4 players who are entering their final days as a member of the Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox's roster is expected to undergo a slew of changes this offseason. From departing free agents to prospects reaching the big leagues, Boston will experience quite a bit of turnover.

Hopefully, there are some big free-agent signings or trades for top-tier pitching talent to come. But many Red Sox fans have come to know will depart for different clubs this winter with mixed emotions.

Here, we'll list some players whose Red Sox careers are likely coming to an end soon. There are certainly more players who could be on the move this offseason, but these are a select few who are most likely to be out the door before spring training begins.

4 players who are entering their final days as a member of the Red Sox

Kenley Jansen

Kenley Jansen has survived multiple rounds of rumors about the Red Sox's plans to trade him. He's made it through his entire contract with Boston, but there's almost no chance the two parties will pursue another deal together.

Jansen was one of the Red Sox's most expensive players this season at $16 million, and as one of the most experienced closers in the game, he could fetch a deal for a similar price this winter. Boston has been reluctant to spend on top-tier talent in recent years, and Jansen's contract was one of the many it sought to move elsewhere to decrease payroll.

Jansen has logged a 3.70 ERA over innings for Boston this season. His ERA has ticked up recently after a rough four-run performance against the Mets, but the veteran posted a stellar June. He should find another club with relative ease this offseason, but he is on record saying he hopes to retire as a Dodger. At 36 years old, Jansen still has a few seasons left in him.

David Hamilton

The Red Sox will have quite a traffic jam in the middle infield next season. Trevor Story, Ceddanne Rafaela, Nick Sogard, Vaughn Grissom, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, Enmanuel Valdez and David Hamilton will all compete for middle infield jobs next season.

Of those many options, Hamilton is the most likely trade candidate, and the Red Sox may opt to alleviate some of the pressure on the middle infield by trading him. The soon-to-be 27-year-old could slot into either middle infield slot after his defense improved significantly this season and his speed would be a great boost to any roster.

Hamilton has slumped in recent games, like the rest of Boston's offense, but he's shown he can hit big league pitching. He's slashing .248/.303/.395 with 17 doubles, a triple and eight homers and he leads all American League rookies with 33 stolen bases.

Chris Martin

Like Jansen, Chris Martin is another veteran reliever entering free agency after his two years with the Sox are up. The 38-year-old is a 10-year MLB veteran who showed he still has elite stuff during his tenure in Boston.

Martin posted a 1.05 ERA over 51.1 innings with the Red Sox last season, the lowest ERA of any qualified pitcher that season. He continued his dominant stretch into the 2024 campaign but came back to Earth later on. Martin has logged a 3.62 ERA with 43 strikeouts and just two walks over 37.1 innings this year.

Martin spent significantly more time on the injured list this season than last, but he still has a quality arm. He'll be signed by another club in free agency, but he served the Red Sox well as a reliable, high-leverage relief option for two seasons.

Tyler O'Neill

Tyler O'Neill is an impending free agent and he'll be highly coveted in a market low on impact bats. The outfielder posted a rebound season in Boston and had better success at the plate than he's had since 2021.

Despite his offensive turnaround, it's unlikely the Red Sox will keep O'Neill around for another season. Their outfield has been packed all year and O'Neill had to split his playing time with Rob Refsnyder and Wilyer Abreu while Masataka Yoshida held the designated hitter spot every day. Boston also expects Roman Anthony to make it to the big leagues next year, and as one of the organization's top prospects, he shouldn't have to compete for playing time.

O'Neill could fetch a nice contract with another team after his rebound campaign with the Sox. He's slashing .255/.347/.516 with a .863 OPS, 16 doubles, 25 homers and 50 RBI in 95 games.

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