Boston Red Sox
Roman Anthony is just scratching the surface and could blossom into one of the faces of the sport.
Roman Anthony, one of baseball’s brightest young stars, is poised to take his game to the next level. Barry Chen/Global Staff
After three years of mediocrity, the Red Sox turned a corner last year and gave fans reason to believe for the first time since 2021.
While the Wild Card loss to the Yankees brought frowns back to faces, it became clear that the organization had made tangible strides and was on the cusp of returning to legitimate competition.
This season was all about tinkering and making sure the pieces fit together around the stars. Although they didn’t get the true star that many hoped for, the Sox did gain a lot of valuable players who should mesh well with the emerging young core and veteran ace Garrett Crochet.
Now, expectations are higher again — the way they used to be and always should be in Boston — and this year’s team appears poised to take the next step and potentially make the postseason.
Here are three reasons for optimism and three reasons for concern as the season approaches:
There is no reason to complicate this. Roman Anthony is already one of the best young stars in baseball, and he has an excellent chance to emerge as one of the faces of the sport in the coming years.
Anthony hit .292 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs in 71 games last year and showed discipline at the plate beyond his years. With that experience to draw on, and the World Baseball Classic as a starting point, 21-year-old Anthony is ready to break ground on a new level.
Meanwhile, Ceddanne Rafaela (25) hit 16 home runs and led the team in wins above replacement (4.8) with impressive range in center field. Wilier Abreu (26 years old) contributed 22 goals and won the Golden Glove again alongside Rafaela.
On the mound, Brian Bellew (26) is coming off a career year in which he lowered his ERA to 3.35 and walked just 59 in 166.2 innings.
Connelly Early (23) posted a 2.23 ERA last year, Payton Tull (23) showed potential in a small sample size, and Keason Weatherspoon (21) has the right tools as well. Regardless of where they start the season, all three are players to keep an eye on moving forward.
On the other hand, there are some talented young players in the organization at a crossroads as they try to establish themselves as major league players.
Former No. 4 overall pick Marcelo Mayer (23) hit .228 in 44 games and struck out 41 times in 127 at-bats as a rookie last year. Now, he’s returning from wrist surgery last August, hoping to make the roster and earn his spot as a starter at second or third base.
Christian Campbell (23) finds himself in a somewhat similar situation after hitting .223 last year with a WAR of minus 1. It’s a pivotal moment in his career, and with opportunities there, it’s up to him to take advantage of them.
Triston Casas (26), who played in just 29 games last year and hit .182 with three homers, is still recovering from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
There’s no need to over-analyze this either. The Red Sox have one of the best pitchers in baseball in Crochet, who will have a legitimate chance to win the Cy Young Award this year after finishing second last season. As long as he’s in the rotation, they have a chance in any playoff series.
Newcomers Ranger Suarez (12-8, 3.20 ERA last year), Sonny Gray (14-8, 4.28 ERA last year) and Johan Oviedo (2-1, 3.57 ERA last year) are the front-runners to complete the rotation alongside Crochet and Bello.
Suarez (30) and Gray (36) have extensive MLS experience and are proven commodities. Oviedo is a bit younger (28), but he has played in 32 games for the Buccaneers in 2023 and uses his 6-foot-6, 275-pound frame to overpower opponents.
The versatile Trevor Story is back for more after revitalizing his career last season (.253, 25 homers, 96 RBIs, 31 steals). Jarren Duran had a decent 2025 season but is fully capable of returning to form in 2024 after a slight dip by his lofty standards last year.
Returnees Masataka Yoshida, Carlos Narvaez, Romy Gonzalez (pending health) and Nate Eaton, among others, are back for more. Newcomers Wilson Contreras, Caleb Durbin, Isiah Keener-Faleeva and Andrew Monasterio fortify the depth of the outfield, and dominant players Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock anchor the bullpen.
Just like Justin Turner did before him, Alex Bregman made everyone around him better and thrived as a stable veteran on and off the field.
Bregman only spent one year in Boston, but it felt like longer, as he quickly ingratiated himself with a fan base that despised him. His colleagues praised his ability to help with any advice they had, and his consistency was perhaps his greatest superpower.
Storey, who was already a trusted voice at the club, is likely to take on a greater leadership role this season. Contreras and Durbin have the opportunity to work alongside each other and help fill that void as well. Durbin, who stands 5 feet 6 inches tall, could turn into a fan favorite.
It may take some time, and they may feel Bregman’s absence at first, but they have the individuals to adapt and move forward.
For those craving more baseball, the World Baseball Classic will be the perfect accompaniment to spring training this season.
13 players from the American League are competing in Boston: Abreu (Venezuela), Anthony (USA), Bello (Dominican Republic), Tsung Chi-ching (Chinese Taipei), Contreras (Venezuela), Duran (Mexico), Eaton (Great Britain), Jovani Moran (Puerto Rico), Rafaela (Netherlands), Suarez (Venezuela), Greg Weissert (Italy), Whitlock (USA), and Yoshida. (Japan).
There are obvious benefits, as players like Contreras, Abreu and Suarez, along with Anthony and Whitlock, will be able to link up and represent their country. It’s a chance for Anthony, who hit a home run Tuesday with an impressive home run in an exhibition game, to turn himself into a more household name.
It also gives these players a chance to head into the season with momentum and several high-pressure reps behind them.
While the WBC has some obvious perks, it’s not all rosy for MLB teams.
For starters, managers have to mix and match in spring training and turn to players who may not be seeing any action. It’s possible that some will impress so much that they earn a roster spot, but that’s unlikely.
Those who compete in this event will also end up playing a lot of high-level baseball, which can be exhausting and possibly put some wear and tear on the body. There’s always the risk of serious injury, which will inevitably lead to the somewhat silly but somewhat pertinent question, “Why did he play in the WBC?”
While the Red Sox will have plenty of time to build chemistry, time without their full lineup now could make the process a little slower than it would have been.
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