Opening Day is finally upon us. The Boston Red Sox and (most) teams across MLB will play their first of 162 games that count on March 27.
Boston has always been a baseball town, but Red Sox fans are more excited for this season than many in the recent past. The front office posted its first big offseason in more than half a decade, headlined by the additions of Garrett Crochet via trade, Walker Buehler and Alex Bregman.
The Red Sox also added Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson to their bullpen, and they're hoping for a full, healthy season of Trevor Story's bat in the lineup and elite defense at shortstop. Liam Hendriks and Lucas Giolto will also return to action after a full year of rehab in 2024.
Red Sox Opening Day Roster, Lineups, Rotation & Bullpen
Your 2025 Boston Red Sox. pic.twitter.com/1zhSq3HImh
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 27, 2025
Kristian Campbell won the starting second base job this spring training to push Bregman to third, Rafael Devers to DH and David Hamilton to the bench. Campbell had a rough spring training (.167/.305/.271 slash line in 20 games,) but his meteoric ascent through Boston's farm system suggests he could adjust quickly to the big leagues.
A full season of Story at shortstop and Bregman at third base should help clean up the Sox's infield defense, which disproportionately contributed to the team's 115 errors last year. Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Gold Glove winner Wilyer Abreu could be the best defensive outfield in the American League.
Red Sox Opening Day 2025 lineup
Opening Day. Here we go. pic.twitter.com/rLR1FjYKfg
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 27, 2025
Alex Cora mentioned Bregman will bat third to balance out the Sox's lefty heavy hitters at the top of the order. Duran has been an excellent leadoff hitter for Boston, and his uncanny ability to turn singles into doubles and doubles into triples places the Red Sox in a position to score early and often. Devers spent his offseason focused on hitting after his move to DH, and Sox fans are hoping for a big season at the plate from him.
A full year of Triston Casas will undoubtedly bring more pop to the Sox's lineup, and Rafaela's improved mechanics and swing decisions will help make the bottom of their order deadlier, especially if Campbell posts a similar season to last year.
Red Sox Opening Day 2025 rotation
Giolito and Brayan Bello will begin the 2025 season on the injured list, but their 2025 debuts are expected soon. The latest reports suggest the two righties are on a similar timeline and Bello hopes to be in games by the second week of April. Until then, though, here's how Boston's rotation will look:
- Crochet
- Houck
- Buehler
- Fitts
- Newcomb
Fitts and Newcomb won their spots with excellent performances in the Grapefruit League. Fitts let up four runs on 13 hits over 14.2 innings this spring, and clocked 14 strikeouts and six walks. Newcomb allowed just one run on nine hits with 13 strikeouts and three walks over 14.1 frames.
Crochet will get the nod as the Opening Day starter, partly because he became the Sox's ace the moment they traded for him, but his excellent spring training helped. He allowed just one run on 13 hits with 30 strikeouts and eight walks in 15.2 innings pitched in spring training games.
Red Sox Opening Day 2025 bullpen
- Aroldis Chapman (CL)
- Justin Slaten
- Cooper Criswell
- Justin Wilson
- Garrett Whitlock
- Zack Kelly
- Greg Weissert
- Brennan Bernardino
Chapman and Wilson bring years of experience to the bullpen that Boston lacked last year. Whitlock began the 2024 season in the Red Sox's rotation, but after he underwent Tommy John surgery and lost yet another year of development to an injury, he's been moved to the bullpen to prioritize his health. Hendriks will join the 'pen after he's through with his early stint on the 15-day IL due to elbow inflammation.