Nick John

With the Boston Red Sox set to begin their Wild Card series against the New York Yankees later today, it might be a good idea to look at what are some strengths of the Yankees that could make this a tough series for the Red Sox. The Yankees had another successful regular season, finishing the year with 94 wins and in second place in the AL East while earning the first wild card seed and the right to host the opening series. The Yankees earned those 94 wins as they were led by a dominant rotation, despite missing Gerrit Cole for the entire season. That group was led by a powerful 1-2 punch of Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, as the two won a combined 37 games for the Yankees and threw 390 2/3 innings. The duo will be tough to face and will likely be the starters for the first two games of the series. In such a short series like a best of three, having two highly dominant starters can be insurmountable for an opponent. Fried is coming off of a fantastic September that saw him go 5-0 in five starts, tossing 33 1/3 innings in that span along with 35 strikeouts to just nine walks. After struggling in July and August, the Yankees’ ace showed why he was worth the seven-year deal New York signed him to in the offseason. Fried also made three starts against the Red Sox this season, going 1-1 in those three starts and tossing 18 1/3 innings. Boston batters struck out 22 times against him and only managed four runs despite 19 hits and seven walks. The Red Sox will need to put the ball in play more often with runners on base if they hope to get to Fried before he gets into a groove. Fried also has something that the Red Sox lack: postseason experience. During his time in Atlanta, the left-hander pitched in 20 playoff games, making 12 starts, though he has a mixed track record. In those 20 games, Fried has gone 5-6 with a 5.10 ERA in 67 innings. Should the Red Sox get to him early, they could cause him to self-destruct much like his lone appearance in 2024, where he allowed five runs on eight hits in just two innings. Rodón has also had a great year as he won 18 games while making the All-Star team for the third time in his career (the first time as a Yankee). Tossing a career high 195 1/3 innings, Rodón struck out 203 batters while finishing the year with a 3.09 ERA as he anchored the rotation as the number two behind Fried. Much like his partner atop the rotation, Rodón finished the year strong, going 3-2 in five September starts with a 2.61 ERA in 31 innings. Rodón also pitched three times against the Red Sox, though he went 1-2 and pitched much worse than Fried did. In 15 2/3 innings, the left-hander surrendered 11 runs, 10 earned, and walked 10 batters while striking out 12. Rodón also has some postseason experience, as most came last season in the Yankees' run to the World Series. Pitching in four games, Rodon had a mixed experience in October, as he was successful against the Cleveland Guardians but struggled in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Of the two pitchers, it is likely Rodón that the Sox could put into trouble early. Though, should the series go to a third game, the Yankees are not without another strong pitcher. Having missed most of the 2025 season, Luis Gil is sometimes forgotten as the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year winner. However, pitching in just 11 games this season, Gil went 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 57 innings. As he pitched more, he got into a groove, as he went 3-0 over his final seven starts, recording a 2.84 ERA in that span. Across the season, Gil held opposing batters to a .230/.338/.351 stat line, though his strikeout rate dropped from 26.8% in 2024 to just 17.3% this season. Against the Red Sox, Gil was absolutely dominant, starting two games and winning one as he allowed just one earned run in 11 innings. For the optimists out there, one positive takeaway for the Red Sox is the fact he walked nine batters in those appearances. The Red Sox will have tough competition for certain in the Wild Card Round, but they aren’t unbeatable. If any team can beat the Yankees and their strong pitching, it's Red Sox, as they line up with Garrett Crochet in Game 1 followed by Yankee slayer Brayan Bello in game two. The series could very well be low scoring due to the impressive pitching on both sides, meaning some clutch hitting and lockdown efforts from the bullpen could be the deciding factor in who comes out on top. View full article

I think you'll see Cora load the top of the lineup with righties. Probably lead off with Romy in games 1 and 2

Between the two I like Early getting the Game 3 start. Worse case you get 3-4 innings out of him before turning it over to the bullpen.

The playoffs haven't even started yet, but the Red Sox were dealt a tough blow Monday afternoon as manager Alex Cora announced that starting pitcher Lucas Giolito would not be on the roster for the Wild Card series. Cora believes that the right-hander has been dealing with an elbow issue his past few starts according to the Boston Globe's Alex Speier, but now it's gotten to the point where Giolito had to cut short his latest bullpen session. The right-hander is getting evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon, though any issue with the elbow is not good considering he had elbow surgery in 2024 that cost him the entire season. The news is a big loss for the Red Sox, as Giolito was a constant presence in the rotation after returning from the injured list on April 30. In 26 starts, he would end up going 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA across 145 innings. He also struck out 121 batters in that span while opponents hit just .239 against him. While the official roster hasn't been announced just yet, it is likely a possible Game 3 would be started by either Kyle Harrison or Connelly Early. View full rumor

Yeah, I wrote this up last night following the season finale. Almost went back and edited this after the news broke but decided against it.

