The Boston Red Sox have played meaningful October baseball just once since their 2018 World Series title. Their last postseason berth came in 2021 when they squeaked in via the wild card and made it to Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
Last season was the closest Boston has come to a playoff spot since then. Alex Cora's club finished the 2024 campaign with an 81-81 record, five games behind the third AL wild card.
Despite another disappointing season, the Red Sox appear to be trending upward heading into 2025. The highly-touted prospects are ready to make an impact in the big leagues, and the front office made a solid effort to improve the starting pitching staff in the offseason.
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Will that be enough to end Boston's playoff drought? Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow believes it's possible.
"I'm sitting here now and saying that we are focused on winning as many games in 2025 as we can and, you know, believing that we have a team that's capable of making the playoffs," Breslow told reporters Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla.
So, what will be the biggest key to the Red Sox clinching a postseason spot for the first time since 2021? Our panel weighed in for the latest installment of "Spring Storylines."
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(Note: This post was published before the Red Sox signed All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman to a three-year contract)
Justin Leger: Starting rotation stays healthy
On paper, the Red Sox' starting pitching staff is significantly better than last year's with the additions of Garrett Crochet as a true No. 1 and Walker Buehler as a high-upside veteran. Lucas Giolito also raises the group's ceiling if he looks like himself in his return from Tommy John recovery.
That's one of several health-related concerns within the rotation. Crochet missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and 2024 marked his first full season as a starter. The Chicago White Sox had him on an innings limit throughout the second half.
Buehler struggled mightily in 2024 after returning from Tommy John. He rebounded with a postseason run with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he's far from a guarantee to return to ace form in 2025.
If the rotation stays healthy, Boston should sneak into the playoffs via a wild-card spot. If injuries become an issue, it could be a long year.
Nick Goss: Starting pitching improves
Trading for Garrett Crochet gives the Red Sox a potential ace. The signing of veteran starter Walker Buehler added valuable experience. Brayan Bello still has another level (or two) to climb. Tanner Houck was an All-Star last season.
On paper, the rotation should be better and deeper. If that's the case, the Red Sox should be in good shape because they will score plenty of runs.
Darren Hartwell: It all comes down to pitching
The Red Sox have ranked 11th or higher in runs scored in each of the last three seasons, but their lack of rotation depth and shaky bullpen have cost them, particularly in August and September.
If this team wants to play in October, its Opening Day rotation needs to stay mostly intact throughout the season, and Craig Breslow's gamble on the bullpen needs to pay off: As of now, the closer role is a competition between soon-to-be-37-year-old Aroldis Chapman and 35-year-old Liam Hendricks, who hasn't pitched since 2023.