As the World Baseball Classic closes and the MLB regular season begins, now is a great time to check on the state of baseball for the 2026 season.
The WBC was truly special this year as teams played their hearts out for their country, and Venezuela upset the “Avengers-level” threat of Team USA to become champions. The WBC has revitalized direct competition between countries on a global stage.
The MLB, in its quest to improve the game, has implemented the Automated Ball-Strike system, which allows hitters, pitchers and catchers to challenge ball and strike calls, which, in my humble opinion, is unequivocally a good thing. Finally, no more dictatorship over the strike zone as each team gets two challenges per game, but if the team is successful in their challenge, they retain it.
With that said, let’s take a look at the Red Sox, who look to improve on a 2025 campaign that saw them make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
The Red Sox shined at the WBC with Roman Anthony becoming one of the leaders of Team USA, Wilyer Abreu hitting clutch home runs for Venezuela, Jarren Duran displaying power, mashing three home runs and two against Team USA, Greg Weissert was near perfect for Team Italy and Garrett Whitlock was excellent in the eighth inning role for Team USA.
The 2026 season, though, is full of questions.
With the departure of Alex Bregman and Rafael Devers, the Sox lineup is missing a key veteran bat to stabilize the offense throughout the season. Although the “Roman Empire” looks like one of the best players in baseball, it is a lot for a 21-year-old to take on in his first full season. Other players like Trevor Story and Duran will have to be the players they once were for the team to be an elite offense.
The Sox are a very young team, as I mentioned. Anthony is 21, Marcelo Mayer is 23, Ceddanne Rafaela is 25 and Abreu is 26. All these guys have things to prove, especially with the bat in their hands, but if they can piece it together, they could be one of the best lineups in baseball.
Boston had a very interesting offseason as the team elected not to bring Bregman back but instead bolstered the rotation, and they certainly did. Trading for Sonny Gray and signing Ranger Suarez, paired with Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello, gives you a great chance of winning every series you play.
To bolster the lineup, Boston traded for both Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin. Contreras is 33 years old and won a World Series with the Cubs in 2016. Durbin finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year race last year and appears to be the answer at third base for the Sox.
Boston is, of course, a part of the American League East division, which year after year is one of the best in baseball. This year is no different.
Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees are basically running it back with the same team, but they are going to get Gerrit Cole back. The Toronto Blue Jays are fresh off a World Series run, and although they lost Bo Bichette, they will still be a strong contender. The Baltimore Orioles signed Pete Alonso to add to an already great lineup, and if their pitching is even average, they have a strong wild-card shot. Then there’s the Tampa Bay Rays, and they certainly exist. Maybe they won’t contend this year, but Junior Caminero is a superstar and the face of their franchise.
So, where might the Red Sox finish in this league? Call me an optimist, but I see them finishing either first or second in this division. The rotation is one of the best in the league, and I believe they will have enough offense to get it done.
