After several disappointing seasons, the Boston Red Sox took a major step forward in 2025, winning their most games and making their first playoff appearance since 2021. Several young players like Roman Anthony and Carlos Narvaez broke out, Garrett Crochet lived up to the hype as their new ace, and the Red Sox gained valuable postseason experience.
It was a big year for Alex Cora, too, who navigated a young, inexperienced team through a tumultuous season of devastating injuries and stunning trades, overcoming numerous obstacles and ultimately guiding Boston to its first playoff appearance in four years.
After improving their record in each of the last two seasons, the Red Sox have a bright future and are trending in the right direction. They are poised to keep improving in 2026 and beyond, giving Cora plenty of reasons for optimism coming off their best campaign in years.
“We did a good job. As an organization we took a step forward, but we got work to do,” Cora said during an interview with MLB Network on Thursday. “We still are short compared to other teams, but we are trending in the right direction…We accomplished a lot of things, and I think this is just the beginning of something great that is going to happen in Boston.”
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Cora is right that the Red Sox still have work to do this offseason after falling short in the playoffs. They still need another middle-of-the-order bat and a frontline starting pitcher, but some big additions this winter will help them continue their upward trajectory.
The offseason has only just begun, so Boston has plenty of time to upgrade its roster and prepare for 2026. With the right moves, they could enter next season as a legitimate World Series contender.
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Featured image via Patrick Gorski/Imagn Images
