At last season’s All-Star break, the Boston Red Sox were 10 games above .500 with a 53-43 record, seemingly on track for the playoffs. They held a 1.5-game lead over the Kansas City Royals for the American League’s third Wild Card spot. But things quickly unraveled. Over the 66 games after the four-day break, the Red Sox managed just 28 wins against 38 losses, finishing the season at a mediocre 81-81, five games short of a playoff berth.
What went wrong? The reasons, as always, are layered. However, one clear culprit stood out: the bullpen. According to Boston Globe baseball reporter Alex Speier, the post-All-Star bullpen collapse was the worst in Red Sox history.
Even manager Alex Cora acknowledged the bullpen’s struggles as a key factor in the team missing the playoffs. “Five plays here, five pitches there, a game here and there, we’d be having a different conversation,” Cora told Speier. “We have struggled. We have struggled out of the bullpen. It’s real.”
Red Sox Have Already Bolstered Leaky Bullpen
Boston’s chief of baseball operations, Craig Breslow, has made notable moves to bolster the bullpen this offseason. Among the additions are hard-throwing Aroldis Chapman and fellow left-hander Justin Wilson, who struck out 51 batters while issuing only 13 walks over 46 2/3 innings for the Cincinnati Reds last season.
However, as the 2025 offseason progresses, Breslow has acknowledged that he’s still seeking further reinforcements for Boston’s bullpen. He has emphasized the importance of acquiring pitchers with the ability to miss bats.
“The ability to generate swings and misses in the strike zone is a proven formula for success because it reduces the impact of balls in play,” Breslow noted earlier this offseason. “In an ideal scenario, we’d have a group of pitchers who can consistently generate those swings and misses.”
By signing Chapman and Wilson, Breslow has stayed true to his focus on swing-and-miss arms, but both are left-handed. Reports now suggest the Red Sox may target a nine-year veteran free-agent right-hander who delivered a career-high strikeout performance last season.
Jeff Hoffman May Command $36 Million Deal
Jeff Hoffman, recently with the Philadelphia Phillies, posted an impressive season in 2024, striking out a career-high 89 batters while issuing just 16 walks over 66 1/3 innings. His WHIP of 0.965 was the second-best of his career, trailing only his 2023 mark of 0.917, and he earned his first All-Star selection.
According to Spotrac, Hoffman’s market value is estimated at $12.4 million for two years. However, Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report recently predicted the Red Sox would sign him to a three-year, $36 million deal.
A potential obstacle could be Hoffman’s reported interest in transitioning to a starting role, as projected by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. If so, Hoffman might be seeking a contract similar to the $38 million, three-year deal the Mets gave Clay Holmes, a former Yankees reliever, to make a similar switch to starting.
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