After going from 97 wins and a World Series title in 2013 to 91 losses in 2014, the Boston Red Sox reconfigured the roster for 2015 with two big free-agent signings in Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval and a rotation built around trade acquisitions Rick Porcello and Wade Miley. It didn't work. Ramirez was a disaster in left field; Sandoval was just a disaster, period. They were two of the least valuable players in the league, combining for a minus-2.2 WAR. The rotation and bullpen were both bad. So despite strong showings from youngsters Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts, the Red Sox finished 78-84 for their third losing season in the past four years.
What do they need: Pitching. The rotation ranked 13th in the AL in ERA and the bullpen ranked ... 13th. There are plenty of options already in-house for the rotation: Porcello (who did pitch better in his final eight starts after a DL stint), Miley, Clay Buchholz, Joe Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brian Johnson and Henry Owens. Speculation, however, is the Red Sox will be heavy bidders for David Price or Zack Greinke to bring in an ace.
Guy on the rise: Betts got off to a slow start, hitting .233 through May 24, but then the line drives started falling -- in gaps and over fences. He finished at .291/.341/.479 with 18 home runs, 42 doubles, eight triples, 21 steals, above-average defense and was quietly one of the best players in the league. He ranked seventh among AL position players in Baseball-Reference WAR and 10th in FanGraphs WAR. And no, the Red Sox aren't going to trade him.
Prospect to anticipate: We're getting a little ahead of ourselves, but big-money Cuban Yoan Moncada had a strong debut in low-A ball, hitting .278/.380/.438 with eight home runs in 81 games and 49 steals in 52 attempts. The 20-year-old switch-hitter played second base and his defense is a work in progress -- he made 23 errors -- but he showcased the skills that led the Red Sox to committing $63 million to get him. There's no need to rush him, and with Dustin Pedroia and Bogaerts locked in at second and short, Moncada's name will pop up in trade rumors.
Winter action plan: The Red Sox have already talked with Ramirez about a move to first base, clearing the way for a Betts-Jackie Bradley Jr.-Rusney Castillo outfield. The ageless David Ortiz is coming off a 37-homer season and the infield appears set, assuming the Sox can't find a taker for Ramirez or Sandoval. Blake Swihart showed promise as a rookie behind the plate, and Christian Vazquez will attempt to rebound from his Tommy John surgery to share time. So it's all about finding arms, either through free agency or trades. Price may be the top target, and Darren O'Day is a logical bullpen fit, but they'll pursue multiple options.
Bradley's name is still popping up in trade rumors, and with Betts being a good center fielder, the Red Sox could sell high on Bradley's hot final two months. That would leave a hole in left field, however, as Bryce Brentz is the only other outfielder on the 40-man roster. The Red Sox have a loaded farm system, and they also have all those back-end starters that they could include in trades as well. You can bet you'll hear Red Sox-Mets trade ideas all winter. Keep in mind that new president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has a history from his Tigers days of trading away prospects, so it could be a simple offseason or one that features a flurry of activity.