5 New Year's Resolutions for the Red Sox in 2024

Solidify the rotation

Coming out of Spring Training last season, the Red Sox were somewhat frantic in scrambling to put together a five-man rotation. Tanner Houck and Nick Pivetta, who were both bullpen candidates after rough spring outings, ultimately did sneak their way into the starting mix. Alex Cora was forced to include them in the rotation amidst injuries to Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello, and James Paxton.

Injuries happen, and the Red Sox need to be better prepared for such a scenario in 2024. This year, if a couple of starters suffer injuries or underperform, the club must have enough depth in place so that they’re not left to pray for a miracle from spot starters.

Make decisions on Jarren Duran, Bobby Dalbec

At this point, it feels like a Bobby Dalbec trade is long overdue. His name has been floated in rumors for over a year, including last Spring Training when the Red Sox experimented with playing him at various infield positions to boost his trade value. He’s not a reliable middle infielder, but is blocked at the corner infield spots by Rafael Devers and Triston Casas. One would imagine that the Red Sox might benefit more from trading him than simply keeping him in Triple-A.

You could make a similar argument about Jarren Duran, though his case is a little more complicated after his career year in 2023. As we wait for the 2024 season to get underway, the Red Sox must decide whether last year’s big campaign was a fluke or if he really can be an everyday player. If he’s a candidate for regression, it might be smart to capitalize on his strong season and trade him for prospects or big-leaguers at a position of need. If the Red Sox think he’s only going to get better, then perhaps an extension to negate arbitration years would make sense.