The Boston Red Sox are coming off an impressive 2025 season, where the franchise clearly overachieved. Despite trading their best hitter, Rafael Devers, Boston remained in the hunt for the postseason and put together a season far above expectations. While this would demand an offseason of improvements, the front office has remained frustratingly quiet.
With this in mind, it seems that fans might be stuck relying on existing pieces, hoping for more of the same from last year's heroes and bounce-back seasons from underachieving pieces. It sets up a trio of Red Sox to be relied on despite not living up to expectations in 2025.
1. IF Kristian Campbell
Campbell had an incredible first month of the season hitting .301 between March and April before completely imploding in May. To say it was ugly is an understatement with the infielder hitting .134 and striking out 27 times in limited at-bats. It was clear Campbell was in over his head and unable to make the needed adjustments, forcing the Red Sox to eventually move in another direction.
As frustrating as the second phase of Campbell's season might have been, this is still an incredibly talented young player that Boston is going to need to rely on once again in 2026. Every step of the way, the second baseman has shown promise and appeared to be a long term answer. A few bad weeks aren't washing this away, along with the fact that there has been Major League success. Boston needs surprise contributors in the 2026 season, and Campbell unquestionably deserves a chance.
The Red Sox aren't spending top-dollar for his replacement and have clear holes in their roster. This opens the door for the 23-year-old to enjoy a bounce back season and prove that the struggles were the outlier.
2. OF Ceddanne Rafaela
It will be interesting to see how the franchise opts to navigate the current logjam in the outfield. Boston's current roster at the position includes Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Masataka Yoshida. This and Rafaela's lack of offensive development have some fans questioning what the future might hold for the center fielder. While this is understandable, there simply is far too much potential value for the Red Sox to give up.
Rafaela is an elite fielder who has the chance to make a game-changing play anytime he steps into center field. Boston isn't taking him out of the lineup even if the offense isn't matching expectations. The glove has bought the outfielder time to figure things out at the plate and prove he is heading in the right direction.
All the Red Sox need is a league-average bat and situational hitting from the outfielder, and he will be cemented into the role for years to come.
3. SP Kutter Crawford
The expectations have changed for the 2026 season after the Red Sox opted to go out and trade for Sonny Gray. It is the only noteworthy move that Boston has made and gives the Red Sox a solid trio of starters atop its rotation. For Crawford, all the Red Sox need is an innings eater that can give a talented lineup a puncher's chance. The starter toed the line of doing just that in the 2025 season, but had obvious struggles as he worked around a knee injury.
Still, the franchise should plug the starter at the bottom of the rotation with the belief that a more productive season is ahead. The right-hander is 29 and should still be entering his prime as a starting option. While the ceiling isn't very high, there is still reasonable hope that Crawford can be a bottom-of-the-rotation innings eater.
Boston has little choice but to hand the starter this chance, barring any further rotation additions. Entering another year of arbitration eligibility, Crawford has every possible motivation to put together the most productive season of his career.