With the 2025 season officially over, the Boston Red Sox now have to plan their roster for the Wild Card round against their rivals, the New York Yankees. Rosters will once more be 26 players after they had expanded to 28 players for the month of September. With the Red Sox's 40-man roster now full at 40 players following the selection of José De León to start the season finale, the players available to be selected are now set in stone, barring a last-minute transfer of an injured player to the 60-Day injured list. With that in mind, we are now going to try and predict how the Red Sox roster may look for their Wild Card series against the Yankees. Right away we’ll go through the obvious choices: Outfielders: Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida, and Rob Refsnyder Infielders: Alex Bregman, Trevor Story, Romy González, and Nate Lowe Catchers: Carlos Narváez, and Connor Wong Pitchers: Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Slaten, Steven Matz, Justin Wilson, and Greg Weissert That brings the Red Sox roster to 20 players, leaving just six spots available. The position players listed above should be obvious selections based on how manager Alex Cora has mostly used them over the final weeks of the season to secure a return to the postseason while dealing with injuries. As for the pitchers, Crochet and Bello have already been announced as the starting pitchers for games one and two, respectively, while the trio of Chapman, Whitlock and Slaten are locks, as they’re arguably Boston’s best three relievers. Matz has been solid since being acquired at the trade deadline, while both Wilson and Weissert have been dependable out of the bullpen for Cora. Giolito is the assumed Game 3 starter unless otherwise stated by the team. Looking into the final six spots, it shouldn’t be a surprise if Boston decides to load up on bench players to prepare for any situation. Thanks to this series being just a best of three, the team won’t need to carry 13 pitchers and could instead get away with just 11 or 12 while allowing Cora to carry 14 or 15 position players. With that in mind, we’ll first look to finish filling in the rest of the bullpen. With six relievers listed above, the Red Sox would have nine pitchers, leaving at most three spots available. Of the available choices, the Red Sox will select from Zack Kelly, Payton Tolle, Luis Guerrero, Isaiah Campbell, Jovani Moran, and Luis Perales. Chris Murphy has to wait 15 days before he can be added to any postseason roster due to being optioned before Sunday’s game. The Red Sox also have Connelly Early, Kyle Harrison and De León as options for a long man out of the bullpen. From that list, we can easily cross out De León, as he threw 6 2/3 innings on Sunday. As for Perales, Campbell and Moran, they are likely to be in Fort Myers as part of the taxi squad, but unless injuries happen are unlikely to be chosen. The most obvious picks would be Kelly and Tolle, with either Early or Harrison as the long man. In this situation, I’ll go with Early considering how he’s looked in his four starts with Boston. Kelly would be the next pick, as he’s been rather reliable since being recalled to Boston at the start of September, tossing 11 2/3 innings in that span while surrendering just four runs. Tolle should make the roster just from his fastball alone, as he reached triple digits tossing it out of the bullpen. If there’s anything that plays well in October, it’s velocity. That would bring the list of pitchers up to 12 on the roster and a total of 23 players. The list of available choices for bench players includes Nick Sogard, David Hamilton, Nate Eaton, Jhostynxon Garcia, Kristian Campbell, and Ali Sanchez. Of the listed players, only Sanchez is not on the 40-man roster, but could be added and has been sent to Fort Myers as part of the taxi squad. The selection of position players is thin, and the likely choices to round out the bench and team would be Sogard, Hamilton and Eaton, who have been on the roster for most of the past month. Hamilton and Eaton are obvious choices for their speed and defensive versatility, and Sogard's ability to switch hit could make him a solid pinch-hitting option. With that in mind, the roster would now look like this: Outfielders: Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida, Rob Refsnyder, and Nate Eaton Infielders: Alex Bregman, Trevor Story, Romy González, Nate Lowe, David Hamilton, and Nick Sogard Catchers: Carlos Narváez, and Connor Wong Pitchers: Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Slaten, Steven Matz, Justin Wilson, Greg Weissert, Zack Kelly, Payton Tolle, and Connelly Early Lineup-wise, it shouldn’t be a surprise if Cora decides to load the lineup with right-handed batters for the first two games of the series, as Max Fried is scheduled to start Game 1 and Carlos Rodón is likely to follow him in Game 2. Cora has two lefty killers on his roster and has not been afraid to use them to try and score early against left-handed starters. This trend should continue in the playoffs. I'd say this is a very likely iteration of the lineup that Cora could roll out at Yankee Stadium: 1) González – second base 2) Story – shortstop 3) Bregman – third base 4) Refsnyder – designated hitter 5 Duran – left field 6) Lowe – first base 7) Rafaela – center field 8) Abreu – right field 9) Narváez – catcher Overall, the Red Sox will be in for a tough series against the Yankees, as the two rivals will battle it out for a chance to advance to the Division Series and remain in the playoffs. It will surely be a back-and-forth affair over the best-of-three series, as two historic franchises will enter but only one will remain by the end. Hopefully, the roster Cora and the front office constructs will be the one that advances. View full article

