The Boston Red Sox's 2025 season is over, coming to a sudden halt at the hands of New York Yankees rookie Cam Schlittler.
A lifeless offense simply couldn't get the job done when it mattered most, and now the front office will have to answer serious questions about the holes on this roster in both the rotation and lineup (i.e., a No. 2 starter and more power).
However, it's worth remembering that the Red Sox played this series short-handed. Both Roman Anthony and Lucas Giolito missed the Wild Card Round due to injury, and given how close this series was, it's hard not to feel like their presence could have been the difference in flipping the outcome in Boston's favor.
Anthony, who became the team's leadoff hitter shortly after getting called up, was the engine of the offense prior to his injury. Already public enemy No. 1 in New York, the rookie sensation hit .292/.396/.463 in his first taste of big league action. He was particularly impressive in August, posting a .909 OPS and 150 wRC+.
Roman Anthony, Lucas Giolito injuries crush Red Sox in worst possible moment
Seeing as the Sox scored just six runs over three games and hit only one home run in the series, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to think how Anthony could have turned the series on its head had he been healthy.
As for Giolito, the Red Sox's de facto No. 3 starter pitched to a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings this year, and he was certain to start Game 3 until his elbow injury in the final week of the season. That forced rookie Connelly Early to take the start, and while he impressed his first time through the order, a disastrous fourth inning all but sealed the Red Sox's ultimate fate.
Of course, this isn't entirely a good-faith excercise. The Yankees were without Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt due to injury, and Luis Gil was inactive for the series since he started on the final day of the regular season.
Even that isn't exactly apples-to-apples, though, since both of those injuries happened before the trade deadline, and the Yankees chose not to address the rotation with outside additions. On the other hand, the Sox's stars were both injured in September, long after teams could add playoff-eligible players to their roster.
Unfortunately, that's just the nature of baseball. You have to make due with what you have, and ultimately, the injuries to Anthony and Giolito will go down as a footnote in what ended up being a disappointing series loss to the Yankees.
On the bright side, it's important to remember the Red Sox kept this series exceptionally close even without their leadoff hitter and No. 3 starter. With some improved health in a year's time, a postseason rematch could go very differently.