3 fatal decisions since the 2021 ALCS that put the Red Sox in this mess

The Bogaerts-Eovaldi-Martinez triple loss of the 2022-23 offseason

A homegrown talent at a position that has always been in flux throughout Red Sox history, the best possible follow-up designated hitter to David Ortiz that the Sox could have asked for, and a postseason hero who had developed into the strongest pitcher in Boston's rotation all left in three months.

The 2022-23 offseason felt like the true burial of the 2018 team after Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez, and Nathan Eovaldi all left the Red Sox in free agency. There was never a chance the team resigned all three of them and the front office never would have matched the 11 years and $280 million that Bogaerts got from the Padres. But it is infuriating that the team didn't get anything in return for any of these three players.

Bogaerts and Martinez leaving were big losses, but Eovaldi was the biggest loss out of the three, considering the lack of production from the starting rotation in the seasons following his departure. This is not to suggest that resigning him would have made Boston a playoff team, but not having him certainly didn't help. His performance in the playoffs for the Rangers in the 2023 postseason shows just how much the Red Sox missed out on.

The front office traded Mookie Betts so they could say they got a return for him before losing out in a potential free-agency bidding war. However, they completely disregarded the idea of return on investment when it came to three good trade pieces.

Bogaerts could have ended up in a trade for a good return package in 2022 after the Red Sox had signed Story. Martinez and Eovaldi both could’ve ended up as half-season rentals for teams looking to make a big push, like the Red Sox shipping Jon Lester to Oakland in 2014.

If they had gotten some sort of return out of these players, maybe some talented prospects or solid veterans to help along the young players in a clear transition period for the roster, Red Sox Nation wouldn't be as upset as it is about losing three key players and fan favorites. But letting Martinez, Eovaldi, and especially Bogaerts walk for nothing in return shows an obvious lack of commitment from the front office and is a spit in the face to fans of the team.