4 Red Sox on Thin Ice This Offseason

It's safe to say that the 2024 MLB season didn't go the way that the Boston Red Sox planned. After back-to-back 78-win campaigns, the Red Sox barely improved their record this year, finishing third in the AL East with an 81-81 record.

Unsurprisingly, the Red Sox's effort wasn't good enough to make the playoffs, marking their third consecutive missed postseason. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow will have to make some serious offseason changes if he wants to turn Boston back into a threat, meaning fans will likely have to say goodbye to certain players if it means improving the roster.

With that in mind, here are four Red Sox players who are on thin ice this offseason.

1. Brayan Bello, RHP

The Red Sox have been hoping that RHP Brayan Bello will one day cement himself as an ace in the MLB. Although the 25-year-old has shown flashes of potential throughout his career, his 2024 performance suggests that he might not be cut out for the job.

On one hand, Bellow racked up a career-high 14 victories across 30 starts. On the other hand, his 4.49 ERA was less than stellar and it even jumped up to 4.81 in 14 appearances at Fenway Park. No matter how you slice it, those aren't numbers you want to see from a potential No. 1 option in any rotation.

Even though Bello is still young enough to turn things around, the Red Sox might be ready to move on from him as early as this winter. He's under contract through 2029 and even has a 2030 player option, which could be enticing for other organizations looking to roll the dice on a hurler who hasn't lived up to the hype just yet.

If trading Bello helps the Red Sox land a legitimate ace, moving him is something they must seriously consider.