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Jarren Duran Jarren Duran Avoids arbitration
Fri, Jan 17, 2025, 11:00 AM
The Red Sox and Duran avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.75 million contract with an $8 million club option for 2026 on Friday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: The club option could escalate up to $12 million based on where Duran finishes in the 2025 American League MVP voting. This was the first of four arbitration years for Duran, as he earned an extra year as a Super 2 qualifier. The 28-year-old slashed .285/.342/.492 with 21 home runs and 34 stolen bases for the Red Sox in 2024. |
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Sean Newcomb Sean Newcomb Catches on with Boston
Fri, Jan 17, 2025, 9:11 AM
The Red Sox signed Newcomb to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: Newcomb got into seven games with the Athletics this past season, allowing seven runs with a 7:8 K:BB over 10 innings. The 31-year-old left-hander is likely to open 2025 in the Triple-A Worcester bullpen. |
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Chase Shugart Chase Shugart Booted from 40-man roster
Wed, Jan 15, 2025, 2:06 PM
The Red Sox designated Shugart for assignment Wednesday, Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster reports.
Analysis: The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Blake Sabol, who was acquired via trade. Shugart, 28, made his major-league debut in 2024, allowing four runs over 8.2 frames out of Boston's bullpen. He should stand a good chance of passing through waivers unclaimed. |
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Blake Sabol Blake Sabol Traded to Boston
Wed, Jan 15, 2025, 2:03 PM
The Red Sox acquired Sabol from the Giants on Wednesday in exchange for international bonus pool space, Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster reports.
Analysis: Sabol had been designated for assignment but will now join a new 40-man roster. The 27-year-old has put up a .705 OPS over 121 games at the big-league level and is capable of playing the outfield in addition to catching. Sabol is likely to begin the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Worcester. |
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Masataka Yoshida Masataka Yoshida Could play some outfield in 2025
Mon, Jan 13, 2025, 11:55 AM
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said last week during the team's Fenway Fest fan event that Yoshida (shoulder) being able to play the outfield in 2025 "would be great for the roster," Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: Yoshida was a full-time designated hitter in 2024, playing the outfield for just one inning in an emergency situation. The Red Sox had indicated previously that Yoshida's lack of time in the field was simply due to the club having better defensive options. However, Cora is now saying it was mainly because of Yoshida being compromised physically by a labral tear in his right shoulder, which he eventually had surgery on in early October. The hope is that Yoshida will be ready for Opening Day and it sounds like he could see a little outfield duty in 2025 for the Red Sox. That's if he's still with the team, of course, as his name has been bandied about in trade rumors. |
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Garrett Whitlock Garrett Whitlock Returning to bullpen
Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 10:53 AM
Whitlock (elbow) said Saturday that he will move back to the bullpen in 2025, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
Analysis: Whitlock moved to the Red Sox's rotation last season, but he made just four starts before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery in May. He had already been expected to return shortly after the start of the 2025 campaign, but now that he'll no longer need to build up to a starter's workload, the 28-year-old righty could make his season debut earlier than anticipated. |
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David Hamilton David Hamilton Could be used in outfield
Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 9:25 AM
Manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Hamilton may occasionally play in the outfield this season, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Analysis: Cora added that the Red Sox would like Hamilton to be as versatile as possible for the sake of roster flexibility. The 27-year-old has been used exclusively at second base and shortstop throughout his MLB career, though he has started eight games in center field in the minors. |
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Kutter Crawford Kutter Crawford Avoids arbitration with Boston
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 2:27 PM
The Red Sox and Crawford avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.75 million contract Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: Crawford reached Super 2 status, so he will receive a substantial pay bump. The right-hander made 33 starts for the Red Sox in 2024, finishing with a 4.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 175:51 K:BB across 183.2 frames. Crawford should open the season in Boston's rotation, though it wouldn't appear to be a slam dunk. |
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Tanner Houck Tanner Houck Gets $3.95 million from Boston
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 1:33 PM
Houck agreed to a one-year, $3.95 million contract with the Red Sox on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: After logging a 5.01 ERA in 2023, Houck bounced back with a 3.12 ERA and 1.14 WHIP last season while also posting a 154:48 K:BB over 178.2 frames. His improvement will earn him a $3.18 million raise in his first year of arbitration eligibility, and the 28-year-old righty is expected to follow new acquisition Garrett Crochet atop the Red Sox's rotation. |
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Garrett Crochet Garrett Crochet Settles with new club at $3.8M
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 1:32 PM
The Red Sox and Crochet avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.8 million contract Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: There appears to be mutual interest between the Red Sox and Crochet in working out a long-term contract extension, but for now the two sides will settle for avoiding an arbitration hearing. Crochet put up a 3.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 209:33 K:BB over 146 innings in 2024 with the White Sox in his first year as a full-time starter. |
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Liam Hendriks Liam Hendriks Having normal offseason
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 11:12 AM
