Former GM Makes Alarming Red Sox Prediction Despite Strong Offseason Grade

With spring training starting up next week, the MLB offseason is nearly over. While the Boston Red Sox have been busy over the last few months, this winter did not go as many expected.

When the offseason began, the Red Sox signaled their intention to add a No. 2 starter, bring back Alex Bregman and add another bat to replace Rafael Devers, seemingly planning to focus more on offense than pitching.

Instead, the opposite happened. Boston focused primarily on upgrading its pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation. Meanwhile, Alex Bregman bolted to the Chicago Cubs in free agency, leaving a hole at third base that has yet to be filled.

Ultimately, the Red Sox got the No. 2 starter they were seeking in Ranger Suarez. By trading for Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo as well, they’ve built one of the best rotations in baseball.

After losing Bregman, however, the lineup may be weaker than last year’s. Willson Contreras should provide a boost at first base, but the roster remains imbalanced with too many outfielders and not enough infielders.

While some Boston fans are disappointed with how the last four months have played out, former GM Jim Bowden thinks it was a good one, giving the Red Sox a B+ offseason grade in Monday’s article for The Athletic (subscription required).

“The Red Sox failed in their attempt to bring back Alex Bregman and were unable to sign Bo Bichette as his replacement,” Bowden writes. “However, they did upgrade at first base with the trade for Willson Contreras and they improved their rotation significantly with the pick-ups of Ranger Suárez and Sonny Gray, as well as depth options like Johan Oviedo and Jake Bennett.”

Despite those moves, however, Bowden sees Boston taking a step back in the division, slipping from third place to fourth place in the AL East. He expects the Baltimore Orioles, who had an “A” offseason, to pass them.

That’s concerning for the Red Sox, who may not have done enough this winter to guarantee a playoff spot. There’s still time to upgrade before Opening Day and throughout the season, but another big move doesn’t seem very likely at this point.