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Aug 19, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Masataka Yoshida (7) reacts after striking out against the Baltimore Orioles during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

3 Changes Red Sox Must Make Immediately To Avoid Missing Playoffs

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Everything about the Boston Red Sox's 2-3 homestand was infuriating, but perhaps worst of all was that it felt like they didn't put their best foot forward.

There are now only 35 games left in the season, but the Red Sox have yet to snap into go mode. They've got players who don't deserve to be on the roster still taking up spots, others who are getting too many chances, and the margin for error in the wild card race is shrinking by the day.

So, with a massive four-game road series against the New York Yankees looming, here are some constructive suggestions for the Red Sox to stop their current skid and prevent a fourth-straight year of playoff disappointment in Boston.

1. Bench designated hitter Masataka Yoshida

At this point in the season, the Red Sox need to be putting their "A" lineup on the field every day. And right now, if a right-handed pitcher is on the mound, Masataka Yoshida shouldn't be in it.

Assuming Wilyer Abreu avoids a stint on the injured list, that currently means putting one of the left-handed outfielders (Abreu, Roman Anthony, or Jarren Duran) at designated hitter, leaving Ceddanne Rafaela in center field, and putting Romy Gonzalez at second base. Yoshida, who is a groundout machine right now, is hurting the cause.

The Red Sox are paying Yoshida $18.7 million a year, so the temptation is to keep giving him second chances. But given how poorly he's performing right now, they can't afford to give him at-bats if it means taking one of the core starters out of the lineup for a day.

2. Find one more reliable reliever within the organization

The Red Sox already got off to a good start in this regard. They sent down Isaiah Campbell on Wednesday, who is the very definition of unreliable, and reportedly plan to recall Richard Fitts, who hasn't made a true relief appearance since college.

The quest shouldn't stop here, though. Jordan Hicks has proven unreliable, and Greg Weissert and Justin Wilson have looked shaky lately as well. The return of Justin Slaten could be a huge boost, but it's always tricky to bank on someone bouncing back from a stint on the 60-day injured list.

Whether it's Nick Burdi, David Sandlin, or Payton Tolle, the Red Sox have to keep assessing their Triple-A depth chart for one more option. Presumably, at least one of those hurlers will be called up between now and the rosters expanding on Sept. 1.

3. DFA first baseman Abraham Toro

This might be the only thing on the list that can't happen "immediately," as Toro's roster spot was saved by Rob Refsnyder's trip to the injury list when the Red Sox added newcomer Nathaniel Lowe to the roster earlier this week.

But as soon as Refsnyder is back, and assuming no one else gets hurt in the interim, the Red Sox need to rip the Band-Aid off with Toro. He's been the worst hitter on the team for two months now, and the back-breaking double play he grounded into in the bottom of the 10th inning on Tuesday night should be the final straw.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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