A look at Red Sox roster after Alex Bregman joins the mix
With Alex Bregman in the mix, the Boston Red Sox will field an extremely intriguing team that will likely contend for a playoff spot in 2025. For a franchise that hasn't experienced postseason baseball since 2021, it's kind of a big deal.
The Bregman signing, along with adding Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler to the rotation, has Boston fans feeling somewhat optimistic for the season ahead. Here's a look at the Red Sox roster ahead of the team's first full-squad workout in Fort Myers on Monday.
Catcher: Connor Wong, Carlos Narvaez
Wong will be the primary catcher again after a solid 2024 season where he slashed .280/.333/.425 with 13 homers, 24 doubles and 52 RBI. He started 99 games behind the plate for Boston last season, in addition to six games at second base and one appearance in left field.
Narvaez will back him up after being acquired from the Yankees shortly after No. 4 prospect Kyle Teel was dealt to Chicago in the Crochet trade. The 26-year-old played just six games for New York last season, but is touted as a defensively gifted backstop.
First Base: Triston Casas
Casas was limited to just 63 games last season due to a rib injury and went through an offseason of trade rumors,. He'll look to bounce back with a strong 2025 season.
The 25-year-old got the swing and the pop to be one of the most impactful bats on the team, with 42 homers over 222 games during in his young career.
Second Base: Alex Bregman
Bregman gives the Red Sox a much-needed righty bat for the lineup, and while he won a Gold Glove at third base last season, he'll man second base for Boston with Rafael Devers at third.
The veteran should be more than capable of making the move across the infield, and he'll bring a leadership element to the locker room with a pair of World Series rings from his time in Houston. He's also been a beast at Fenway Park, batting .375 with a 1.240 OPS along with seven home runs, nine doubles, and 15 RBI over 21 games at the ole ballyard.
Bregman's addition is a massive boost to the 2025 squad, and takes pressure off top prospect Kristian Campbell and Vaughn Grissom to win the job this spring.
Shortstop: Trevor Story
As always, the biggest concern with Story is his health. He's played just 163 games across his three seasons with the Red Sox, and was on the field for only 26 games in 2024.
But when he does play, Story gives the Red Sox excellent defense at short and some pop in the lineup. If he does end up on the shelf, Boston will likely turn to Romy Gonzalez or Grissom -- or potentially call up Marcelo Mayer -- to take over at short.
Third Base: Rafael Devers
Cora and the Boston brass have been adamant all winter that Devers is their third basemen. He does leave a lot to be desired defensively, but Devers is one of the best bats in the Boston lineup, averaging 32 homers and 96 RBI over the last four seasons. He's made three All-Star teams over that span.
Utility Infielder: Romy Gonzalez
Gonzalez was a Swiss-Army knife for Cora last season. In the infield, he played everywhere but catcher. He also played all three outfield positions when the Sox were in a pinch.
Grissom could also find himself in a utility role, though the team would likely want to get him as much playing time as possible in Triple-A.
Outfield: Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Rob Refsnyder
The Red Sox are stacked in the outfield, and this mix doesn't even include No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony. He could make the Opening Day roster with an impressive spring, but chances are he'll start the season in Worcester so he can play everyday.
Duran has a breakout season in 2024 and was an AL All-Star. Rafaela needs to work on his discipline at the plate, but he's a Web Gem waiting to happen in centerfield. Wilyer Abreu is coming off a Gold Glove season for Boston in right field, and can swing a solid bad in the bottom third of the order.
DH: Masataka Yoshida
Yoshida is looking to bounce back after playing just 108 games last season and slashed .280/.349/.415 for the Red Sox. Those aren't your typical DH numbers, but Yoshida can get real hot at the plate. However, he's a liability in the field, and Boston may try to move him this spring now that Bregman is part of the mix.
Starting Pitchers: Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Lucas Giolito
Whoa, that's a six-man rotation -- and a pretty solid one at that.
First let's chat about the newcomers in Crochet and Buehler. Crochet will lead the pack and could potentially contend for a Cy Young award this year. But he only has one season as a starter under his belt, and the White Sox only let him pitch 146 innings last year, so it will be important to manage the 25-year-old early on. That's where a six-man rotation will help.
But Crochet has the arsenal and the makeup to be a bulldog at the front of the rotation, which is what the Red Sox have needed.
In Buehler, Craig Breslow added a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champ to the mix. The righty missed all of 2023 and only threw 90 innings between the regular season and playoffs last year after undergoing Tommy John, but he'll be a huge addition if he can return to form.
Houck was the ace of the staff and an All-Star last season, and will face less pressure in 2025. The same goes for Bello, who was supposed to be the ace last year but took a big step back. He should improve this season with a lot of that weight off his shoulders.
Giolito is coming back after missing all of last season because of Tommy John surgery, and is a wild card for Boston. If he's good to go, Crawford may find himself relegated to the bullpen.
But with a few injury question marks -- not to mention 19 games in 20 days to start the season -- there's a good chance the Red Sox start the campaign with a six-man rotation.
Relief Pitchers: Liam Hendriks, Aroldis Chapman, Justin Slaten, Josh Winckowski, Justin Wilson, Garrett Whitlock, Cooper Criswell
The closer role is up for grabs, with Hendriks and Chapman candidates to fill the void left by Kenley Jansen's departure. Whoever doesn't become the closer will likely land in the set-up spot, left vacant when Chris Martin left in free agency. Justin Slaten, fresh off a breakout season in 2024, could also potentially close games for Boston.
The experiment of Whitlock as a starter is over, and he can focus on being a dominant reliever again in 2025. Criswell will handle long-relief duties out of the Red Sox bullpen.
