6 Red Sox on Thin Ice After Missing Postseason 3rd Year in a Row

For the third straight season, and the fifth time in the last six seasons, the Boston Red Sox have missed the MLB postseason. The Red Sox finished with an 81-81 record – a mathematically average record apropos to describe the average 2024 Red Sox.

Ultimately, the success of the Boston Red Sox should be measured by championships. However, since their 2018 World Series title, the Red Sox have only earned one playoff berth and have finished in the basement of the AL East in three of those seasons. Unfortunately, the divide between the desire to win from ownership and the desire to win from the fanbase is seemingly only growing.

The 2024 season was Boston's first under the management of Craig Breslow, who was tabbed as the Red Sox chief baseball officer last October. In Breslow's first season at the helm, Boston failed to make any real splashes, leaning more on low-risk moves around the margins. In NESN's "310 to Left" podcast released on Friday, Breslow hinted at the idea that the front office could shift to a "win-now" mentality this offseason:

"We can no longer ask our fans to look to the future to think about a Red Sox team that’s capable of winning the division and capable of making a deep postseason run. I think, instead, we have to talk to decisive actions that we’re taking right now to put a better team on the field in 2025."

- Craig Breslow

If there is truth in Breslow's comments, then an eventful offseason could be ahead. Reading Breslow's comments, however, it is hard for any Red Sox fan not to have flashbacks to Red Sox chairman Tom Werner's infamous "full throttle" comment last offseason. Truthfully, actions will be the only real way that ownership and the front office can restore trust with the fanbase – words ring hollow right now.

As Breslow mentioned, putting a better team on the field in 2025 will take a mix of several ingredients. The organization will be expecting several of their younger players to take the next step in 2025, underperforming players could be cut loose, and the front office will have to assess which trade chips do and don't factor into their future plans.

Taking all of those ingredients into consideration, here are six Red Sox players on thin ice heading into the offseason.

6. Brayan Bello

Last offseason, Brayan Bello inked a six-year, $55 million contract extension. The extension – combined with the decision to hand the ball to Bello on Opening Day – signaled the faith that the club had in him to assume the role as Boston's ace.

Bello didn't have an awful season by any stretch, but his 4.49 ERA in 2024 just isn't the ace material the Red Sox were hoping to get out of him. Luckily, Tanner Houck's ability to put up ace-caliber numbers this season somewhat covered up Bello's inability to do so.

In fairness, Bello was able to register 14 wins this past season, which led the Red Sox. However, Bello's run support – 5.2 runs per game – ranked fourth among pitchers with at least 30 starts.

Bello isn't going anywhere, but the Red Sox just need more out of him. He will turn 26 in May and now has 69 MLB starts under his belt. Bello cannot continue to be evaluated on untapped potential, the potential needs to translate into a top-of-the-rotation level.

For all of the hype around the Red Sox farm system, little of that help on the way is pitching. Boston's highest-ranked pitcher is Luis Perales, who is ranked as the 9th-best prospect in the system. The top eight are all position players. With the lack of top pitching prospects, Bello's ability to truly transform into an ace or No. 2 starter is even more paramount.

Obviously, the Red Sox might look to move some of their surplus of young bats in exchange for pitching help, a likely scenario this offseason. Even so, Bello's ability to realize his high ceiling would be a huge boost to Boston's success.