The minor league season is officially over and it’s time to recognize the best hitters within the Red Sox organization. Across these last six months, players performed at the highest levels that they could in hopes of showcasing their talents and possibly getting promoted to the next level on their way to the major leagues. We won't be any qualifiers on this, other than any player eligible had to spend at least half the season in the minor leagues (hence why our honorable mention is an honorable mention). Without further ado, let's give our flowers to the three best hitters in the Red Sox's organization this season. Honorable Mention: OF Roman Anthony Worcester .288/.423/.491, 9 doubles, 2 triples, 10 home runs Despite making it up to the majors this season and playing more games there than in the minors (71 games in Boston compared to 58 in Worcester), it wouldn’t be right to not mention the season he was having in Triple-A before his promotion. In those 58 games, the 21-year-old had walked 51 times along with 21 extra-base hits, yielding an OPS of .913. And that’s including his 4-for-20 start to the season. Despite being one of the youngest players in Triple-A, Anthony didn’t look overmatched, but rather carried a sense of maturity with him in each at-bat. He's since emerged as a star at the big league level, and now owns one of the largest extensions in franchise history. #3) 1B/OF Justin Gonzales FCL/Salem/Greenville .281/.363/.390 23 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs Gonzales had an interesting season. He was promoted from the Florida Complex League after his one and only game at that level, a contest in which he went hitless in four at-bats. Gonzales spent most of his time in Salem in 2025, where despite being just 18 years old and handling his first real exposure to stateside professional baseball, he was more than ready for Single-A. In 81 games with Salem, Gonzales hit .298/.381/.423 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 27 RBIs along with 35 walks and 52 strikeouts. Thanks to his 6'4", sturdy frame, he is able to generate easy power, as the ball jumps off his bat. He showcased an advanced approach at the plate despite being years younger than the average player at his level, but he will need to learn to recognize secondary pitches earlier in his swing process as he moves up the different levels of the minor leagues. Gonzales finished the season with Greenville, playing in 11 games where he went just 8-for-43 for a line of .186/.265/.186 with four RBIs. #2) SS/2B Franklin Arias Salem/Greenville/Portland .278/.335/.388, 27 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs Arias broke out offensively in 2025, as he looked like he was in complete control during his short stint in Salem to open the season. In 19 games, the 19-year-old destroyed Single-A pitching as he hit .346/.407/.397 with four doubles and nine RBIs. The hot start earned him a promotion to Greenville, where he continued to hit well, posting a .265/.329/.380 line with 21 doubles, a triple, six home runs and 49 RBIs. He did cool down as the season progressed, hitting just .169/.228/.265 for the month of June, but improved in each successive month as his numbers rose to .228/.265/.342 in July to .253/.380/.337 in August and then ending the season with a .261/.250/.435 stat line in 10 September games with Portland. Thanks to an ability to adjust to secondary pitches and elite contact skills, Arias manages to limit his strikeouts and gets on base frequently. He's got a bright future if he can continue to work counts and remain patient for pitches he's capable of attacking with authority. #1) OF Jhostnyxon Garcia Portland/Worcester .267/.340/.470, 17 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs The Password was unlocked this season, as the 22-year-old outfielder built off of his strong 2024 campaign that forced the Red Sox to add him to their 40-man roster in the offseason. Opening the year with Portland, Garcia earned a promotion after 33 games where he hit .256/.355/.393 with an OPS of .748. Upon his promotion to Worcester, Garcia only played better. In 81 games, he showcased his offensive potential, hitting .271/.334/.498 with 12 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs and 58 RBIs for an OPS of .833. Due to his strong performance, Garcia even earned a short promotion to Boston, as he appeared in five games and earned his first major league hit in that span before being sent back to Triple-A Worcester for the remainder of the season. He's got all the tools to be a successful big league hitter, though the crowded outfield situation in Boston could make his opportunities in the big leagues sparse. Well, these were the three top minor league hitters across the Red Sox organization in 2025. What do you think? Do you agree with the choices, or do you feel that someone got snubbed? Leave your thoughts down in the comments. View full article

1) the team didn't want to have him on the roster until he could comfortably throw a baseball the distance of left field to the infield. 2) You can only place a player on a rehab assignment for a certain number of days. I forget the exact number but I want to say around 20 days. After that they have to either be optioned, recalled from rehab or activated. Last thing the Sox need is to deal with an investigation into manipulating rehab assignments so they waited until he could regularly throw a baseball without pain.

It hasn’t always been a good time in Boston for Masataka Yoshida since he joined the Red Sox. Injuries, underperformance, and plateauing skills have all kept him from living up to his big contract. And yet, despite that, the 32-year-old outfielder may have helped save the team’s chances of making the playoffs thanks to a strong September at the plate. When the Boston Red Sox signed Yoshida to a five-year $90 million deal back in December 2022, there were mixed reactions. Other teams felt the Red Sox had overpaid for the hitter and due to his poor defense, it was assumed that he may not be a good fit for the team. Instead, the Red Sox embraced Yoshida in his rookie season playing him in left field for 87 contests. Offensively, he was decent, hitting .289/.338/.445 with 33 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs and 72 RBIs in 2023. The 2024 season was a different story, as the team did not want him playing in the outfield any longer, instead serving as the team’s designated hitter. He would go on to only play 108 games, all but one as the DH, where his numbers dipped to .280/.349/.415 with 21 doubles, 10 home runs and 56 RBIs. Following the season, it was revealed that he would need labrum surgery, and the team stated that was the reason he did not play in the field. Entering this year, it was clear Yoshida was the odd man out, with Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu manning the outfield, while Roman Anthony was waiting to be promoted. Along with that, Rafael Devers was the team’s new designated hitter after the signing of Alex Bregman, leaving Yoshida without a position. Despite a strong spring training showing, Yoshida opened the year on the injured list as the team stated he would not play until he felt comfortable throwing the baseball regularly. Many fans felt it was an excuse to keep Yoshida off the roster to keep the lineup flexible. It turns out, his injury was worse than feared, as he didn't even start his rehab assignment until July 2 with the Worcester Red Sox. Yoshida would play five games between Worcester and Portland before being activated by the Red Sox on July 9 against the Colorado Rockies. He was used sparingly upon returning, appearing in just 13 games in July where he hit .239/.255/.370 with an OPS of .625. His presence created a roster crunch as the Red Sox, had four outfielders fighting for three spots and on most occasions, couldn’t rotate them between the outfield and designated hitter due to Yoshida’s presence in the lineup. The argument was being made that the roster was more flexible in its lineup construction prior to Yoshida’s activation, and his bat wasn’t worth taking up a spot in the lineup. In August, he received more playing time, appearing in 22 games, but struggled even more than in July. As the Sox battled it out for playoff position, Yoshida managed to hit just .214/.296/.300. However, it now seems that since the calendar flipped to September, Yoshida has turned his season around and just when the Red Sox needed an offensive jolt. The team lost Anthony for the season on September 2 after he injured his oblique against the Cleveland Guardians, and for most of the second half, Alex Bregman has not looked like himself as he’s continued to deal with his quad injury. The Red Sox also lost a key piece of their lineup in Wilyer Abreu during a mid-August series against the Miami Marlins. The lineup needed a boost, and in a surprising fashion, it was Yoshida who provided it. In 16 games in September, Yoshida has raked at the plate, hitting .333/.344/474 with an OPS of .818. In that span, he’s also put the ball in play much more often, hitting five doubles and a home run to go along with 11 RBIs while striking out just four times. In a month that has seen severe streakiness from players like Rafaela and Duran, the Red Sox are fortunate that Yoshida has stepped up, especially during the past seven games. After going 0-for-2 with a RBI against the Athletics, Yoshida has gone on a six-game hitting streak, going 10-for-26 with five RBI in that span including clutch hits during the series with the Blue Jays as the Red Sox hung onto a small lead for the second Wild Card spot. Looking back to the Sunday Night Baseball game against the Yankees on September 14, Yoshida is 14-for 33 and causing havoc. His stat line has jumped up to .261/.306/.375 on the season thanks to his performance this month. And while Yoshida may not be in the best interest of the club’s future and his contract may not have worked out as many had hoped, should he help carry the team into the playoffs, then he may go down in a positive light in the history of the Red Sox. The team is no stranger to having folk heroes emerge during October (Steve Pearce, anyone?). To think that Yoshida, a player who spent most of the season on the injured list, could carry the team through September is what makes baseball so great. View full article

