Blog 11

Blog #11: Make or Break: Three Key Players that Red Sox Will Need to Step Up in Second Half: 

BOSTON, MA - JULY 2: Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox is congratulated by Alex Bregman #2 and Brayan Bello #66 after their 5-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Fenway Park on July 2, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. This is a continuation of the July 1 game which was suspended due to inclement weather. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)Getty Images 

By OwBroMedia

August 8, 2025 | Boston, MA

BOSTON- Coming off a home-stand where they won five of six games, the Boston Red Sox are looking their best this season, with just 46 games remaining in the regular season.

The Sox currently hold a 64–52 record, placing them 12 games over .500—the first time they’ve reached that mark since October 2021. This performance puts them second in the competitive American League East Division, trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by just four games. They also sit atop the American League Wild Card standings, with a two-and-a-half-game lead. It’s a strong position to be in, but fans remain wary, remembering how the last two seasons saw Boston lose momentum and miss the postseason entirely.

The team is determined to reverse that trend this year, but doing so will require major contributions from these three players down the stretch:

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Walker Buehler:

Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images 

It’s no secret that Buehler has not had the season either he or the Red Sox imagined. After signing a one-year “prove-it” deal worth $21.05 million—over other options like old friends Nathan Eovaldi and Nick Pivetta—the 31-year-old right-hander is having the worst season of his career. In 19 starts, Buehler holds a 6–6 record with a 5.74 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched. He also missed several starts due to right shoulder bursitis.

Despite these struggles, Buehler has shown flashes of the dominant pitcher he once was with the Dodgers. As recently as July 21, he tossed seven innings of one-run ball against one of baseball’s top offenses, the Philadelphia Phillies. If the Red Sox hope to continue their playoff push, Buehler will need to step up significantly.

Injuries to key starters such as Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, and Patrick Sandoval, along with the early-season trade of Quinn Priester, have left the starting rotation depth in a thin spot. As a result, Buehler must perform, starting with his outing tonight against the San Diego Padres.

It’s also worth noting that with his 20th start of the season, Buehler will begin earning a performance bonus of $500,000 for every additional start. Any further poor performances could result in him being moved to the bullpen—or even released from the organization. That said, Buehler has proven to be a reliable postseason pitcher, with a 4–4 record, 3.04 ERA, 119 strikeouts, and one save in 19 playoff appearances. It remains to be seen what the Red Sox plan to do with him moving forward.

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Abraham Toro:

The Boston Red Sox’s Abraham Toro hits a single against the New York Yankees during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray) 

Signed to a minor-league contract in the offseason, Toro was called up to the Major League roster in May after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury. Toro got off to a hot start, slashing .296/.296/.833 for the rest of the month, but has cooled off considerably since then.

While he posted a respectable .761 OPS in June, his production dropped in July, with just a .574 OPS. At that point, many fans and analysts believed Boston should acquire a first baseman at the trade deadline. However, no offensive players were added, leaving the team with the same platoon of Toro and Romy Gonzalez—Toro facing right-handers and Gonzalez left-handers.

As of August 8, Toro has played in 68 games, hitting .256/.308/.700 with 13 doubles, six home runs, and 24 RBIs in 250 plate appearances. With the platoon at first base likely to remain in place, the Red Sox will need Toro to step up against right-handed pitching. Gonzalez has done his part, hitting .351/.402/1.072 in 97 at-bats against lefties, but Toro has managed just .248/.319/.706 against right-handers in 165 at-bats.

Should Toro continue to struggle, Boston may turn to its minor-league depth. One option is former top prospect Kristian Campbell, who was optioned to Triple-A to adjust his swing and make a defensive transition from second base to first. He’s currently riding a 15-game hit streak, slashing .393/.469/1.058 with Worcester.

Another option is the Red Sox’s No. 2 prospect, Jhostynxon Garcia. He has put together an impressive season, earning a spot in the MLB Futures Game and hitting .305/.372/.951 in 57 games with Worcester. Though a natural outfielder, Garcia has begun taking reps at first base in hopes of making his big-league debut this season, according to Tommy Cassell.

Both prospects are right-handed hitters. If Toro continues to falter, expect Boston to give one of them a shot.

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Mastaka Yoshida:

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 01: Masataka Yoshida #7 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after being hit by a pitch during the seventh inning of a game against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on August 01, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) 

Signed to a five-year, $90 million contract in the 2022 offseason, Yoshida produced solid numbers in his first two seasons with the Red Sox, recording a 112 OPS+, meaning he was 12% better than the average hitter. However, the club’s signing of Alex Bregman this past offseason and the move of Rafael Devers to the designated hitter role left no clear spot for Yoshida in the lineup.

Coupled with a labral issue in his right shoulder, Yoshida was placed on the injured list early in the season, and it seemed likely he would stay there for the remainder of 2025. That changed when the Red Sox traded Devers to the San Francisco Giants, opening a roster spot for Yoshida. He was activated on July 9 and has remained on the roster since.

So far, the results have been underwhelming. In 16 games, Yoshida is slashing .222/.263/.596 with three doubles, one home run, and four RBIs. Manager Alex Cora now faces the challenge of rotating six different outfielders for playing time—Yoshida, Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Rob Refsnyder.

It is still early for his season though, and fans know from past performance that all it takes is one hot streak to ignite Yoshida’s bat. The potential is still there. However, if his struggles continue, it’s difficult to envision him receiving regular playing time as Boston pushes toward the playoffs. This slump could also set the tone for a trade or release this offseason.

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The Red Sox continue their season tonight as they begin another West Coast road trip, starting at 9:40 p.m. EST with a three-game series against the San Diego Padres.