Red Sox Have No 'Elite' Players On Their Roster, According To New Report

Red Sox fans are not going to be happy with this take...

Jun 24, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (11) and Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) celebrate after a two run home run by Devers during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

What was an exciting Boston Red Sox season for most of the summer has taken an unfortunate nosedive.

Losers of five in a row, the Red Sox have fallen to .500 and watched the embers of their playoff hopes gradually smolder out. But if fans have taken any solace away from this season, it's that the future of the Red Sox looks brighter than it did in years past.

Jarren Duran and Tanner Houck were surprise first-time All-Stars. Rafael Devers had a phenomenal season going before shoulder injuries slowed him down. And rookies Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and David Hamilton all showed significant promise.

Though it's not a finished product, the core of the Red Sox roster seems to be taking shape. But based on the latest Major League Baseball talent rankings, Boston's stars still may not have the national respect they feel they deserve.

On Thursday, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel released his MLB "core" rankings, evaluating every team based on the talent they have under control for at least the next two years. The Red Sox came in 13th place, up from 24th in last year's version of the rankings.

"Boston made a huge jump this season," McDaniel said. "With about $60 million coming off the books after this season, the Red Sox could go a variety of ways to augment the staff in hopes of becoming a legitimate threat for a deep run next season."

Though the Red Sox drew praise from McDaniel for their depth, prospect talent and improved pitching staff, there was one caveat from the list that is sure to raise some eyebrows. Nobody on the Boston roster was rated as "elite," which McDaniel classified as a 5+ wins above replacement player.

Devers and Duran both have cases beyond strong enough to earn the "elite" designation. Devers' WAR gets dragged down by his defense, but he's one of the most feared lefty sluggers in the entire sport. Meanwhile, Duran has 8.6 WAR this season, third in all of baseball behind Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr.

The category in which the two were listed instead, the "plus" category, was the same territory occupied by American League East rivals Anthony Volpe, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg, and Junior Caminero.

It's probably silly to get worked up about a list that reduces players into one-size-fits-all tiers, and the Red Sox still earned respect with their overall ranking. But if Duran and Devers needed motivation to take their games to the next level in 2025, they certainly have it here.

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