The minor league season has ended for all teams within the Boston Red Sox's organization, so it seems like a perfect time to check in on the recent draft picks of the 2025 draft class. Much like the 2024 class, the Red Sox focused a lot on pitching when it came to their selections, drafting fifteen pitchers and signing fourteen of them. And, much like with the 2024 draft class, the Red Sox chose to not have most of their newly drafted pitchers report to either Salem or Greenville, but rather had them report to Fort Myers and work out at the complex there. Of the fourteen pitchers they drafted and signed, just one pitched in organized baseball after being drafted: Patrick Galle. The right-hander was drafted in the 17th round after two seasons at Mississippi where he appeared in 14 games. In eight games in 2025, he tossed seven innings and allowed seven runs while striking out nine. Upon being drafted, he was viewed purely as a relief prospect with no real chance of starting due to a fastball that topped out at 99 mph in college and struggling with his secondary pitches. After signing, he was assigned to Single-A Salem where he pitched in three games. In that span, he tossed 5 1/3 innings while allowing four hits, five runs, and three earned runs, while walking seven batters and striking out three. That was the only drafted pitcher who threw innings for an affiliate of the Red Sox this season, though all but three of the position players got into games once they were able to. In total, the Red Sox drafted five position players and signed three undrafted position players as well, with three of them making it up to High-A Greenville before the end of the season. The highest drafted position player was Henry Godbout, a second baseman taken as a compensation pick following the second round. Godbout has been viewed as tough to strike out thanks to his very strong hand-eye coordination and a feel for contact stemming from elite bat control. Despite missing time due to a hamstring injury that cost him around two weeks, Godbout performed rather well in his short time with Greenville. In 13 games, Godbout hit .341/.473/.477 with six doubles and five RBIs while also walking nine times and striking out six times. Defensively, Godbout played six games at second base and three at shortstop. He also was the designated hitter three times. Joining Godbout in Greenville was fourth-round pick Mason White, a fellow middle infielder who played college ball for Arizona. White makes a lot of contact in the air but will also chase but when he makes contact it’s usually hit hard thanks in part to his plus bat speed and power. White was originally sent to Salem where he played in eight games and hit .235/.278/.265 with a double and one RBI before being promoted to Greenville after Godbout’s injury. The 21-year-old would go on to play 18 games with Greenville, hitting .239/.338/.299 with four doubles and four RBIs. He also walked 10 times while striking out 17 times. Between the two teams, he played in a total of 26 games and hit .238/.319/.287 with five doubles and five RBIs. Defensively, he split his time between shortstop and second base, playing 15 games at the former and eight games at the latter. He also served as the designated hitter three times. The third and final player of the draft class to play for Greenville was 10th-round pick Maximus Martin. The utility man began his professional career with the Salem Red Sox, where he appeared in 14 games with them before being promoted to Greenville and appearing in 11 games. In total, the 21-year-old played in 25 games where he hit .270/.381/.371 with six doubles, a home run and 14 RBIs, though he did strikeout 34 times in that span. During his 11 games with Greenville, Martin hit better than he did with Salem, hitting .325/.426/.400 in 40 at-bats. Offensively, he hits the ball hard consistently but struggles against secondary pitches. Defensively, Martin played second base eight times, shortstop 10 times, centerfield twice and left field twice while also being the designated hitter three times. The remaining position players who got into games stayed at Salem for the remainder of the season, led by 13th-round pick Jack Winnay, who played in 15 games and hit .321/.393/.434 with three doubles and a home run. He also had 11 RBIs and walked six times while striking out in six at-bats. Offensively, Winnay is viewed as having good contact skills and pitch recognition while having some questions over how he will handle velocity in the future. Defensively, Winnay played exclusively at third base in the field for Salem, but in college mainly played first base and some corner outfield. Joining Winnay at Single-A was 21-year-old outfielder Skylar King. King was drafted in the 15th round out of West Virginia. Offensively, King has strong contact ability though could work on his pitch recognition and will expand the zone. King appeared in 25 games for Salem where he hit .258/.359/.382 with two doubles, three triples and a home run. He also had nine RBIs, seven stolen bases and walked seven times and struck out in 18 at-bats. The outfielder split time at center field and right field, playing the former in 10 games and the latter in 14 games. He is likely to stick in center field long term. The final new player to appear in a game for Salem was undrafted free agent Caleb Berry. Berry, who signed after playing a post-grad year at Michigan State, is a catcher who played in seven games. Berry, who was 2.6 years older than the average player in the Carolina League, hit extremely well, as he slashed .375/.423/.375 with eight RBIs and three stolen bases. He also walked twice and struck out 10 times. Berry split his time between catcher and serving as designated hitter, playing the former four times and the latter three times. The Red Sox also drafted Fabian Bonilla in the 19th round out of Christian Military Academy in Puerto Rico. At just 18 years old when the season starts next year, it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to open the year in the Florida Complex League. Bonilla played both infield and outfield in high school, but when he was drafted, he was announced as just an outfielder. The other two players involved in this year’s draft class were undrafted free agents Andrews Opata and Ty Hodge. Opata, who will be a 22-year-old outfielder next year, will likely open the 2026 season in Salem, unless he shows in spring training that he is more than ready for Greenville. Hodge is in a similar situation as a 22-year-old infielder who may have a short stint in Salem to open the 2026 season. Overall, the 2025 draft class seems to have adjusted to professional baseball just fine for the ones who did get into official games. The real test won’t begin until 2026 however, when they’ll have to deal with an entire season of games against familiar opponents. These players will need to learn how to adjust at the professional level, but for the small sample they provided, there are some players who have left good first impressions. View full article

