Five Burning Questions Facing Red Sox Following 2024 Season

The Boston Red Sox finished their 2024 season with an 81-81 record, good for third place in the American League East but not enough for a postseason berth.

The Red Sox have several talented young players and they sparked a hot stretch over the summer that had Boston 11 games over .500 at the All-Star break. Unfortunately for Boston, bullpen struggles and poor defense led to a second-half deflation that drove the Red Sox out of the postseason picture.

Changes have to be made after missing the postseason for the third straight season. The Red Sox must capitalize on a young core by filling in necessary pieces to fulfill the roster and finally push through back to the postseason in 2025.

So, what needs to be done in Boston?

Here are five burning questions for the Red Sox for the upcoming offseason after the 2024 campaign:

1. Will the Red Sox find an ace?
In the first season with a fresh pitching development program, previously unproven starters Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford all made 30 starts for the first time in their careers.

While that was great progress, the Red Sox clearly still need more to offer a legitimately strong starting rotation. There are several avenues to trade for an ace given the young overflow of talented position players that could lead the Red Sox to a deal.

Free agents such as Max Fried and Corbin Burnes offer No. 1 starter stuff and experience, though the Red Sox will have to pay up in some fashion. To truly take the next step in a return to the postseason, Boston needs an ace.

2. Who will fill out Boston's bullpen?
The Red Sox leaned heavily on the steady veteran production of Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen over the last two seasons. Both of those right-handers are headed to free agency, likely leaving major holes at the back end of the Red Sox bullpen.

Liam Hendriks, a former All-Star closer, should join the team in 2025 after missing the entire season due to recovery from Tommy John surgery late in 2023. Justin Slaten showed elite stuff on the mound while young arms in Zach Penrod and Luis Guerrero showed promise. Josh Winckowski and Garrett Whitlock, should he return to the bullpen, can give multiple quality innings.

From there, the Red Sox cycled depth from Triple-A Worcester but failed to find consistency. It may not be the leading issue or flashiest headline of the winter, but Boston needs a true retooling of the bullpen.

3. How close to the majors are Boston's top prospects?
The Red Sox got another big year of development in their loaded farm system.

Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel and Kristian Campbell lead the optimism of what's to come while Boston got a steal in the draft with the selection of Braden Montgomery.

Anthony and Campbell both finished the year hot at Triple-A Worcester and absolutely should be candidates to make the Opening Day roster in 2025. That is, of course, with whatever consequences come of an offseason that should reshape the roster.

4. Can the Red Sox improve defense consistently?
The Red Sox inexcusably led the AL in errors. It's probably the biggest reason they're not preparing for October baseball.

Boston finished five games out of a playoff spot. There were definitely five games where clean defense could’ve flipped the results. Next season, a full year of Trevor Story at shortstop and Ceddanne Rafaela in center field will greatly ease this issue. From there, the rest of the club, particularly elsewhere around the infield, has to improve.

5. When will the Red Sox finish strong to avoid postseason absences?
There's no excuse anymore.

A new crop to finalize a strong young core hits Boston in 2025. Cornerstone players like Jarren Duran and Triston Casas are established. Middle of the rotation starters added necessary experience. The time to properly bolster the roster is now.

The Red Sox are not a franchise where three-year playoff absences are the norm. That must change in 2025.