Red Sox’s bold bets on ace Garrett Crochet and rookie Roman Anthony worked out. But it’s not enough to be considered serious contenders

In the end, the Red Sox weren’t good enough.

There were, along the way, illusions to the contrary. Take, for instance, a scintillating performance from ace Garrett Crochet in the AL wild-card opener that put Boston in the driver’s seat. Still, it proved to be false hope. The Red Sox faltered late in a goose-bumping Game 2 before being absolutely dominated by rookie hurler Cam Schlittler in an all-deciding Game 3.

Why exactly Boston’s topsy-turvy 2025 season ended early can be chalk-talked into oblivion. A series of unfortunate, late-season injuries to star rookie Roman Anthony and No. 2 starter Lucas Giolito undoubtedly played a role in the team’s downfall. So did a string of critical mistakes in Game 2 that tipped the scales toward the Yankees, namely a failed bunt attempt by Ceddanne Rafaela, a botched diving catch by Jarren Duran and an overly passive baserunning decision by third-base coach Kyle Hudson on what would’ve been the go-ahead run. And sure, maybe manager Alex Cora left rookie southpaw Connelly Early out to dry a little too long in Game 3.

But overanalyzing such minutiae is a waste of time.

The 2025 Red Sox were simply not capable of winning a World Series. They didn’t have the arms, they didn’t have the bats, and they didn’t have the gloves. The roster, all along, was too flawed to overcome. Against the Yankees, the Sox were effectively rolling out a lineup of Alex Bregman, Trevor Story, a defensive specialist in Rafaela, a solid catcher in Carlos Narváez and five platoon players. Crucially, nobody in the lineup except for Story instilled anything resembling fear in the hearts and minds of Yankees pitchers.

I wonder if Rafael Devers watched the wild-card series.

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And while the rotation showed admirably in the wild-card round, it was unavoidably obvious that even with Giolito’s unexpected absence, the staff was an arm or two short. That void on the roster shines a spotlight on the club’s underwhelming trade deadline. Yes, the team’s premier acquisition, starter Dustin May, spent the series on the IL, but he was far from the game-changing, needle-moving force that might have swung the thing in Boston’s favor.

So where do the Red Sox go from here? Are there encouraging conclusions to draw from this most tumultuous season? Or are the Sox paper tigers in a division that remains an unforgiving jungle?

Let’s start with the good.

Anthony’s emergence was the most important development of Boston’s season. Anybody, fan or professional ball-knower, who saw the 21-year-old in person this year knows that he is a difference-making hitter. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who has earned criticism for some of his maneuvers since taking over in the fall of 2023, deserves kudos for signing the powerful outfielder to a long-term deal. Anthony will make a ton of All-Star Games and serve as the centerpiece of Boston’s lineup for years to come.

The arrivals and successes of a pair of young southpaws, Early and the mustached Payton Tolle, also provide reason for optimism. Both hurlers should compete for rotation spots next season, evidence that Boston’s pitching development apparatus has taken a nice step forward. Story’s offensive bounce-back, even though he’s under contract through only 2027, makes the near-term outlook rosier than it might have been. Bregman was a great fit as well, despite the seven-week quad injury that derailed his season.

But there are reasons for concern as well.

Kristian Campbell made the big-league club out of camp and showed flashes at the plate in April before falling off a cliff in May. He was demoted on June 20 and never reappeared in the bigs. Campbell is currently a defensive liability without a real position, which gives him a shorter leash to find consistency with the bat. Getting him back on track is crucial. The same is true for fellow big-name prospect Marcelo Mayer, whose 2025 ended early due to a wrist injury. Mayer’s inability to hit left-handed pitching is a real worry spot, as is his inability to stay on the field. He needs a healthy 2026 to get back on track.

Boston’s offensive position-player group still resembles a puzzle with no edge pieces. The Red Sox probably need to trade one of their two lefty-hitting outfielders, but both Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran took massive steps back this season, hurting their trade value. Players such as Nick Sogard, Nate Eaton and David Hamilton were helpful at times but are not impactful enough to form the backbone of a World Series contender. Masataka Yoshida finished the year hot but isn’t a particularly valuable player as a DH with no power who struggles against same-sided pitching.

Oh, and Bregman is a sure bet to activate his opt-out and retest free agency. Even if the Sox re-sign him, the lineup feels at least two bats short.

And while the club has more financial flexibility after dealing away the Devers contract, there is legitimate skepticism that Breslow and the ownership will be aggressive enough in free agency to add the necessary pieces. That dynamic, plus the disappointing seasons from Campbell, Mayer, Duran, Abreu and Yoshida, calls into question whether this core is talented enough to compete for a championship.

That’s unfortunate, given just how magnificent of a win the Crochet trade and extension have proven to be. The southpaw is an ace’s ace, the type of pitcher strong enough to carry the hopes and expectations of a city as demanding as Boston. But as we’ve seen with Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh and Tarik Skubal in Detroit, one Cy Young cannot singlehandedly win a title.

As such, Boston’s front office needs to be more proactive in taking advantage of this window. Simply employing an arm such as Crochet makes the Red Sox a force to be reckoned with, but it’s reasonable to doubt that they will make other necessary moves on the margins, as their half-measure approach at this year’s deadline showcased.

There’s an enticing foundation here, but whether the building gets built remains an open question.