Winckowski was in competition for a rotation spot during spring training last year before opening the season in the bullpen. He ended up starting six games for Boston and six more for Triple-A Worcester but was mostly a reliever. As in years past, Winckowski exhibited a penchant for inducing groundballs in 2024 (52.4 percent), heavily relying on his sinker. Unfortunately, he was stung by the long ball at times and finished with a 4.14 ERA (4.48 FIP) over 40 appearances and 76 innings. It was disappointing after an encouraging 2023 when he pitched to a 2.88 ERA in 60 outings (one start). The Red Sox believe he can thrive as a starter, but there shouldn't be an opportunity in the majors right away. He's been effective in the minors, and there will be temptation to have him in the WooSox's rotation, where he'll be positioned as a depth starter for Boston. The front office wants to avoid yanking him around as it did in 2024, but a need for a multi-inning arm could develop at some point. Read Past Outlooks