9 Red Sox Who Won't Return in 2024

The 2023 MLB season was a disappointing one for Boston Red Sox fans. On top of the club going 78-84 the second straight season, the Red Sox failed to make the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, leaving the fanbase begging for changes now that the offseason is officially underway.

Boston's future immediately became brighter once Craig Breslow was brought in as the Chief Baseball Officer. It's now up to Breslow to guide the ship over the next five months. Regardless of which path he takes, expect to see a transformed roster once spring rolls around.

With familiar faces likely to depart over the offseason for one reason or another, here are nine Red Sox who won't be back in 2024.

1. Alex Verdugo

It didn't take long for Alex Verdugo to become a fan favorite in Boston. Brought in by the deal that sent Mookie Betts and David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Tucson, AZ native impressed the fanbase by finishing 12th in AL MVP voting during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

Unfortunately, Verdugo hasn't come close to reaching those heights since.

The 27-year-old has yet to win any individual accolades during four seasons with the Red Sox. His slashing numbers have declined with each passing year, too, resulting in career lows in both batting average (.264) and on-base percentage (.324) in 2023.

While Verdugo is still theoretically young enough to turn things around, I doubt that happens in Boston. The former 2014 second-rounder had his fair share of discipline and hustle-related concerns last season, resulting in manager Alex Cora benching him twice.

Having said that, Verdugo is still better than your average MLB player. He's also arbitration-eligible this offseason, which is something a suitor will likely find attractive. Given that Breslow would like to begin his tenure devoid of any locker room issues, I won't be shocked if Verdugo continues his career elsewhere.