Since their Cinderella run to the ALCS in 2021, the Boston Red Sox have been stuck in baseball purgatory. Their last three seasons with records of 78-84, 78-84 and 81-81 have set a new standard of mediocrity. The days of league-leading payrolls and Back Bay parades are gone. Being an expensive, middling team is a far worse fate than rebuilding through high picks.
The roster is full of exciting, high-priced players brought in to win the World Series. However, many are underperforming and must improve to keep the Red Sox buying, not waving the white flag as sellers.
From 2004 to 2020, under John Henry’s ownership, the Red Sox started each season with a top-five payroll. Aggressive spending meant a commitment to contention. David Price got $217 million, Manny Ramirez $160 million, and Carl Crawford $142 million. Crawford aside, these moves delivered championships.
With $195 million tied up in the 2025 roster and high postseason hopes, the team is at a crossroads, and key players must step up before it’s too late.
3 players who need to step up to prevent Red Sox from being trade deadline sellers
Connor Wong
Red Sox fans need no reminders of the tumultuous Mookie Betts trade that landed Connor Wong in Boston. Wong took over as the starting backstop in 2023 and impressed with a .758 OPS in 2024. However, he ranked 52nd of 58 in framing and 63rd of 66 in blocking. His offensive value masked defensive woes until now.
Wong has had an abysmal start to this season. He fractured his pinky on April 7 and is still hitting .158 with zero extra-base hits or RBIs entering June.
Meanwhile, rookie Carlos Narváez, acquired from the Yankees over the offseason, has an .804 OPS and ranks top five in both framing and blocking. If Wong doesn’t improve quickly, he could even be a DFA contender.
Trevor Story
Trevor Story has struggled throughout his Red Sox tenure. He signed for $140 million in 2022 to be an infield stalwart like he was in Colorado. Instead, he’s battled injuries including a torn labrum that limited him to 26 games in 2024.
He’s currently hitting .218 with a .594 OPS, and most have moved on from hopes of a career resurgence. However, unlike Wong, Story won’t be DFA’d as cutting him now would cost over $60 million.
If his bat can return to even replacement-level production, he could solve the Sox’s positional logjam. As his range declines, a move to first base would fill that void and open shortstop for rookie Marcelo Mayer. Story was expected to be a core piece of the franchise. He still has a chance to become one.
Tanner Houck
Tanner Houck has been a disaster to start 2025. After an All-Star 2024 with a 3.12 ERA, no one expected such a steep fall. He’s already had two implosion outings, allowing 11 runs each. Just two days after one of them against the Tigers, he was placed on the 15-day IL with an elbow strain. Whether it’s a phantom move or not, Houck can use the much-needed break to tweak his arsenal and salvage his season.
Outside of Garrett Crochet, the rotation is faltering. Houck’s once-dominant sweeper now hangs over the plate, with a whiff rate dropping from 30% to 15%. Houck reintroduced a four-seam this season that batters are hitting .600 against.
Andrew Bailey should overhaul his pitch selection and technique. Like Garrett Whitlock, the bullpen ultimately might suit Houck better. Whether in the rotation or the bullpen, Houck must turn it around, especially with the Red Sox on the verge of becoming deadline sellers.