Hendriks (elbow) said Wednesday he's been throwing bullpen sessions for a month and a half and is having "a pretty normal offseason," Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Hendriks was limited to just six rehab appearances in 2024 after making it back from Tommy John surgery and threw only 10 innings in 2023 after returning from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It would appear he will enter spring training without restrictions, but it's a mystery what Hendriks' stuff will look like considering how much time he's missed and the fact that he'll turn 36 in February. Browne writes that Hendriks "might be a slight favorite" to open 2025 as Boston's closer, but it's a tentative designation to say the least. |
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Vaughn Grissom Vaughn Grissom Favorite for second base job
Fri, Jan 3, 2025, 8:44 AM
Grissom is the "nominal favorite" to open next season as the Red Sox' starting second baseman, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: David Hamilton was Boston's primary second baseman in the second half in 2024 before a fractured finger ended his season in late August. While Hamilton will also be in the running for the starting gig at the keystone in 2025, it sounds like the Red Sox want to give Grissom another look. Grissom slashed only .190/.246/.219 over 31 games with the big club in 2024 while battling numerous injuries, but he closed out the year strong at Triple-A Worcester and will turn just 24 this month. While Grissom might have a slight leg up at second base right now, it's also possible the Red Sox acquire help from outside the organization. |
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Ceddanne Rafaela Ceddanne Rafaela Will focus primarily on CF
Fri, Jan 3, 2025, 8:33 AM
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said earlier this week that the plan is to keep Rafaela in center field next season "as much as possible," Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: Rafaela made 72 starts in center field, 71 starts at shortstop and four starts at second base in 2024. Center field is his best defensive position, and he will no longer be needed at shortstop, provided the Red Sox get a healthy season out of Trevor Story. The Red Sox have an opening at second base, but the club wants Rafaela to focus on one position, believing his production could have been affected in 2024 because he was bouncing around to different spots. There could be a potential outfield playing time crunch on the horizon, however, with Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu on the roster and top prospect Roman Anthony nearly big-league ready. Rafaela might see fewer starts at that point, or Boston could reconsider using him in the infield. |
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Garrett Whitlock Garrett Whitlock Expected to pitch most of 2025
Mon, Dec 30, 2024, 12:43 PM
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that he expects Whitlock (elbow) to pitch most, if not all, of the 2025 season, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Analysis: Breslow lumped Whitlock together with Lucas Giolito (elbow) in discussing the rehabs of the two pitchers, and Giolito should have the better shot of the two to be ready for Opening Day since he had his internal brace procedure two months earlier. Although, Whitlock could be used in relief in 2025, which could conceivably shorten his timetable. |
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Lucas Giolito Lucas Giolito Six-man rotation possible
Mon, Dec 30, 2024, 12:40 PM
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that Giolito (elbow) should be ready to pitch most, if not all, of 2025, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Analysis: Giolito underwent an internal brace procedure in March but has been throwing for several months now. Additionally, Breslow noted that he's "very, very open" to using a six-man rotation during the 2025 season, per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. That would appear especially notable in Giolito's case, as he is arguably sixth in Boston's rotation hierarchy. |
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Masataka Yoshida Masataka Yoshida Should be swinging bat this spring
Mon, Dec 30, 2024, 12:32 PM
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that Yoshida (shoulder) is "making a ton of progress" and should be swinging a bat during spring training, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Analysis: Yoshida underwent surgery in early October to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder. He's expected to be ready for Opening Day if all goes well during his rehab, and it sounds like he's checked off the necessary boxes thus far. Yoshida's name has come up in trade rumors this offseason, and while it appears the Red Sox would be happy to get out from under the $55.8 million he's still owed, they haven't been able to find any takers so far. |
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Triston Casas Triston Casas Not being shopped in trades
Mon, Dec 30, 2024, 12:26 PM
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that the team is "not shopping" Casas in trade talks this offseason, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: We wouldn't have expected him to say otherwise, and Breslow did acknowledge that he's discussed Casas with other clubs in trade scenarios this winter. Breslow also noted that he's looking for a right-handed bat, and a trade of the left-handed hitting Casas still seems possible as the Red Sox seek to balance out their lineup. |
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Rafael Devers Rafael Devers Still at third base 'as of now'
Mon, Dec 30, 2024, 12:18 PM
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that Devers is the team's third baseman "as of now," Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
Analysis: The "as of now" part is the takeaway here. It's been reported that Boston has considered shifting Devers to first base, and that seems to still be in play if the club makes an outside addition at third base. The Red Sox have been connected to Alex Bregman via free agency and Nolan Arenado via trade this offseason. |
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Jovani Moran Jovani Moran Dealt to Boston
Tue, Dec 24, 2024, 4:27 PM
The Twins traded Moran (elbow) to the Red Sox on Tuesday in exchange for Mickey Gasper, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Analysis: Moran missed all of 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery last offseason, and there's no telling if he'll be ready for the start of spring training. The 27-year-old reliever owns a 4.15 ERA and 1.33 WHIP through 91 innings in his big-league career but will likely begin the season in the minors once he's cleared for game action. |
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Noah Davis Noah Davis Links up with Boston on MiLB deal
Mon, Dec 23, 2024, 11:30 AM
The Red Sox signed Davis to a minor-league contract Saturday.
Analysis: Davis broke the news himself on his Instagram account. The right-hander holds a 7.71 ERA and 43:23 K:BB over 51.1 innings covering parts of three seasons at the major-league level. Davis has experience as a starter and reliever and it's not clear what role Boston has planned for him, but he'll likely begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Worcester. |
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