Red Sox’s Early Takeaways of 2024 MLB Season

Red Sox’s Early Takeaways of 2024 MLB Season0 of 3

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After an 84-loss season and last-place finish in the AL East standings in 2023, the Boston Red Sox have exceeded expectations in the early going this year thanks in large part to the performance of their starting rotation.

When Lucas Giolito was lost for the season during spring training, it looked like the starting staff was poised to be a major area of weakness once again, but breakout performances from Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford have instead made it a major strength.

Meanwhile, the deal to acquire Tyler O’Neill from the St. Louis Cardinals is paying major dividends offensively, and his production has become even more important now that Triston Casas is set to miss significant time.

Ahead we’ve taken a closer look at those notable early takeaways from the 2024 season.

Tyler O’Neill Has Been a Brilliant Buy-Low Pickup1 of 3

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Tyler O’Neill looked like a rising star for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 2021 season when he posted a 148 OPS+ with 34 home runs and 6.1 WAR while finishing eighth in NL MVP voting and taking home Gold Glove honors.

However, injuries limited him to just 168 games and 1.5 WAR total in 2022 and 2023, and the Cardinals sold low during the offseason when he was traded to the Red Sox to help unclog an outfield logjam.

The 28-year-old is hitting .292/.398/.625 for a terrific 182 OPS+ with a team-high nine home runs in 113 plate appearances to open the year, and the free-agent-to-be has given his stock a massive shot in the arm.

It remains to be seen if he will stick around in Boston beyond this year, but he is shaping up to be a key offensive cog in 2024.

The Triston Casas Injury is a Major Blow2 of 3

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After a huge second half to his rookie season last year, Triston Casas looked like an obvious candidate for a bona fide breakout performance in 2024.

With a 137 OPS+ and six home runs through his first 22 games, he was well on his way to just that before suffering a fractured rib that landed him on the 60-day injured list with no clear timetable for his return.

A struggling Bobby Dalbec was the next man up for playing time at first base, but the team quickly swung a deal to acquire veteran Garrett Cooper from the Chicago Cubs. Dominic Smith was also added in free agency after he opted out of his minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, and Dalbec was optioned to the minors last week.

All told, the early returns from that trio have been less than encouraging:

Dalbec: 59 PA, .132/.207/.170, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 28 KSmith: 21 PA, .200/.238/.250, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 4 KCooper: 19 PA, .063/.211/.063, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 5 KKeep an eye on Niko Kavadas as another potential in-house solution. The 25-year-old has a 1.058 OPS with six home runs and 19 RBI in 100 plate appearances at Triple-A and should make his MLB debut at some point in 2024.

The Starting Rotation Is Baseball’s Biggest Surprise3 of 3

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The Red Sox finished 22nd in the majors with a 4.68 ERA from the starting rotation last season, and with free-agent signing Lucas Giolito lost for the year and both Chris Sale and James Paxton gone, they entered the season with what looked to be an even worse situation on paper.

That could not be further from the truth.

The Red Sox entered play on Wednesday leading the majors with a 2.13 ERA from the starting staff, and Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford have been two of the biggest breakout performers in baseball.

Houck: 7 GS, 1.99 ERA (2.06 FIP), 0.97 WHIP, 7 BB, 46 K, 45.1 IPCrawford: 8 GS, 1.75 ERA (2.82 FIP), 1.08 WHIP, 15 BB, 46 K, 46.1 IPThose strong FIP numbers for both pitchers support the idea that their early breakouts are sustainable, and Houck has looked like a legitimate Cy Young candidate with his vastly improved command.

Another X-factor has been the early returns from Cooper Criswell, who has a 1.74 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 20.2 innings over four starts and one relief appearance after joining the club on a one-year, $1 million deal during the offseason.