Red Sox map offseason to add power, defense, frontline starter

The Boston Red Sox closed their 2025 season with an 89-win campaign and a brief postseason appearance, but were eliminated in a three-game American League Wild Card Series by the New York Yankees. At a Monday end-of-season news conference in Boston, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Alex Cora laid out priorities for the offseason, emphasizing the need for more power in the lineup, improved defense and at least one additional frontline starting pitcher.

Garrett Crochet emerged as the staff ace, posting Cy Young-caliber numbers during the regular season and delivering a strong first playoff start in which he allowed one earned run and struck out 11 across more than seven innings. Still, the rotation’s depth was tested late in the year and in October, when injuries and workload forced the club to start a rookie in Game 3. Breslow said the club will be aggressive in pursuing another top starter to pair with Crochet, while also attempting to develop internal options.

Offensively, Boston finished with 186 home runs, roughly middle of the American League, but power production waned down the stretch and was limited in the short postseason series. Breslow acknowledged the...