Entering the 2016 season the Red Sox find themselves in a very interesting position.
Having finished last in the AL east in 2014, and heading in that direction again three quarters of the way through the 2015 season, ownership decided to move in a new direction and hired Dave Dombrowski as the President of Baseball Operations in August. He replaces Ben Cherrington, who made a number of questionable free-agent signings, but also managed to retain most of the Red Sox assets, leaving Dombrowski and new GM Mike Hazen an organization flush with emerging major league talent, prospects, and possibilities.
Having holes up and down the major league pitching staff, Dombrowski has already cashed in some of the minor league depth, including blue chip prospect Manuel Margot, along with Javier Guerra, Carlos Asuaje, and Logan Allen to the Padres for RP Craig Kimbrel.
Dombrowski has since taken the stance that he will address the rest of the pitching staff through free agency, but with his history of turning prospects into major league talent, that remains to be seen.
With plenty of money to spend, and an organization pointed in the right direction, the Red Sox are in a great position going forward and fan interest is at an all time high despite consecutive last place finishes.