The end of baseball season means a slew of impending roster changes before the next year's campaign.
The Boston Red Sox have seven players who are free agents now that the season is over. The Sox could've — and probably should've — sold at the trade deadline to get something in return for a few of their free agents, but their pre-All-Star hot streak forced the front office to buy in. Four of the five players Boston acquired at the trade deadline are among its free-agent class.
The Red Sox have expressed interest in re-signing some of these players, but others of them aren't likely to be back in Boston next season. Here are the 2024 Red Sox who are free agents, and some additional information about players who have already left the organization and others with contract options.
Here are the 7 Red Sox players entering free agency after the 2024 season
Kenley Jansen
Kenley Jansen declared himself a free agent before the season even ended, which made it clear that he doesn't hope to pitch in a Red Sox uniform next year. The closer emphasized his desire to pitch for a postseason contender, and the Sox didn't deliver during his two years with the team.
Jansen clocked a 3.44 ERA over his two seasons with the Sox. He earned an All-Star nod in 2023 shortly after he collected his 400th career save. He totaled 56 saves in his two campaigns with Boston.
Jansen was one of the most expensive players on the Red Sox's payroll at $16 million per year. His services will be pricey again this season, and only big market teams are expected to be in on Jansen for the 2025 slate, with the Sox not among them.
Nick Pivetta
Nick Pivetta has thrown the most innings for the Red Sox since 2020 at 633. He's been a reliable option for Boston out of the rotation and bullpen since he joined the organization five seasons ago.
The righty posted a 4.29 ERA in his Red Sox career and a 4.14 with 172 strikeouts and 136 walks in 135.2 innings of work in 2024. Pivetta is a streaky player, but he's often worth the risk. He posted five 10-strikeout starts and was exceedingly efficient on his good nights.
The Red Sox have a bunch of backend starter options, and Pivetta may not have a spot among them. Kutter Crawford, Richard Fitts, Cooper Criswell and Quinn Priester are solid 3-5 guys, and the Sox could hold onto them for less money than it'd take to keep Pivetta around. Boston is desperate for an ace, and whichever new starter it gets this offseason will need to take Pivetta's spot in the rotation.
Chris Martin
Chris Martin was one of the Red Sox's most reliable pitchers during his two-year stint with the club. He was the best pitcher in the league in 2023, an accolade that went mostly unnoticed nationally, as the Sox didn't make the postseason.
Martin posted a 1.05 ERA — the lowest among all qualified pitchers— with 46 strikeouts and eight walks over 51.1 innings in 2023. The veteran threw strikes at a higher clip in 2024, but he was hit around a bit more, to the tune of a 3.45 ERA with 50 strikeouts and three walks in 44.1 innings of work.
Martin turned 38 on June 2, and told reporters that his next season will likely be his last in the big leagues. The Red Sox weren't expected to pursue another deal with the veteran, but his two seasons in Boston showed he still has a lot more to give. The Sox should bring Martin back for next season, where he'll hopefully close his career on a strong note on a revamped team.
Tyler O'Neill
The Red Sox got more than they could've hoped for from Tyler O'Neill. The outfielder's rebound season gave Boston a much-needed boost in the righty batter's box, and earned him mutual interest from the team on a deal for next season.
The 29-year-old slashed .241/.336/.511 with a .847 OPS over 113 games, the second-most he's played in a single season in his seven-year career. O'Neill knocked 18 doubles and a team-leading 31 homers.
Boston's outfield is likely to be quite crowded next season. Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Rob Refsnyder, Masataka Yoshida and Roman Anthony could all be in the mix for outfield positions. The Red Sox front office has made it clear that it will use any means necessary to improve the team before next season, and no players are off the table when it comes to trades. Any one of Boston's outfielders could be a potential trade candidate for quality starting pitching or a righty bat, which would make more space for O'Neill on the roster.
Danny Jansen
Boston was desperate for production in the right-handed batter's box and additional catching depth to give Connor Wong more time off his feet. The Sox traded four prospects with their division rival Blue Jays to bring in Danny Jansen. He was a one-for-one improvement over the then-recently DFA'd Reese McGuire, but his bat and defense didn't meet expectations.
Jansen batted .188/.323/.300 with three homers over 30 games. He'd never been a real contributor on offense before and the Red Sox should've pursued a more consistent bat at the deadline.
Lucas Sims
Former Cincinnati Red Lucas Sims came to the Red Sox in a one-for-one swap for pitching prospect Ovis Portes. Sims struggled to adjust after the trade and landed on the injured list shortly after his arrival. His rough experience in Boston makes it unlikely for the Sox to pursue another deal with him next year.
Sims logged a 6.43 ERA in 14 innings with the Red Sox after he posted a 3.57 over 35.1 frames with the Reds.
Luis García
The Red Sox brought in Luis García as their final move before the trade deadline to bolster their struggling bullpen. García didn't pitch well after his arrival and landed on the injured list in due time. Boston didn't see enough from him to pursue a deal for next season.
García posted a 8.22 ERA over 15.1 innings with the Sox. He tightened up in his final seven appearances and clocked a 1.29 ERA with six strikeouts in seven innings to finish the season on a high note.
Players entering option years
Lucas Giolito and Rob Refsnyder have options for the 2025 season. The Red Sox signed Giolito before the 2024 season as a gamble to improve the rotation, but he missed the season after he underwent Tommy John surgery during spring training. Giolito would be wrong not to accept the option after his missed year and his two rough seasons in 2022-23.
Refsnyder told reporters he considered retiring in 2025 but changed his mind, "especially" if he can play in Boston. The 33-year-old posted the best campaign of his nine-year career — he slashed .283/.359/.471 over 93 games, the most he's ever played in a single season.
Red Sox players who have already departed
Former Red Sox backup catcher Reese McGuire elected free agency on Sept. 30. He was DFA'd and optioned to Triple-A before Boston acquired Jansen. McGuire slashed .209/.280/.295 over 53 games in the majors.
James Paxton would've been a free agent, but he announced his retirement shortly after he partially tore his calf in Boston's Aug. 11 game against the Astros. The lefty posted a career 3.77 ERA and a 4.40 over 100.1 innings of work between the Red Sox and Dodgers in 2024.