Before the start of the 2024 season, few experts predicted the Boston Red Sox would be in the position they're in now.
This year's Red Sox squad has overperformed and stunned baseball fans throughout the campaign. The team is mostly young and relatively inexperienced players, but many have played better than expected and taken to the big leagues well.
Like many other reporters, MLB Network didn't see this coming. Nearly 50 games into the season, the hosts of MLB Now called for the Red Sox to go for a "full rebuild."
Brian Kenny, Bob Costas and Chris Russo discussed the passion of Red Sox Nation and the fanbase's level of understanding about the workings of the front office. While they discussed Boston's need for a rebuild, they acknowledged that the club has been rebuilding without the label — it's the reason for Red Sox Nation's recent frustrations with the front office.
Why don't teams go for a "full rebuild" as often anymore? #MLBNow | @MadDogUnleashed pic.twitter.com/mGoU5aqbYu
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) May 23, 2024
Since 2018, the Red Sox's payroll has crashed from No. 1 in the league to No. 11 this season, although they ranked at No. 12 when the above MLB Now segment originally aired. But even with a much lower payroll — to the point that they haven't reached the luxury tax threshold — and young, inexperienced players, the Red Sox have been competitive enough in recent seasons that the "complete rebuild" the hosts called for doesn't make sense.
Boston's front office has gutted its roster. The entire 2018 World Series winning squad is gone besides Rafael Devers — Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Chris Sale, David Price, Nathan Eovaldi and several other high-caliber players have left the team in one way or another over the last five seasons. The Red Sox slashed their payroll to restructure the team around the "Big Three" prospects coming up through the farm system — in other words, a rebuild.
MLB Now calls for Red Sox to rebuild... while they've been rebuilding
The Red Sox look worse on paper than they've been in recent seasons because most of the other teams in their division actively worked toward improvement during their slow rebuilding process. The Orioles have brought up much of their young talent and their new ownership has surrounded them with other capable players to work up to the top of the division. The Yankees' rotation is deep, skilled and expensive, and they signed Aaron Judge long-term to guarantee them 50-plus homers a season for years to come. The Sox's roster has changed throughout the years, but never as quickly or with as much star power as the Orioles or Yankees.
Boston's rebuild also hasn't felt "complete" because it's still been reasonably competitive in its last-place seasons. The Red Sox finished the 2022 and 2023 slates six games under .500, a third or fourth-place finish in any other division in MLB. They only need a few changes — although they'd be expensive additions, like quality starting pitchers — to be competitive in the AL East.
Contrary to MLB Now's segment, Boston's rebuild is headed toward completion. However, it could've been finished much sooner if John Henry had given it his all, but that's another story.