Value – 100th percentile Fielding Run Value – 95th percentile That is a MASSIVE jump in fielding value, something that Red Sox fans were well aware was a weakness in the past. Duran has more than made it a strength now. From the spectacular to the routine, his defense ranks among the best in the league. Duran was 95th percentile in Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value. He also did what few Red Sox were able to do this year; he stayed on the field. Duran played in a team leading 160 games this season as he emerged as a leader in the clubhouse. A first time All-Star this season, he hit a go-ahead two-run homerun off the Reds Hunter Greene to give the American League the victory and earn himself the All-Star Game MVP award. His 8.7 bWAR was the highest for a Red Sox player since Mookie Betts’ MVP season in 2018. While Red Sox fans can expect big things from Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran in 2025, it will be interesting to see who else will step up to contribute in unexpected ways. You never know who the next breakout player will be. Congratulations to Duran and the rest of those recognized for their improvements! Now it's your turn. Who do you think was the most improved Red Sox player? From 2023 to 2024, or from the first half to the second half? Discuss below. Others receiving votes: Connor Wong, Greg Weissert, Zack Kelly, Rob Refsnyder. View full article

This weekend series with the Twins was supposed to have playoff implications for the Red Sox, who now find themselves out of the race. With about a week to go in the season, here is what I would still hope to see from the team the rest of the way. View full video