Bold Predictions For Red Sox's 2025 Season: MVP, Biggest Disappointment, And More

Ah, Opening Day. It's a magical time for every Major League Baseball team, and this year is beginning with more hope than usual for the Boston Red Sox.

After a banner offseason that included a blockbuster trade, a $40 million-per-year contract, and a whole lot of speculation, the Red Sox are preparing to do battle with the Texas Rangers on Thursday. They'll try to parlay a good start there into their first playoff berth in four years by October.

So just in advance of the new season, why not put some predictions into the universe? Here are some Red Sox On SI projected superlatives for the 2025 season.

Most Valuable Player: 3B Alex Bregman

There were so many candidates to consider here. Jarren Duran would have been the obvious winner last year. Rafael Devers is a good candidate every year. One could even make the case for new ace Garrett Crochet, though we'll get to him in a second.

But Bregman's career numbers at Fenway Park (1.240 OPS in 98 plate appearances) seem like an omen. Though he hasn't quite been elite offensively for the last few seasons, the 2025 season should be the year the two-time All-Star re-enters the MVP conversation, not only in Boston but in all of baseball.

Cy Young: SP Garrett Crochet

This was the biggest layup of the bunch, because if Crochet can stay healthy for 30 starts this season (or maybe even 25), he's going to strike out the galaxy. He proved that last season, with 209 punchouts in just 146 innings, and he proved it again with 30 K's in 15 2/3 spring training innings.

If Crochet goes out and puts himself in top-five Cy Young consideration for the entire American League, which most seem to think he will, the price for the Red Sox to extend him will go through the roof. Any shot that Craig Breslow is adding another $50 million to his best offer as we speak?

Biggest Surprise: CF Ceddanne Rafaela

Rafaela couldn't stop chasing pitches out of the zone last season, and his numbers took a hit as a result. Though he had 15 home runs and 19 stolen bases as a rookie, his .274 on-base percentage made his overall offensive season a disappointment. However, there are positive indicators to be found in his spring training production.

With a .409 on-base percentage and six walks to four strikeouts, Rafaela appeared to show this spring that he's simplified his swing and cut down on some of his chase issues. Granted, it's an exceptionally small sample size, but Rafaela could take a full step back from that pace in the regular season and still be excellent.

And if he plays Gold Glove defense in center field while becoming a 110 OPS+ sort of hitter? That's probably a five-WAR player, and one the Red Sox weren't necessarily depending on with all the other stars in their lineup.

Biggest Disappointment: SP Tanner Houck

This part of the column is no fun to write. But on a roster of 26 players, not everyone can be firing on all cylinders at once. And although there are a few regression candidates on this team, Houck stands out because of his struggles this spring.

In just 13 2/3 innings of work, Houck surrendered a preposterous 29 hits and 17 earned runs. He also only struck out seven batters, and lack of swing and miss can be one of his biggest issues despite excellent stuff overall.

Houck is an important piece of this rotation, so it will hurt the Red Sox if he takes a big step back from last year. But a step forward from Brayan Bello could help offset the damage.

More MLB: Red Sox All-Star Rafael Devers Gives Honest Reaction To Forced Position Change