They say you learn more from losses than you do wins, or something like that. 29 of 30 teams end the season without hoisting a trophy, and therefore walk away more educated than the World Series Champion. While I can’t help Jarren Duran learn to catch better or Connor Wong to hit home runs, I can point out some high level takeaways from the 2025 season.
There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Pitching
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Pitchers are going to get hurt. It’s unavoidable. In 2025, 369 players appeared as a starting pitcher, an average of 12.3 per team. That includes some relievers who appeared as openers, but no team in baseball made it through the entire season with a five-man rotation surviving the entire season. The Red Sox used 15 different starting pitchers.
At the end of the season, despite a system full of pitching depth, the Red Sox rotation was reduced to essentially three men. Lucas Giolito’s injury was ill-timed and impossible to prepare for, but the point remains. There’s no such thing as too much pitching. If you have a pitcher who can give you 15 outs at the major league level, especially one who can be stashed in the minor leagues, hold on to them. This winter, when the Red Sox sign a career journeyman to a minor-league deal, don’t complain that it isn’t a big move. At some point, they’ll need to fill in for a spot start. They might allow seven runs over six innings, but someone needs to fill innings to get through a 162-game season.
If The Dodgers Want To Trade You A Pitcher, Don’t Do It
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They’re selling lemons over there in Los Angeles. The Dodgers used 17 starting pitchers. I sometimes wonder if they acquired injury-prone arms like Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell and limit them throughout the season so they can unleash them during the postseason. The 2024 postseason, when they were running on fumes, somewhat debunked that theory, but 2025 seems to support the idea that they’re trying to coast through the regular season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was one of three pitchers to eclipse 100 innings for Los Angeles this season. The other two were Clayton Kershaw, who was never going to be a big part of their postseason plans, and Dustin May. May was, of course, traded to the Red Sox at the deadline. Last season, their leaders in innings pitched were Gavin Stone, Glasnow, Yamamoto, and James Paxton. Paxton was designated for assignment and subsequently traded to the Red Sox. In 2026, the Dodgers will probably lean on a pitcher through the first half of the season and be willing to discard them. If Craig Breslow sees a number with a 323 area code appear on his phone, I beg him to learn his lesson and send the call to voicemail. Don’t even listen to the voicemail. Whatever they’re selling, we don’t want.
If You’re A Catcher, Don’t Interfere
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 22: Carlos Narváez #75 of the Boston Red Sox reacts to catchers interference during a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park on July 22, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) Getty Images
The Red Sox were called for catcher’s interference 10 times in 2025. That’s three more than the next closest team. Carlos Narvaez was the biggest offender with six interferences, while Connor Wong picked up two of his own. Blake Sabol, who caught seven games, was also called for interference twice. When I see a baseball, I have a hard time not touching it too. But just hold off for 1/100th of a second, I swear it will get there eventually.
If You Have A Future All-Star Who’s Ready To Help Your Team, Don’t Leave Them In Worcester
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This one might be hard to grasp. If you have the consensus number one prospect waiting in Worcester, having already proved just about everything they can at that level, call them up. You’re probably thinking, “But what about their ability to hit in-zone breaking balls? They could probably improve in that area, despite dominating pitching at every level of the minor leagues.” You make a good point, but I would call them up anyway.