The Red Sox aren’t trying to do this but they have become a Baseball Team of Theseus. Like the mythical ship, the Red Sox have replaced part after part, player after player, in the lineup as the season has gone on.
Consider the Opening Day roster: Jarren Duran, Rafael Devers, Alex Bregman, Triston Casas, Trevor Story, Kristian Campbell, Wilyer Abreu, Connor Wong, Ceddanne Rafaela. Of the opening day position players, as starters, only Duran, Story, and Rafaela have been in the lineup all year. And
it’s been a a journey.
Duran is in a slump right now and has had ups and downs all season. He’s moved up and down in the lineup. He’s gotten some days off this year. He’s not an 8-WAR guy like he was in 2024 (which is OK). He’s looked rough in left field at times but with Rafaela in center it had to be done.
We know what happened to Devers. And this is somehow a bright spot. While his OPS was over .900 with Boston, since joining the San Francisco Giants he’s slashed just .239/.348/.447, admittedly that came with a slow start and a hot streak mixed in. Roman Anthony was basically a drop-in replacement hitting .292/.396/.463 until suffering the oblique injury. Unfortunately, Anthony himself ended up on the replacement list with Rob Refsnyder and Nate Eaton pressed into service in the outfield and the always puzzling Masataka Yoshida filling in at DH. Even with a good month of September for Refsnyder, no matter how you slice it the Devers to Anthony roster spot took a massive hit.
Alex Bregman is another complicated case. Before All-Star Break: .298/.380/.927, 151 WRC+. This is essentially pre-injury Bregman though he sneaks in a couple games off the IL before the break. After All-Star Break: .251/.332/.722, 97 WRC+. Bregman did start hot so it’s not like he returned hurt. Unless he’s secretly hurt again? That doesn’t really follow though if he’s going to opt out. Why not explain the slump with an injury? If it is just a slump the team really could use it coming to an end.
Triston Casas, already hoping to simply be available, became Abraham Torro and Romy Gonzalez and eventually Nathaniel Lowe.
Trevor Story looked good and then became a zero in the lineup and then replaced that second version of himself with something that looks like the vintage Story from the Rockies that Red Sox fans have been waiting for.
Campbell won Rookie of the Month in April, struggled mightily, and was replaced with Rafaela, Romy, and David Hamilton at times. Also Marcelo Mayer who was previously filling in for Alex Bregman.
Wilyer Abreu has battled the IL and pressed Refsnyder and Eaton into service but also making Rafaela the center fielder only again. No more moonlighting in the infield.
Connor Wong was bad, hurt, and overtaken by Carlos Narvaez. He’s still struggled at the plate but has shown some life lately. He also apparently taught Aroldis Chapman how to pitch. A pitcher whisperer.
Ceddanne Rafaela was a Gold Glove center fielder. Then a sometimes Gold Glove, sometimes not, second baseman. Then a center fielder again. He couldn’t hit. Then he was Pete Crow-Armstrong with the bat (and in many ways still is). Then after an incredible walkoff against the Tampa Bay Rays he became a shadow of himself with and OPS of .500. Yes, OPS. Not slugging. His defense is still great but the bat has disappeared.
And it is at this time that the Red Sox find themselves hanging on to a playoff spot but watching all their competitors surge. Wilyer Abreu inches ever closer to a return. Roman Anthony is taking cautious steps on a treadmil, per Alex Cora, and feels like he’s getting better. Alex Bregman gets the odd home run or walk and people rush to say “he’s back!”although he disappears again right after.
That’s just the lineup! Sox Prospects put Connelly Early somewhere around 16th on the starting pitching depth chart at the beginning of the season. Try that one on for size. Are the Red Sox failing in September? Yes. Are the Red Sox as recognizable if you took snapshots during each month? Definitely not.
