The bitter end

New season, same nightmare. The Boston Red Sox were bounced from the Wild Card Series by the New York Yankees yet again, and this time they didn't even make it a series. After an 18-2 drubbing over two games, the Sox are heading home for the winter. It’s a total L, and now the front office has to figure out how to finally get past their Bronx rivals.

The roller coaster season

Let’s be real: the vibes this year were all over the place. We started 10-17, which led to manager Alex Cora getting the boot. Then, the team caught fire, going on a 32-5 run that made them look like the absolute main character of MLB. But after the high, they crashed back to earth, going 23-24 to finish the season. Despite big off-season moves for stars like Willson Contreras, Ranger Suárez, and Sonny Gray, the team actually took a step back. Now, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has to decide who is untouchable and who needs to go.

Big decisions ahead

First priority: Roman Anthony. The 22-year-old is the future of this franchise, but he’s been held back by a nagging hand and wrist injury that forced him out of the playoffs. With an eight-year, $130 million deal already in the bank, getting him healthy is the biggest W the team can secure this winter.

Second, the power outage. The Sox dropped from 7th in runs scored last year to 23rd this year. They need to find more pop, and that might mean moving on from Jarren Duran—who hit just .207 this season—to free up some cash.

Finally, the Sonny Gray situation. The potential Cy Young vote-getter is 37 and mulling retirement. If he’s done, the team loses a legend, but they still have a solid rotation core of Suárez, Brayan Bello, and others to lean on. It’s a huge choice that will set the tone for the 2027 season.

Why it matters

The Red Sox core is mostly in place for 2027, but after back-to-back years of hovering in the upper-80s win total, the ceiling seems low. Whether it’s an overhaul or just strategic tweaks, this team needs a major shift to stop being the Yankees' punching bag and start winning rings again.