Boston Red Sox Have Had A Sneaky Great Offseason

The Boston Red Sox entered the offseason having missed the playoffs in the last three consecutive seasons. For a team with the Red Sox' recent history, market size and four World Series wins since 2004, urgency should have started to set in. 

And based on how they've handled the 2024-2025 free agency period, it's clear their ownership and front office certainly felt it. While much of the offseason attention has focused on the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, for good reason, the Red Sox might unexpectedly be the most improved team in baseball. 

It started with the trade for starting pitcher Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox traded from their substantial prospect depth; sending Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Wikelmon Gonzalez in return for Crochet. 

Crochet was worth nearly five wins above replacement last season in Chicago, with 209 strikeouts in just 146 innings and a 2.69 FIP. His 12.88 strikeout per nine rate was the highest of any starting pitcher in baseball, a big addition for a team that desperately needed more starting pitching. And they weren't done there.

Houston third baseman Alex Bregman hit better on the road in 2017 without illegal pitch signals at .290 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs than he did at home with illegal pitch signals at .278 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Red Sox Adding Depth, Quality, To Dangerous Roster

Boston then added reliever Aroldis Chapman, who's still one of baseball's hardest throwers at age 37. To build around Crochet, they signed Patrick Sandoval and then Dodgers postseason hero Walker Buehler. 

Then, the big move: adding star third baseman Alex Bregman from the Houston Astros. 

Suddenly, Boston's rotation is one of baseball's best:

• Garrett Crochet
• Tanner Houck
• Bryan Bello
• Walker Buehler
• Kutter Crawford
• Lucas Giolito

The back end of the bullpen features Liam Hendricks and Aroldis Chapman. 

And the lineup looks a lot more dangerous with Bregman in the middle of it:

• Jarren Duran
• Rafael Devers
• Alex Bregman
• Triston Casas
• Masataka Yoshida
• Trevor Story
• Wilyer Aybar
• Connor Wong
• Cedanne Rafaela

And several of Boston's top prospects could be ready to contribute this year too, including Roman Anthony, widely considered the best prospect in baseball, and Kristian Campbell, who's expected to add speed and on base skills at the top or bottom of the lineup.

The Yankees just made the World Series, the Rays are always dangerous, the Orioles have youth and the Blue Jays have star power. But the Red Sox offseason has arguably made them the most complete roster, considering what they have and what's coming.