The Boston Red Sox have been pulling a lot of the right strings this offseason. Clearly, this front office is serious about contending these next few years, and they have answered the bell when it came to adding solid pitching.
With the acquisition of some new arms, Boston has several options when it comes to who the next closer will be. This is a great problem for them to have, leading to a few players having a shot at being the ninth inning guy.
Who will be the closer in 2025? The Red Sox could turn to any one of these listed pitchers to be the nail in the opposing teams’ coffins each game.
An updated look at the Red Sox’s 2025 closer options
Aroldis Chapman
Chapman taking over as closer in 2025 is the most obvious answer. The 37-year-old left-hander will be paid $10.75 million next year, which is a pricey bullpen arm. Most middle relief pitchers don’t see that kind of salary, so perhaps Chapman will be the one to close out games.
He said that he is open to any role that Boston offers him and will be a leader regardless of his role. An All-Star veteran having this mindset is tremendous for the Red Sox, who now do not have to feel pressured to just give Chapman the keys. He recorded 14 saves last season with the Pirates, bolstering a 3.79 ERA. He still has his fastball, which helped him register a 14.3 K/9.
Chapman has 335 career saves, which is 16th all-time. He has the experience of finishing games, but it is nice to know that he does not need to occupy that role any longer if it’s better for the team.
Garrett Whitlock
Whitlock is likely to return to the bullpen in 2025, according to a report from Alex Cora during the Winter Meetings. The 28-year-old has dealt with a slew of injuries, so it’s safe to be cautionary with his innings limit in the regular season. He’s gone back and forth as a starter and a reliever in his career, so the pressure of locking him into any specific position is good news for both sides.
Whitlock has nine career saves and 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings across four seasons. With a strong fastball accompanying great stuff, Whitlock is not a bad candidate to be a closer, all things considered.
Greg Weissert
Weissert’s chances of being the full-time closer are thin, but he is a strong option who should not be overlooked. Receiving consistent innings in 2024 out of the pen, Weissert closed out the season with a 3.13 ERA in 62 appearances.
He was lights out in August and September, and did not allow a single run in the last two months of the regular season, picking up 11 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. Perhaps, Weissert is just beginning to unlock his full potential in the big leagues.
Justin Slaten
Slaten pitched exceptionally well in his inaugural season in the big leagues. He fired 58 strikeouts in 55 1/3 frames, producing a WHIP just a tick over 1.000. He was one of the best in bigs in chase percentage, walk rate, and barrel rate — all great metrics for a closer.
Slaten did not sweat out many appearances, so his poise would be vital in the ninth inning. Just like Weissert, he’s a guy to seriously consider, although he may be overshadowed by Chapman or Whitlock.
Liam Hendriks
Hendriks will be 36 years old by the start of the 2025 season. He missed all of last year to recover from Tommy John surgery, and despite all everything that is working against him, Hendriks could still be in line to close some games. The three-time All-Star has 116 career saves and is one of the best relievers in baseball when he is healthy. He also brings a wealth of passion and fire to the mound every time his name is called, which Boston fans will love.
There’s a lot of options at closer for the Red Sox, but looking at Hendriks’ career resume, it would be logical to keep him in the mix of consideration. Who knows, he might have another season of greatness left in him.
Honorable Mention: Walker Buehler
Buehler signed with the Red Sox right before the holidays and will likely be a starting pitcher. However, he’s undergone Tommy John surgery twice in his career, which is a difficult hurdle to overcome regarding longevity as a pitcher.
Buehler has somewhat of a background as a reliever from early in his career, but his most notable appearance came in the 2024 World Series, when he fanned Alex Verdugo to clinch the championship trophy. Red Sox fans can revel in Buehler already leaving a bad taste in Yankees fans’ mouths, which many would love to see happen again. If he struggles as a starter, then the Red Sox could consider Buehler as a legitimate closer. We’ve seen crazier things happen.
The Red Sox seem to have a stable of options to fulfill the closing duties in 2025. Although it’s unclear who will earn the job now, it doesn’t seem like they could go wrong with so many choices. A good bullpen leads to more wins, so the Red Sox adding all of these new players is only stirring up the excitement for 2025.
