Record in 2014: 71-91 (fifth place, 25 games back)
Key additions: Third baseman Pablo Sandoval brings three World Series rings to Boston, a year after he hit .279/.324/.415 with 16 home runs and 73 RBIs for the San Francisco Giants. New left fielder Hanley Ramirez was a three-time All-Star after his trade from the Red Sox to the Florida Marlins in 2005, and hit .283/.369/.448 with 13 home runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers last year. New starting pitchers Rick Porcello (15-13, 3.43ERA in 32 games with the Detroit Tigers), Wade Miley (8-12, 4.34 ERA in 33 starts with the Arizona Diamondbacks) and Justin Masterson (7-9, 5.88 ERA in 28 games with the Cleveland Indians and St.Louis Cardinals) fill out a rebuilt rotation.
Key losses: Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, acquired in a trade for star pitcher Jon Lester in July, was dealt to the Tigers in December after batting a combined .260 with 22 home runs and 100 RBIs between the Oakland Athletics and Red Sox. Third baseman Will Middlebrooks was dealt to the San Diego Padres, while backup catcher David Ross signed with the Chicago Cubs. Lester, John Lackey and Jake Peavy were traded in 2014.
X-factor: Starting rotation
Seven of the 11 pitchers who started games for the Red Sox in 2014 have new teams in 2015, and all four projected starters except for Clay Buchholz — Joe Kelly, Miley, Porcello and Masterson — were acquired since July. There's no ace among them, but if all five projected starters pitch to their potential, thelineup will do the rest. Buoyed by the additions of Sandoval and Ramirez, plus high expectations for youngsters Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts, the offense could be among the league's best. Their fortunes will turn on whether the pitching holds up.
Outlook: Don't expect another worst-to-first rise for the Red Sox, but Boston will climb back over .500 and be in the hunt for a playoff spot come September. They're set up well for the future with cost-controlled offense for years to come, but their return to the playoffs could come much sooner.