The Boston Red Sox traded for Garrett Crochet and signed Alex Bregman to ensure that the 2025 season would be different than the ones in the recent past. Somehow, they look even worse.
Three top prospects were expected to give the Red Sox a lift, offensively and defensively, this year. Kristian Campbell started the year off hot with a 17-game on-base streak, but he's been ice cold lately with a .183/.266/.270 slash line in his last 30 games. Campbell's isn't the only slumping bat in Boston's lineup, and that's exactly its problem.
The Red Sox's past strikeout struggles persist, they can't hit with runners in scoring position and they're lucky to get through five innings with their starters (besides Crochet). An offensive boost would alleviate some pressure around the roster, but it may be too little, too late.
The Red Sox called Marcelo Mayer up to the big leagues to shore up the infield in the wake of a long-term injury to Bregman. Not only did the timing and utter desperation of Mayer's promotion kill some of the excitement for his debut, but there's nowhere near enough padding in the Sox's lineup during his adjustment period.
Mayer has performed well early in his tenure with Boston, with five hits, including two doubles, in his first five games. But if Campbell's struggles after his hot start are any indication, a slump can come for anyone at any time. Without Bregman's consistency in the batting order, the Red Sox need Mayer to be at his best to have any shot at replicating his production, which is a lot of pressure for the 22-year-old shortstop — the Red Sox insisted their top prospects weren't ready for the big leagues just weeks ago, but Mayer batted cleanup against the Brewers on May 28. Alex Cora attested over the winter that "rookies don't come here to carry teams," but Mayer has been forced into such a position.
Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer can't save the Red Sox on their own
Meanwhile, Anthony remains in Triple-A with nothing else to prove. He's slashing .318/.450/.528 with a .978 OPS, and Red Sox fans hear a new head-turning stat about him seemingly every day. He could've — and should've — been in the big leagues by now, helping the Red Sox through their vicious slump.
Mayer and Anthony are part of the best possible team the Red Sox could've fielded this year. Unfortunately, Trevor Story and Ceddanne Rafaela's contracts keep the club in a bind and logjams on the roster, but Boston is past the point of being able to consider those things. If the Red Sox have any hope of making the playoffs this year, they need to start winning now, but Anthony and Mayer can't spark the offense on their own.
Not only is there too much pressure on the Sox's youngsters while the big leaguers are floundering, but they should've been called up ages ago to work alongside Bregman. One of the reasons Boston signed Bregman in the first place was for his leadership skills, and Anthony and Mayer could've learned a lot from him if he were with the team every day as they adjusted to the big leagues. His absence also leaves the Red Sox with less protection around the prospects in the lineup.
The Red Sox should've fielded their best team when they had the chance. Any offensive lift Anthony or Mayer can provide would've been complemented by Bregman's consistency in the best start of his career. Boston's service time manipulation and the big league team's recent desperation have killed some of the vibes around top prospect promotions, which is a severe disappointment after Mayer and Anthony's excellent stints in Triple-A this year.