3 Burning Questions Facing the Boston Red Sox Midway Through Spring Training

If the Boston Red Sox are going to avoid matching their worst playoff drought in three decades, the team is going to have to take some major steps forward in 2025.

Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox infielder Alex Bregman (2) takes a lead off second base after hitting a double in the fourth inning of their game against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Chris Tilley-Imagn Images

The Red Sox seem primed to do just that, based on the moves they made over the winter and the young talent coming up through the farm system. How all the new pieces fit together will be critical, though, and now is the time for Boston to sort all of that out.

Reporting live from spring training down in Florida, Fastball On SI staff writer Sam Connon broke down the three biggest questions hanging over the Red Sox midway through camp.

Can cooler heads prevail in the infield?

Rafael Devers' lingering shoulder injuries have kept him out of Grapefruit League play to this point, meaning Alex Cora hasn't had to submit a lineup card with him, Alex Bregman and Kristian Campbell on it.

It is far from a given that Campbell will make the Opening Day roster – more on that later – but the dilemma will remain regardless of his short-term status.

Bregman is an elite defensive third baseman on a short-term deal. Devers is a sub-par defensive third baseman on a long-term deal, and he doesn't seem particularly keen to move off his longtime position.

Manager Alex Cora and the Red Sox's front office can force Devers to the designated hitter spot if they choose to do so. That would allow Bregman to play third and either Campbell, Grissom or David Hamilton to play second, all while bumping Masataka Yoshida back into the outfield rotation.

If Devers doesn't leave the hot corner, Bregman will slot in at second. Campbell would no longer have a clear path to the big leagues, but he could move to left field if the team likes what it sees out of him there.

Whichever option the Red Sox choose, it should be based off of what is best for the team. How do they want to balance offense with defense, and infield defense with outfield defense?

It remains to be seen if Devers' ego will play a role in the decision for how to proceed, in whichever direction that may be.

Who will emerge as the top replacement starter?

After all the moves the Red Sox made this winter, it seemed like they had cracked the code when it came to starting pitching.

And yet, with Opening Day just over three weeks away, the back end of their rotation is far from cemented.

Brayan Bello got a late start to his throwing program due to shoulder soreness, and it is looking less and less likely that he will be ready for the start of the regular season. The same goes for Kutter Crawford, who is expected to start the year on the injured list with knee issues.

Free agent addition Patrick Sandoval isn't expected to return from Tommy John surgery until after the All-Star break. Garrett Whitlock may be coming back from an elbow surgery of his own, but he will be moving to the bullpen.

That leaves Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito to make up the meat of the rotation, with one spot up for grabs.

It could go to 24-year-old left-hander Quinn Priester, who has a 2.70 ERA and 1.800 WHIP through three spring training starts. Or Richard Fitts could step up again, considering he hasn't allowed a run in any of the four innings he has pitched in the Grapefruit League.

Fitts posted a 1.74 ERA and 1.258 WHIP in four starts down the stretch last September, while Priester allowed one earned run in his lone start with the Red Sox last season.

Cooper Criswell was a viable part-time starter for Boston in 2024, and he could do so again in 2025. He has one scoreless 2.0-inning appearance under his belt so far this spring.

Having Priester, Fitts and Criswell as injury replacements is a good spot to be in, but determining which one has the leg up when camp breaks could be a tough call to make.

What kind of responsibility will the Big 3 take on?

The Red Sox's farm system is headlined by three of the top-12 prospects in baseball: Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer. All three are at big league camp, looking to make an impact and show how they were able to accumulate so much hype.

It isn't even debatable that Anthony, Campbell and Mayer are poised to play major roles in Boston's future. What is up for debate is how soon they will each get their chance to do so.

Anthony, 20, made the leap from Double-A to Triple-A last season, batting .291 with an .894 OPS on the whole. He has kept up that production in spring training, boasting a .308 average with an .885 OPS so far.

Campbell hit .330 with a .997 OPS in the minors last season. Through seven Grapefruit League contests this spring, however, the 22-year-old is 1-for-15 with a single, three runs and four walks.

Mayer is the least likely to make it to the majors first, especially since injuries prevented the 22-year-old from playing in a single Triple-A game to this point in his career. Still, he hit .307 with an .850 OPS in Double-A in 2024 and is batting .294 with a .957 OPS in camp at the moment.

If there winds up being a path for Anthony to get innings in the outfield, he could push for a big league promotion sooner rather than later. If Campbell's swing and defense at either second or left improve in the coming weeks, he could snag a spot of his own.

But as things stand, established bench players Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton and Rob Refsnyder seem like safer bets to contribute what their roles demand of them early on in 2025. The Big 3's ceilings are undoubtedly higher, though, and it's up to Cora, Craig Breslow and the rest of management to determine the sweet spot for each of them to contribute in the short term and long term.