Four Burning Questions Red Sox Face As 2025 Spring Training Begins

The Boston Red Sox are ready to rock and roll in 2025 as spring training commences in Fort Myers, Fla.

Boston made a few impact moves this offseason in hopes of bringing playoff baseball to Fenway Park for the first time since the 2021 season. In order to do that, the Red Sox need health and production from the revamped starting rotation and emerging top prospects to make a difference in a crucial season.

The Red Sox will learn plenty about their organization and the big-league club over the next few weeks under the rays of the Florida sunshine. Finding those answers starts with the questions that sit at the start of camp.

Here are four burning Red Sox questions to start spring training.

Who wins the battle at second base?
Vaughn Grissom and Kristian Campbell make for the most exciting position battle in camp for the Red Sox.

Grissom lost time at second base last season due to illnesses and multiple injuries. He’s primed to recharge his stock in the organization and reward the trust Boston placed in him in the Chris Sale trade with the Atlanta Braves.

Campbell skyrocketed through three levels of the minor leagues in 2024 and hit everywhere he went. His swing is a little unconventional, but his numbers do the talking and he’s a versatile defender who showed just how major-league-ready he is in a positively surprising campaign.

The Red Sox have had a rotating door at the position since Dustin Pedroia’s career came to a close. Boston hopes that changes in 2025.

Are more moves on the way?
Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado have swirled in rumors around Boston for months. Both are still there for the taking with Bregman in free agency and Arenado on the trade block for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Breslow confirmed Tuesday that the hunt for an impact right-handed bat continues. Adding one of those two options would infinitely impact expectations for the Red Sox in 2025.

Boston’s CBO also left the door open for another addition to the bullpen.

How many top prospects crack the Opening Day roster?
Campbell, Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer all arrived in big-league camp as the leading faces of the top farm system in baseball. They all have talent, big-league makeup and the likelihood to debut in 2025.

The question at hand becomes when that happens for each player. Campbell and Anthony are the lead contenders with Mayer needing to make up some ground at Triple-A Worcester after injuries caused an early finish to his 2024 campaign.

Can the starting rotation stay healthy?
When Alex Cora’s starting rotation stays healthy, Boston wins and goes to the playoffs.

It’s that simple.

The fact of the matter is that’s only happened twice in Cora’s managerial tenure. A World Series championship in 2018 and an unexpected run to the American League Championship Series in 2021.

The other four years for Cora featured instability, insufficient depth and a slew of injuries up and down the rotation. The Red Sox are the best they’ve been positioned in that category in quite some time.

Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford became the foundation in 2024. Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler came over this winter and instantly raised the ceiling of the group. Additionally, young arms in Triple-A with Richard Fitts, Quinn Priester and Hunter Dobbins all showed they’ll be available on call for a spot start when needed for the Red Sox.

If health is there, the Red Sox can make 2025 a special season.