As the minor league baseball begins to wrap up, the Boston Red Sox have begun preparations for the continued development of their prospects. On September 10, the team announced the list of prospects that would play in the Arizona Fall League this offseason. The list this season is comprised of eight players—five pitchers and three position players. The players heading to Arizona this offseason includes pitchers Luis Perales, Brandon Neely, Jojo Ingrassia, Issac Stebens and Jonathan Brand. On the position player side, Boston is sending catcher Johanfran Garcia, outfielder Nelly Taylor Jr. and utility man Stanley Tucker. The AFL is an offseason league ran by MLB in the autumn, starting this year on October 6 and finishing with the championship on November 15. The AFL is comprised of six teams made up of the top prospects in minor league baseball. Player eligibility has changed over the years, but as of 2021, all players within an organization can take part in it. Players from the Red Sox will play for the Mesa Solar Sox and will play with others from the Chicago Cubs, Athletics, Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays. Last season, the Red Sox sent five pitchers and three fielders, just like they are in 2025. Most players in that group were either injured and missed a good portion of 2024 or were undrafted free agents. The lone exception was Zach Fogell, who was drafted in 2023 and tossed 62 1/3 innings in 2024. This season, the Red Sox are following a similar ideology when it comes to their players. Of the eight selected to take part in the AFL, five either missed the entire season or a significant amount of time. Tucker and Neely both missed the entire season, while Perales and Ingrassia have pitched in three and four games, respectively. Garcia played the most out of the group that missed time, appearing in 58 games split between the Florida Complex League and Greenville as he returned from a knee injury that cost him nearly all of 2024. Now, let's take a look at each player who will be representing the Red Sox in Arizona. P Luis Perales (Red Sox 9th ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline) Signed as an international free agent in July 2019, Perales was the top Red Sox pitching prospect in 2024, when he looked like he would be a contributor to the 2025 Red Sox before needing Tommy John surgery. The highly talented pitcher has struggled to remain healthy, and since 2021, has only pitched more than 15 games once (in 2023 where he made 21 starts for Salem and Greenville). A former Top 100 prospect, Perales has made two appearances near the end of this season between Portland and Worcester, and has a chance to leap right back onto the radar with a strong AFL performance. P Jonathan Brand Drafted in the eighth round of the 2022 Draft, Brand reached Double-A in 2024 where he appeared in 28 games and threw 44 1/3 innings after opening the year in Greenville. It was much of the same in 2025 for Brand, who saw his season split mostly between Greenville and Portland (along with a lone appearance in Worcester on April 27). After a season that saw him toss 51 1/3 innings and strike out 59 batters with a 3.16 ERA, the AFL could be the perfect place for the team to get a better idea of Brand and if he is more than an organizational depth reliever. P Jojo Ingrassia Ingrassia was drafted in the 14th round of the 2023 Draft after playing his junior year with the Cal State Fullerton Titans, where he had 51 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings pitched. A left-hander, Ingrassia spent 2024 with Salem where he made 21 appearances, 12 of them starts, and pitched to a 1.85 ERA in 58 1/3 innings. Even more impressive were the 93 strikeouts to 20 walks. 2025 saw the promising lefty open the year with Greenville, where he would toss 17 innings across four games before getting hurt. He last pitched on April 25, tossing four innings of two-hit ball while allowing two runs. The AFL will present a good opportunity for him to get more reps before an important offseason of recovery and prep work. P Brandon Neely Neely was drafted in the third round of the 2024 Draft and has yet to pitch in the minor leagues. He opened the season on the 60-Day injured list die to forearm tightness and never got into a single game. Instead, his pro debut will occur in the AFL. His most notable traits are his low release point to go along with a fastball that showed bat-missing ability in college. P Issac Stebens Stebens pitched for Oklahoma State University prior to be drafted in the 16th round of the 2023 Draft. In his lone season at OSU, Stebens threw 64 1/3 innings out of the pen and struck out 85 batters. Since being drafted, Stebens has continued to pitch out of the bullpen, where he was dominant for Greenville in 2025. Appearing in 38 games, Stebens pitched to the tune of a 2.15 ERA in 50 1/3 innings. In that same span, he struck out 59 batters and saved nine games. C Johanfran Garcia (Red Sox 27th ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline) Garcia is the younger brother of Red Sox top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia, and prior to 2024 ,was viewed as the better of the brothers offensively. While the elder Garcia broke out in 2024, the younger brother wasn’t as fortunate. Tearing his knee just 14 games into the season, Garcia missed nearly all of 2024 and a good portion of 2025 as he recovered from the surgery. In 2025, the younger Garcia played in 58 games between the Florida Complex League and Greenville. However, Garcia had a strong August, hitting .269/.306/.493 with five home runs and 13 RBIs. Just 20 years old, there’s plenty of time for Garcia to develop into the offensive catcher he was envisioned as. OF Nelly Taylor Jr. (Red Sox 17th ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline) Taylor was an 11th-round pick in the 2023 Draft out of Polk State after choosing to play baseball over basketball in college. In 2023, he led his college team in most offensive categories while also being named the Sun Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year. With the Red Sox, he’s been known for his work on that side of the ball, as he won the organization’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and was set to play in the 2025 Spring Breakout Game, though he did not take part due to a hamstring injury. Taylor had an up-and-down season offensively in 2025, as he slashed .187/.341/.302 with 13 doubles, a triple, two home runs, 16 RBIs and 71 strikeouts in his final 53 games. INF/OF Stanley Tucker Tucker was drafted in the 19th round of the 2023 Draft and has only played in 89 games since then due to a torn labrum near the end of the 2024 minor league season. In March 2025, he dislocated a bone in his wrist after running into the outfield wall and did not play in a game in the 2025 season. His performance in the AFL will be key to keeping him on the organization's radar heading into 2026. View full article

