The 2023 Boston Red Sox season was a weird one. Honestly, if you looked at the Red Sox 2023 roster on paper in March, you could squint and see a Wild Card team. They had "Macho Man" Masataka Yoshida coming over from Japan, Rafael Devers freshly paid, and a bunch of veteran arms.
Then the actual games started.
Boston finished 78-84. Last place in the AL East. Again. It wasn’t just that they lost; it was how they lost. They led the American League with 102 errors. Their starting rotation was basically a revolving door of "wait, who is pitching today?" and the shortstop position became a black hole after Trevor Story’s elbow gave out before Spring Training even really got moving.
The Pitching Chaos of the Red Sox 2023 Roster
The biggest headache for Alex Cora was the rotation. You’ve got names like Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, and James Paxton. Ten years ago, that’s a video game rotation. In 2023? It was a recipe for the Injured List.
Sale struggled with a shoulder stress reaction. Kluber, who was supposed to be the "steady veteran," ended up with a 7.04 ERA before getting moved to the bullpen and then the IL. Paxton actually looked great for a minute, but his body just couldn't hold up for the full 162.
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The primary starters and their struggle points:
- Brayan Bello: He was the one bright spot. 157 innings of solid work. He’s the future.
- Nick Pivetta: Started in the rotation, got moved to the "bulk relief" role, and actually became dominant. He struck out 183 guys in 142.2 innings.
- Kutter Crawford: Sorta the unsung hero. He finished with a 4.04 ERA and actually looked like a legitimate MLB starter.
The bullpen was actually... good? It sounds crazy given the record, but Chris Martin was a godsend. He posted a 1.05 ERA. One point zero five. In 55 innings, he only walked eight people. Kenley Jansen did Kenley Jansen things, locking down 29 saves and making the All-Star team. But when your starters can't get past the fifth inning, you burn out your relievers by August. That’s exactly what happened.
What Really Happened With the Infield?
Losing Xander Bogaerts to the Padres was the vibe-killer of the decade for Sox fans. The plan was to slide Trevor Story to short. Then Story had internal brace surgery on his elbow in January.
Total disaster.
Kiké Hernández tried to fill in. It didn't work. He committed double-digit errors at short before being traded back to the Dodgers in July. We saw a parade of middle infielders: Christian Arroyo, Yu Chang, Pablo Reyes, and eventually Adalberto Mondesí—who never actually played a single game for Boston due to his ACL recovery.
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It was a mess.
The Rise of Triston Casas
If you want to talk about the Red Sox 2023 roster without being depressed, you talk about Triston Casas. Through May, he was hitting under .200. People were calling him a bust.
He didn't care.
Casas kept his eye at the plate, walked a ton, and eventually found his power. He finished with 24 homers and an .857 OPS, coming in third for AL Rookie of the Year. Along with Rafael Devers, who mashed 33 home runs and drove in 100, the corner infield spots were the only places Cora didn't have to worry about.
Masataka Yoshida: The $90 Million Question
When Chaim Bloom signed Yoshida to a five-year deal, everyone in the industry said he overpaid. For the first half of the season, Yoshida made them look like geniuses. He was hitting over .300 and barely ever striking out.
But the "wall" is real.
The transition from the Japanese schedule to the MLB grind is brutal. Yoshida's legs clearly gave out in the final two months. He finished with a .289 average and 15 homers—perfectly respectable, but the drop-off in September was steep. He’s a pure hitter, but his defense in left field was, well, adventurous.
The Fallout and Chaim Bloom’s Exit
You can't finish last twice in a row in Boston and keep your job. On September 14, the team fired Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom.
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The 2023 roster was his vision—a mix of high-upside bridge veterans and "value" plays. It failed because the floor was too low. When the injuries hit the rotation, there was no depth in Triple-A Worcester to save them. They were asking guys like Kyle Barraclough and Matt Dermody to start games in a pennant race.
Key stats that defined the season:
- Defense: 102 errors (Worst in AL).
- Starters: Only one pitcher (Bello) cleared 150 innings.
- The Core: Devers and Casas combined for 57 home runs.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking back at the 2023 season to understand where the franchise is going, look at the youth. The roster was frustrating, but it debuted Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela late in the year.
What to watch for moving forward:
- The Bello/Casas Era: These two are the foundation. Any success in the next three years depends on them becoming All-Stars.
- Shortstop Stability: The 2023 experiment of "playing guys out of position" is over. Expect the team to prioritize actual shortstops.
- Pitching Philosophy: The 2023 staff was built on "stuff" but lacked durability. The front office shift suggests a move toward arms that can actually handle 30 starts.
The 2023 Red Sox weren't a talentless team. They were a fragile team. They had a high ceiling and a basement-level floor, and unfortunately, they spent most of the summer in the basement.