After a long winter without baseball, Boston Red Sox fans fill the seats of Fenway Park to catch a glimpse at the new year's squad. But the Red Sox teams of the past half-decade haven't been the most memorable. Depth players have started on the Opening Day roster, pitcher injuries have held the team back and Rafael Devers has consistently been one of the team's only stars. But in 2025, things are different.
Boston's front office posted its first great offseason in years, and for the first time in a long time, the vibes are high among fans. Alex Bregman, Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, Aroldis Chapman and more bring star power the Red Sox have recently lacked, and the front office has reacted to the early success it has seen.
The Red Sox managed to extend Crochet past his self-imposed deadline of Opening Day, and the lefty flamethrower will be a staple of Boston's pitching staff until at least 2030. The Sox took another step toward becoming the Braves of the north when they extended top prospect Kristian Campbell on an eight-year deal on April 2.
Red Sox fans finally have a team to look forward to watching on Opening Day at Fenway Park
.@davidortiz has high hopes for this team 👀
— NESN (@NESN) April 4, 2025
"I have a really, really good feeling about this ball club. It might be the best feeling that I have since the 2018 season."@TomCaron | @middlebrooks | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/ox29B7Sjxb
Both Crochet and Campbell have hit the ground running in a Red Sox uniform. The former is fresh off an eight-inning shutout of the Orioles, who are among the Sox's biggest competition in the American League this season. Campbell has been an early bright spot in Boston's offense and has been one of the team's best early performers alongside Wilyer Abreu. The 23-year-old is slashing .417/.500/.833 with a 1.333 OPS in his first seven big league games. Six of his 10 hits have been for extra bases, with four doubles and two homers already on the books.
Bregman will make his first appearance as a Red Sox at Fenway Park against the Cardinals, but Boston fans have already seen some of his best work there. The third baseman has posted 30 hits in 21 career games at Fenway, with nine doubles, seven homers and 15 RBI. His Gold Glove-winning defense has also bolstered the Sox's infield, and with a healthy Trevor Story to his left, they've made flashier plays and fewer mistakes. Bregman also brings years of playoff experience and leadership the Red Sox have desperately needed. Manager Alex Cora even said Red Sox Nation isn't ready for the boost Bregman will bring.
“I mean, people have no idea. They have no idea. I mean, I actually texted him last night and said ‘don’t show up at 6AM please,’ you know, because I know he’s that excited," Cora said on April 4 before the opening game against St. Louis. "He’s ready to go. He loves baseball. He enjoys winning, which is the most important thing."
Fans were concerned about Devers and Triston Casas at the plate after their first series against the Rangers, but they shook off the rust in Baltimore. Devers posted a historic 0-for-19 start as a designated hitter, but collected three hits, including a double, against the Orioles to get back on track. Casas had a similar 1-for-17 start to the campaign but also knocked three hits at Camden Yards, including a home run.
In 2024, hundreds of empty seats studded Fenway Park at home games and away fans took over the park. But the Red Sox's offseason additions and the re-emergence of their regular stars have fans riding high going into Opening Day, just as they should be. All feels nearly right in Boston's baseball world again, and an opening series win against the Cardinals would be an early cherry on top of the team's best offseason in years.