“I don’t really expect much more opportunity here just because decisions that were made were made, and it kind of didn't involve me. I mean, all those decisions, they make sense in a way, but I guess it sucks a little bit.” That was a quote from Vaughn Grissom at the end of July to MassLive’s Katie Morrison-O’Day. Anyone who watches baseball knows that organizational plans and roster construction can change in the blink of an eye. Players know the same fact all too well. At one point in time, you're viewed as the shortstop of the future, and in the next, you're shipped off to a new team, learning a new position and hoping to become a starter for that new organization that believes in you. That's the story of Vaughn Grissom. Drafted in the 11th round of the 2019 draft by the Atlanta Braves, Grissom rose up their prospect rankings and looked to be their shortstop once Dansby Swanson left for the Chicago Cubs. Grissom, however, did not claim that role for himself, instead losing the job to Orlando Arcia despite having a respectable showing in 2022. Grissom would go on to spend the majority of 2023 in Triple-A while Arcia became an All-Star, but the talent that once made him a top prospect was still there. That was when the Red Sox came into Grissom’s life. Looking to move on from oft-injured left-hander Chris Sale, a deal was struck between Boston and Atlanta where the two clubs swapped Sale and Grissom. The Red Sox, however, didn't need Grissom to play shortstop, as they already had Trevor Story to man the position. Instead, they imagined him as their second baseman after a 2023 season in which that position failed to consistently offer impact on both sides of the ball. That was unfortunately the peak of Grissom’s time with Boston—before he even stepped foot on the field. The young infielder would end up pulling his hamstring in spring training and miss the start of the season. An illness sapped his strength and left him a shell of his usual self, and once he seemed to be turning a corner, Grissom wound up injured once more with a hamstring strain in his opposite leg in June. The infielder would end up spending the majority of 2024 between Triple-A Worcester and the injured list. All of this happened while visions for the infield were quickly changing. Offseason addition Romy González was proving to be quite valuable to the team, while top prospects Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer had fans and the organization alike imagining the duo in Boston. Grissom was quickly becoming the odd man out in Boston's plans after just a single season. To make matters worse, Sale was having not just an All-Star season in Atlanta, but one that would eventually win him a Cy Young award while helping the Braves make the playoffs. The Red Sox, on the other hand, were in need of major league quality starting pitching as they fell out of the playoff race. To say the trade was a disaster then was premature; Grissom had been affected by one ailment after another for the majority of the season. He was still young, entering the 2025 season at the age of 24. The deal could still potentially work out. Grissom showed up to spring training in a better condition than he ended 2024 in. The muscle he lost from his bout with illness had been added back and then some. Still, he failed to make the Opening Day roster, instead being sent to Triple-A once more as the club appeared to favor Campbell over him at second base. It was clear he had been leaped on the organizational depth chart. Grissom took the demotion as a pro, heading to Worcester and playing his best every day despite seeing the Red Sox promote other infielders over him. Grissom learned some third base and first base as both Triston Casas and Alex Bergman missed time, but instead saw players such as Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro get the nod over him for big league call-ups. The writing was on the wall for Grissom, but he continued to work hard until an injury sent him to the injured list in August. The Red Sox would transfer him to the 60-Day IL in September, officially ending his season without making an appearance in Boston. Now, it seems like his days with the franchise may be numbered. Despite a year in which Grissom hit .270/.342/.441 with 24 doubles, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and nine stolen bases in 96 games, he was never considered for a promotion to Boston despite several stretches where the big league club could have benefited from an offensive injection. One thing is certain: The Red Sox could have looked like a different team these last two seasons if they had a healthy Sale in the rotation. In 48 starts since being traded to Atlanta, Sale is 23-8 with a 2.37 ERA in 292 2/3 innings pitched. He also struck out 375 batters in that span while making two All-Star teams. Grissom, on the other hand, has a career stat line of .190/.246/.219 with three doubles and six RBIs in 31 games with Boston in 2024. Things really didn't work out for the Red Sox. Despite the situation he found himself in, Grissom worked hard until the end, though his recent comments paint the picture of a player seeking his way out of town. Grissom is under contract for four more seasons, one at league minimum and then three arbitration years. The major issue facing Grissom and the Sox right now is he's out of minor league options. Should Grissom be on the roster by the end of the offseason, his back will be up against the wall and he'll have to fight even harder than before to justify being on the active roster. Only time will tell how this trade will look when it's all done, but for now, it's looking like the Braves got a perineal All-Star and Cy Young candidate for nothing more than a disgruntled former prospect. View full article

