Three offseason moves Red Sox must make after missing playoffs

The Boston Red Sox looked like they could be in position to make the postseason after a strong first half. However, after a brutal collapse, the Red Sox failed to earn a spot in October for the third-straight season.

Despite the disappointing end to the season, the Red Sox did have some positives that they could build off of for 2025.

Their starting pitching took a significant step forward under new pitching coach Andrew Bailey, with Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello all looking like potential long-term contributors. Outfielder Jarren Duran became one of the best all-around players in baseball and is looking like a franchise cornerstone. Rookies Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela both out-performed expectations, and should only improve.

Despite these developments, there are still a lot of changes that need to be made. With money to spend and a fanbase that is growing increasingly restless, here are the three moves that the Red Sox need to make in order to get back to the postseason in 2025.

No. 1: Sign a top starting pitcher

The starting pitcher market this offseason is very robust. Players like Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, Nathan Eovaldi, Sean Manaea and Yusei Kikuchi could all be available as free agents. Burnes and Snell are likely to be the two most sought-after names will command the highest contracts.

While those would both be great potential signings for the Red Sox, they both have significant risk. Snell was one of the biggest disappointments in baseball during the first half of last season, and while he turned things around in the second half, there is no guarantee which version of the two-time Cy Young winner a team would get in 2025. Burnes is approaching the wrong side of 30, and every year since becoming full-time starter in 2020, his strike out rate has gone down.

A more realistic, and potentially lower-risk option would be to target the next tier of pitchers, someone like Fried or Flaherty. Fried has gone under-the-radar as one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball these past few seasons, finishing this season with a 3.25 ERA and an MLB-leading two complete games. Flaherty would likely be slightly more affordable, and could also be a great option after a huge bounce-back season with the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. With both teams this season, Flaherty had a 3.17 ERA and helped solidify a depleted Dodgers pitching staff down the stretch.

No. 2: Bolster the bullpen

The biggest reason why the Red Sox did not make the postseason was because of how their bullpen performed in the second half. The Red Sox bullpen had an MLB-worst 5.45 ERA and blew 18 saves after the All-Star break. With Kenley Jansen, one of the lone bright spots in the bullpen, expected to find a new team in free agency this offseason, it is crucial for the Red Sox to make some moves to acquire some top-end relief talent.

One player that would be a perfect fit is San Diego Padres reliever Tanner Scott. The Padres traded for Scott at the deadline from the Miami Marlins to act as their set-up man to closer Robert Suarez. Scott is going to command a closer's salary, so it is unlikely that the Padres will be able to offer him the contract that he wants with Suarez still on the roster.

Another player to watch: Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams. Williams is expected to enter the final year of his contract. If the Brewers do not plan on extending him, then they will almost certainly try and find a trade instead of letting him walk for nothing at the end of the season.

No. 3: Trade an outfielder

The Red Sox had one of the deepest outfields in baseball last season with Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Tyler O'Neill, Rob Refsnyder and Ceddanne Rafaela all contributing at a high level. That is not even including designated hitter Masataka Yoshida, who can also play left field. while O'Neill is a free agent, he has expressed a desire to return to the Red Sox. With so many options in the outfield, and prospects like Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell knocking on the door, it would make a lot of sense to move some of these pieces around.

The player that the Red Sox should focus on finding a deal for is Abreu. He showed a lot of promise in his rookie season, hitting .253/.322/.459 with 15 home runs while playing elite defense in right field. While Abreu would be a great player to watch develop, he may be the odd man out. He does not have as much versatility as Rafaela, who can also play shortstop and second base. He does not have as much potential as Anthony and Campbell. And, perhaps most importantly, he has more trade value than the older Refsnyder and Yoshida.

If the Red Sox are able to trade Abreu for a high-level starting pitcher, they should absolutely pursue that. One team that could be a fit for a potential trade centered around Abreu would be the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners had one of the worst offenses in baseball last season and have a plethora of elite, Major League-level starting pitching.