The Boston Red Sox are entering the 2025 season with playoff aspirations, and their front office made notable moves to improve the team. They added an ace starter, Garrett Crochet, a depth rotation option, Walker Buehler, and a right-handed bat, Alex Bregman, to balance the lineup. However, through five games, glaring issues are starting to peak through the offseason plans, and fans are quickly catching on to it.

Boston is 1-4, has been unable to break out offensively, and might have a starting pitching depth issue. Red Sox lead all of baseball in strikeouts. Keep in mind the Cubs have played 6 games. Last year they had the 3rd most in baseball behind the Mariners and Rockies.

Just can’t afford another season of this. pic.twitter.com/hdJ2aSpNdo — Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) March 31, 2025 First off, Rafael Devers is off to a historically bad start and is now 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts. The sample size still isn’t big enough, but if the slump continues, conclusions will be made that the switch to Designated Hitter is truly affecting him.

As a team, Boston is tied for the most strikeouts in baseball with the Chicago Cubs, however, the Cubs have played one more game. Each Boston starter has recorded their first start, and although Sean Newcomb might not get another start for the Red Sox, he didn’t do the team any justice by giving up four runs in the first inning of his team debut. New addition Buehler also had a rough outing, giving up four runs in four innings and getting battered around. Struggling Red Sox bats:

Raffy – Not worried long term, but think it could be a rough April. Said as such before the season, but didn’t think it would be this bad. No offseason + no spring training + new role/routine, not a recipe for a fast start. It looks real bad right now,… — Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) March 31, 2025

The front part of Boston’s rotation with Crochet and Tanner Houck is really solid, and Richard Fitts is off to a strong start in his career and may end up being the third option, but the starters who get opportunities will have to weather the storm until Brayan Bello returns. Is it time to seriously panic? That remains to be unseen, but certainly, the Red Sox hoped to get off to a better start in this potentially exciting season.