FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Some things have changed since we took our first stab at the projected Opening Day roster for the Red Sox roughly a month ago
Romy Gonzalez won’t be with the team at the start of the season. One of the team’s best threats against left-handed pitching could be facing surgery on his left shoulder.
Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval, two veteran starters who didn’t pitch last year due to injuries, are on a conservative program in Spring Training, one that likely sets them both up for Minor League rehab stints when the season starts.
Eight of the nine spots in the everyday lineup are essentially set. The only question is if Marcelo Mayer will break camp as the club’s starting second baseman or go back to Triple-A Worcester.
Without further ado, here is our latest crack at the projected 26-man roster the Sox will take to Cincinnati for Opening Day on March 26:
Catcher (2): Carlos Narváez, Connor Wong
Narváez continues to be more of a presence on the team after his breakout 2025 season, when he came into the spotlight after spending the better part of a decade in the Yankees’ farm system. Wong wasn’t healthy all season, and it showed in his offensive numbers. If he can get back to what he was in ’24, he could be a premier backup.
First baseman (1): Willson Contreras
In his brief time in camp before the World Baseball Classic, Contreras swiftly established himself as a leader on and off the field, someone who looks primed to fuel the Red Sox on offense and defense. Triston Casas is recovering from a torn left patellar tendon and won’t be ready for Opening Day. Even after he gets back to full strength and completes a Minor League rehab assignment, it’s hard to see his fit on the current roster. Keep in mind that Casas still has Minor League options.
Second baseman (1): Marcelo Mayer
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has made it a point of challenging Mayer to earn his spot on the team. The No. 4 pick in the 2021 Draft has looked very comfortable at second base. The club has no questions about his defense. They want to see if he can take the next step on offense.
Shortstop (1): Trevor Story
The widely respected veteran stayed healthy for all of 2025 after an injury-plagued first three seasons in Boston and is considered the captain of the infield.
Third baseman (1): Caleb Durbin
Durbin, acquired just before Spring Training, will likely bat sixth. His tenacity in all facets of the game sets him up to become a fan favorite in short order.
Outfielders (4): Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu
What a stacked outfield. So stacked, in fact, that it will create a challenge for Cora to find enough at-bats for everyone. Anthony is a star in the making. Duran came out of the gate hot in Grapefruit League action and then in the World Baseball Classic for Team Mexico and looks primed to bounce back from some regression at the plate last year. Rafaela is a spectacular Gold Glover on defense but needs to be more consistent on offense. Two-time Gold Glove Award winner Abreu has a goal of proving he can hit lefties.
DH (1): Masataka Yoshida
Cora is a big believer in Yoshida’s hit tool, especially now that he is finally healthy again. But where is his fit in the lineup? The DH spot will often be used to alleviate the log jam in the outfield.
Bench/Utility (2): Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Andruw Monasterio
Kiner-Falefa, fresh off his ride with the AL pennant-winning Blue Jays, will be used as a super-utility player. He is expanding horizons as a backup option at first base due to the indefinite loss of Gonzalez. While Monasterio was overshadowed by Durbin when they came over in the offseason trade with the Brewers, the right-handed hitter gives the Sox a versatile defender who can hit lefties.
Starting Pitchers (5): Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray, Brayan Bello, Johan Oviedo
Crochet was elite and durable in his first season in Boston, finishing second to Tarik Skubal in the AL Cy Young Award race. President of baseball operations Craig Breslow has massively upgraded the rotation behind Crochet, adding two battle-tested winners in Suarez and Gray, and a pitcher whose potential the club loves in Oviedo. At this point, prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early seem more likely to start the season in the rotation for Triple-A Worcester.
Relief Pitchers (8): Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert, Zack Kelly, Jovani Morán, Tayron Guerrero, Seth Martinez
Chapman is coming off one of the finest years by a closer in Red Sox history, and he will try to continue that momentum in his age-38 season. Whitlock was as dominant as any setup man in the game last season. Things will get interesting in the competition for the final couple of spots. Tyler Samaniego, Noah Song and Rule 5 pick Ryan Watson are in competition with Guerrero and Martinez for those last two spots. Don’t rule out Breslow adding someone from outside the organization as teams cut down rosters.