With the 2025 season beginning to wind down, the Red Sox have just 15 games remaining once they begin their weekend series against the New York Yankees. In that stretch, the team will play against three playoff teams, along with two others attempting to play spoiler. Today, we’re going to look at these series and the playoff implications they could hold. September 12-14: New York Yankees As of this writing, the Red Sox and Yankees are separated by just one game for the first AL Wild Card position. This weekend series at Fenway could very well determine who will be hosting the other team in the Wild Card round, especially since there is a three-and-a-half game difference between the second and third wild card positions. With the Red Sox three games behind Toronto for the division, it is looking exceedingly likely that they will finish with a wild card spot. Because of that, it is important that the Red Sox manage to take at least two out of three games against the Yankees. At worst, it means the two teams will finish the series tied for the first wild card spot, something the Red Sox would much rather prefer than the second or third spots. In the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, the first wild card will host the second, while the division winner with the worst record will host the third wild card. Unlike the other rounds, the best-of-three series will be played strictly at the home field of the stronger team. For the Red Sox, that could make or break their postseason. The Red Sox are one of the more dominant teams at home, having gone 44-28 up to this point on the year. Road trips have been a different story, as the team has struggled at times and is currently just 36-37. Thee Red Sox would obviously rather play three games at Fenway rather than at their opponent’s home field, especially if it’s Yankee Stadium, where their only two losses to the Yankees have come this season, including a blowout loss on Sunday Night Baseball. September 16-18: The Athletics The Athletics will play the Red Sox in a three-game series for the second time in just over a week and would love to play the role of spoiler considering they’re out of the playoff hunt already. The Athletics are a young team, but that doesn’t mean they lack talent. Early in the season, they were hovering around .500 before a rough stretch in May saw their record plummet. Now with many of their best young players on the roster, the Athletics have finished July and August with records over .500. Despite a 66-79 record up to this point, the Athletics have played well on the road with a 37-38 record. A team on the rise, the Athletics would be smart to use these last few weeks to help develop their core of Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Luis Cohen and others to help get them used to winning important games. While the series isn’t as big as the ones against the Yankees or Blue Jays, every game should be viewed as a must-win by the Red Sox until the season concludes. September 19-21: Tampa Bay Rays The Rays are a team that are usually in contention for a playoff spot up until the very last weekend of the season. After five straight playoff appearances, it is now looking like they’ll miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. However, they're still mathematically in the hunt, which means you can't count them out. With a record of 71-72 as of this writing, the Rays sit just 4.5 games back of a playoff spot. Should the Red Sox (or Mariners) lose the majority of their games leading up to this series, there is a real opportunity for the Rays to make up ground in the Wild Card race. If you’re a Rays fan, I wouldn’t hold out hope for it though. Still, even if the Rays are out of playoff contention by the time this series rolls around, there is a good chance they would love to put their division rivals in a tough situation. It also wouldn’t be the first time the Rays were involved in a Red Sox collapse that saw them miss the playoffs; I’m sure everyone remembers that unforgettable September of 2011. And yet, the Rays will very likely not be at full strength when Boston comes to visit. Currently, some key players who are on the injured list includes names like Jonny DeLuca, Taylor Walls, Jonathan Aranda, and Manuel Rodríguez. And that’s not even including ace Shane McClanahan, who last pitched in 2023. The Red Sox could use a weakened Tampa Bay to either clinch a playoff spot or to set up a showdown for what could be their most important series of September. September 23-25: Toronto Blue Jays Shockingly, the Blue Jays could very well be the biggest series for the Red Sox in the coming weeks based on how many games out of the division they are. Before the season began, not too many people expected the Blue Jays to be this competitive. In fact, many probably expected them to sell at the trade deadline with the thought of losing Vlad Guerrero Jr. to free agency being the catalyst for a sell off. Instead, the Blue Jays went from being under .500 after April to first-place in the AL East now, having took off as they had winning records in every month since, including an 18-8 July. Because of that, the Blue Jays currently have a three-game lead over second-place New York and Boston. Should Boston arrive in Toronto just three games, or even less, behind the Blue Jays, it will be a huge series. Boston could hypothetically force themselves back into the division talk and set up a final weekend where the division is on the line. The Blue Jays won’t be easy an easy opponent, however, as the team is nearly at full strength. The only players from their starting lineup that are currently out include Anthony Santander, who hasn’t played since the end of May, and Bo Bichette, who just landed on the 10-day injured list. Pitching-wise, the rotation looks strong, as Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber form a 1-2 punch atop the rotation while Max Scherzer, José Berríos, and Chris Bassitt make up the remainder of it. This series won’t be easy for the Red Sox, but if they can play the Blue Jays even up to this point in September, the AL East will be on the line. September 26-28: Detroit Tigers The final series of the season sees the Red Sox facing off against the Tigers at Fenway. At this point in the season, the series could mean two different things for the Red Sox depending on how they played in the previous weeks. Either they can use it to rest up and prepare for the playoffs because they already locked down a spot, or they’re going for every win to possibly get a better seed. (There’s also the thought of the Red Sox still fighting for a playoff spot, but I like to think that won’t happen at this point of the season). There is a good chance that Detroit enters this series with a desire to go all-in and win it depending on how the race for home field and the number one seed is going at that point. As of this writing, Detroit is just 0.5 games back of Toronto for home field advantage, and unless a collapse occurs for either them or Toronto, it’s very likely the two teams will be fighting it out for the top playoff seed in the Junior Circuit. Of course, if Boston beats the Blue Jays in the previous series, this one could determine the top two seeds in the AL. Detroit -- much like every team at this point in the season -- is dealing with injuries. So far, they have Matt Vierling, Kyle Finnegan, Jackson Jobe and Paul Sewald all on the injured list as players who were viewed as key contributors for the team. Should Detroit clinch the AL Central and fall out of the race for the top record in the American League, then there’s a chance they may just use the weekend to rest up their regulars instead. Overall, the Red Sox need to keep fighting and win as many games as possible in order to stay in the race for not just the AL East, but also the best record in the American League. The loss of Roman Anthony will make that difficult, but this team has shown the ability to overcome challenges and win hard-fought games. These last few series will help showcase just the kind of team Boston can be. View full article

It was just a matter of numbers. Tried to keep it to just three players on each list. Honestly I could spend days just talking about all the arms the Red Sox have developed over the past two years

