Red Sox's Breakout Players, Most Disappointing to Start 2024 Season
After finishing in the AL East cellar a year ago, the Boston Red Sox look like a legitimate playoff contender this year thanks in large part to a vastly improved starting rotation.
However, those improvements have not come by way of outside additions, but instead thanks to breakout seasons from a number of their in-house arms, most notably Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford.
Meanwhile, new second baseman Vaughn Grissom has not provided the spark many were expecting after coming over from the Atlanta Braves in the deal that sent Chris Sale the other way.
Ahead we've taken a closer look at those two players who carry the title of biggest breakout and biggest disappointment so far, along with also shining some light on a player enjoying a more under-the-radar breakout.
Under-the-Radar Breakout: C Connor Wong
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Connor Wong was a 2.2-WAR player in 2023, but his value came largely from the defensive side of things as he hit just .235/.288/.385 for a 79 OPS+ in 403 plate appearances while splitting time behind the plate with Reese McGuire.
The 28-year-old returned this year as the team's primary catcher, but felt more like a stopgap until 2023 first-round pick Kyle Teel is ready to take over than anything resembling a long-term option.
With a .350/.381/.521 line that includes five doubles, five home runs and 16 RBI through his first 33 games, that narrative is changing and he has been one of the more valuable catcher in the league.
On almost any other team, he would have filled the "biggest breakout" spot, but the Red Sox also have some of the game's most notable breakout pitchers.
Biggest Disappointment: 2B Vaughn Grissom
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Vaughn Grissom looked like a rising star during the 2022 season when he posted huge numbers in the minors and eventually made his MLB debut filling in for an injured Ozzie Albies at second base.
He hit .291/.353/.440 with six doubles, five home runs and 18 RBI in 156 plate appearances down the stretch, and many expected him to shift over as the team's starting shortstop in 2023, but the Braves instead went with veteran Orlando Arcia who ended up being an All-Star.
The Braves shipped Grissom to Boston during the offseason in the Chris Sale trade, and he was immediately penciled into the starting second base job. Unfortunately, a hamstring strain sidelined him to start the year, and he is seemingly still playing catch-up.
The 23-year-old is hitting .143/.158/.161 with one extra-base hit and 13 strikeouts in 57 plate appearances since he was activated from the injured list, and with minor league options remaining he could be demoted if he doesn't pick it up at the plate.
Biggest Breakout: RHPs Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford
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It doesn't seem fair to pick between Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford for the title of biggest breakout player on the Red Sox roster, so let's just go with both of them.
To illustrate what a massive step forward both pitchers have taken this year, here is a look at their 2023 stats:
- Crawford: 129.1 IP, 4.04 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 1.11 WHIP, 36 BB, 135 K
- Houck: 106.0 IP, 5.01 ERA, 4.43 FIP, 1.37 WHIP, 12 BB, 62 K
And here is how things have gone so far in 2024:
- Crawford: 58.0 IP, 2.17 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 1.14 WHIP, 18 BB, 57 K
- Houck: 65.0 IP, 1.94 ERA, 2.22 FIP, 0.95 WHIP, 12 BB, 62 K
After years of struggling to develop their own in-house pitching talent, the Red Sox now have two homegrown starters in the midst of breakout seasons that have helped turn a shaky rotation into a legitimate strength.
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