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The Boston Red Sox aren't technically eliminated from playoff contention yet thanks to their recent four-game winning streak, but considering how they 3.5 games out of the final American League wild card spot with just four games left to play, it's safe to say they'd need a lot of things to go their way in order for them to be playing postseason baseball this year.
With an 80-78 record, the Red Sox have been closing out the season strong after struggling for much of the second half of the season. Finishing with a record at or above .500 would have to be considered a win for this team considering how low expectations were entering the year, and it's clear that there are some key pieces already on this squad that are worth building around.
And yet, while the 2024 campaign has been a step in the right direction, it still isn't nearly good enough to appease the championship hungry Boston fans. Things are trending in the right direction, but the Sox unexpected success in 2024 has set the stage for a wildly important offseason that could determine what the future of the franchise looks like.
Why Red Sox face make-or-break offseason
It's pretty strange to consider how different the vibes surrounding the Red Sox are now compared to when the season started. Boston was fresh off an incredibly disappointing offseason that saw their front make very few upgrades to their roster, and considering how poorly they played in 2023, many folks were expecting much of the same.
Instead, this team ended up defying expectations, despite having several reasons to struggle like everyone expected them to. They dealt with a rash of injuries from the get-go, and it seemed like they didn't have the depth to deal with those ailments even before they popped up. And yet they somehow could find a way to post an above .500 record for the year.
In the process, Boston identified a group of players who they believe they can build around. Everyone already knew Rafael Devers was a superstar, but he got some help from a surprisingly strong supporting cast that featured guys like Jarren Duran, Tyler O'Neill, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida, Connor Wong, and Triston Casas (when he was healthy, of course).
The pitching staff was expected to be one of the worst in the league, and yet they managed to be middling, which is really better than anyone could have hoped for. Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford both proved they could be capable starters for a contender, while Brayan Bello has put together a very strong second half of the season after struggling mightily out of the gate. The bullpen, which was pieced together all year long, saw guys like Greg Weissert and Justin Slaten emerge as key contributors.
That brings us to the offseason, where Boston will need to spend in order to make some serious upgrades to this team. The pitching staff as a whole needs a ton of help. Somehow, someway, an ace needs to be brought in to lead the starting rotation, and getting more relievers who can excel in high-leverage situations would be a good idea too. It wouldn't hurt if a couple of these arms were left-handed pitchers too.
Offensively, the Sox probably don't have to do too much. They managed to be a solid team at the plate all year long, despite the fact Casas and Trevor Story have combined to play in just 82 games. When you consider the fact that prospects like Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer, and Kyle Teel all could be making their way to the majors in 2025, it looks like Boston is largely in a good place in this department.
After a few years of penny-pinching from the team's ownership group, the time is now to get back in the game. John Henry and company cannot simply sit out free agency like they have done in years past. This team has the potential to become a true playoff contender as soon as next season if the front office pushes the right buttons this offseason, but they need ownership to allow them to dust off the checkbook and finally put it to use.
Whether that happens is as good as anyone's guess, but this offseason could finally be the one where Boston puts all the pieces of the puzzle together and turns themselves back into one of the top teams in the league. The destruction of their 2018 World Series squad was painful, but the brighter days that were always believed to be ahead are finally in sight. And if things go Boston's way, the 2025 campaign could end up being even more exciting than the 2024 one was.