The 2025 season has been an interesting one for the various farm teams in the Boston organization. While their records don't reflect as much success as previous seasons (see: the graduations of numerous top prospects), the various affiliates who comprise the farm system have had success with the manner in which their players have developed across the season. Of course, for every Greenville that is fighting for a playoff appearance as the season winds down, there are teams like Portland and Worcester that are playing close to .500 baseball, due in part to the constant roster changes occurring at their levels and players needing to adjust to their new situations. Minor league players are wont to suddenly get hot or go extremely cold. With that in mind, let's analyze some of the biggest winners from Boston's farm system over the past month. 1) OF Justin Gonzales .304/.363/.451, nine doubles, two home runs, nine RBIs Gonzales is a name that has been on the radar of fans since he was named the top DSL player in 2024, which he followed up by playing in the 2025 Spring Breakout and Futures at Fenway South games. Since then, he’s done nothing but impress, as shown by his promotion from the Florida Complex League after just one hitless game. Despite being just 18 years old, Gonzales has shown an ability to put the ball in play (17 strikeouts across 113 plate appearances in August). In that same span, he also walked the second most times in a month this season with eight, only trailing May’s 14 free passes. Gonzales has spent the majority of the 2025 season with Salem, and the 18-year-old will get to spend the last bit of the season with Greenville as they fight for a playoff spot. Gonzales played some first base in 2024, but has only played in the outfield this year, where he’s split most of his time between center field and right field. Since being promoted to Greenville, though, he has exclusively played the corner outfield positions. 2) P Yhoiker Fajardo 23 2/3 innings, three ER, eight BB, 36 K, .159 opponent batting average Acquired in an offseason trade with the White Sox for Cam Booser, Fajardo has exploded onto the scene in the lower levels of the minor leagues. He dominated in the Florida Complex League and after just 20 2/3 innings there, he was promoted to Salem... where he has only looked even better. Across his time with Salem, Fajardo has pitched in 12 games and tossed 48 1/3 innings while holding batters to a .230 average. Armed with three pitches, Fajardo’s best pitch is a fastball that can top out at 97 mph. Between his fastball, slider and changeup, he’s been able to mix them to strike out 53 batters in Salem. However, Fajardo really took off in August. Starting six games, the right-hander tossed 23 2/3 innings where he just looked overpowering to hitters. Across those innings, Fajardo limited opposing batters to just 13 hits and eight walks, good for a 0.89 WHIP while also surrendering just three runs. The most impressive part of this run, however, would be the 36 strikeouts. In just a single month, Fajardo got nearly 68% of all his strikeouts with Salem. Fajardo will be an interesting name to keep an eye on for the 2026 season, especially if the Red Sox get aggressive and push him along to Greenville. 3) P Hayden Mullins 27.0 innings, five ER, 28 K, .196 opponent batting average, three wins Mullins is no stranger to being talked about on the site, as he’s had a phenomenal season split between Greenville and Portland. A left-handed pitcher drafted back in 2022, Mullins was promoted to Portland on April 29 and hasn’t stumbled at all. In 17 games with the Sea Dogs, he’s gone 7-2 with a 2.23 ERA across 80 2/3 innings pitched. In August, he turned it up a notch further. In five starts, Mullins tossed 27.0 innings while striking out 28 batters. Opponents also only mustered 18 hits off of him, good for a .196 batting average. Seen as a pitcher who will likely move to the bullpen, Mullins continues to further the argument for developing him as a starter. With a four-pitch mix, Mullins has put himself onto a path of either staying in the rotation or becoming a dangerous middle reliever. Honorable Mentions: P Dalton Rogers (35 strikeouts in 27 innings), C Gerardo Rodriguez (.931 OPS) Despite the number of players who had a great August, there were some who disappointed last month. 1) OF Miguel Bleis .195/.263/.287, 26 strikeouts in 24 games Bleis is no stranger to going on hot and cold streaks. Earlier in the season with Greenville, he went on a hot streak that seemed to show just why he was once a Top 100 prospect. But, just as often as he uncovers a torrid stretch, Bleis goes ice cold. And in August, boy did he struggle. Appearing in 24 games, Bleis had 87 at-bats; of his 17 hits, 11 were singles, as his power vanished across the month. The bigger issue was the large amount of strikeouts compared to walks. The outfielder struck out 26 times while walking just six times. That isn’t ideal, especially when you’re struggling to put the ball in play to begin with. August alone was also Bleis’ worst month of the season, a trend that many don’t want to see as the prospect attempts to finish his fifth season in the Red Sox's farm system on a positive note. 2) P Brandon Clarke 3.0 innings, 15.00 ERA, five ER, six BB, four K Clarke had an up-and-down season in his first professional year. Looking unhittable in Salem after striking out 17 in 9 2/3 innings, he was quickly promoted to Greenville, where things have been a mixed bag. Prior to a stint on the injured list, Clarke had been putting together a very good season, but upon his return, his performance trended downward. In four July starts, he only went nine innings, and things only got worse in August. Clarke would only make two starts before being shut down. In those two starts, Clarke tossed a combined three innings where he allowed five earned runs and six walks. He also surrendered four hits and hit two batters across that span. His WHIP was 3.33 for the month of August. Clarke is still incredibly talented as shown by his high strikeout numbers and armed with a fastball that can top out in triple digits, but these are the kinds of months that can set a prospect back. 3) P Zach Bryant 10 1/3 innings, 14 H, 11 ER, nine B, 12 K Originally acquired back in February of 2021 from the Chicago Cubs for Josh Osich, Bryant has seen his time in the Boston farm system yield mixed results. After a 2021 season that saw him pitch rather well for Greenville, Bryant has seen himself stuck in Double-A with Portland since 2022, including missing all of 2023 and most of 2024 due to injury. Bryant, who is in his age-27 season, has had an up-and-down campaign that has featured more downs than ups. August was his worst month of the season, however, as he struggled in 10 1/3 innings pitched. In that span, he surrendered 15 runs, 11 of them earned, on 14 hits and nine walks for a 9.58 ERA. His WHIP in that span was also 2.23. The only positive for him in August was striking out 12 batters, but otherwise, there wasn’t much to write home about for Bryant. Bryant will be eligible for minor league free agency this offseason, and unfortunately for someone who grew up a Red Sox fan, it might be the end of his time in the system unless he turns things around in September. View full article