With baseball season over, here are the key events on the offseason calendar for the Red Sox

The Dodgers are World Series champions after taking down the Yankees in five games, clinching the title last Wednesday in New York.

Thursday marked the first day of the MLB offseason. Here are the key dates and events on the offseason calendar as teams now begin to look toward the 2025 season.

Oct. 31: Eligible players became free agents. However, a five-day quiet period restricts players to negotiating solely with the teams they ended the season with.

The Red Sox have seven free agents: pitchers Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin, Nick Pivetta, Luis Garcia, and Lucas Sims, outfielder Tyler O’Neill, and catcher Danny Jansen.

Kenley Jansen is baseball’s active saves leader with 447. O’Neill led the Sox with 31 homers this past season.

Tyler O’Neill’s 31 home runs were just three shy of his career high.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff

The Red Sox’ bullpen will need some improvements without Kenley Jansen and Martin to close out games. Liam Hendriks missed all of 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. A healthy Hendriks could fill Jansen’s closer role. However, that will remain a question mark until he proves that he’s healthy.

The Sox expect to be active participants in the free agent and trade markets, looking for high-leverage relievers with velocity, particularly lefthanders.

The Sox also should be in the market for a free agent starter or two, and Max Fried could be a top option.

Nov. 4: Free agency officially begins at 6 p.m. This day also marks the deadline for teams to make decisions on contract options, to reinstate players from the 60-day injured list, and to tender qualifying offers.

The Red Sox on Monday exercised their club option on Rob Refsnyder at $2 million. They had a $150,000 buyout option but chose to bring Refsnyder back for a fourth season. The 33-year-old outfielder reached career highs in 2024 in games (93), runs (32), hits (77), doubles (16), home runs (11), and RBIs (40).

Nov. 4-7: General manager meetings in San Antonio. These meetings serve as a precursor to the Winter Meetings, where MLB teams and executives discuss potential changes to the game, rules, and league issues. It sets up everything leading into the winter.

Nov. 11: Award finalist announcements.

Nov. 12: Silver Slugger award winners are announced. Third baseman Rafael Devers and outfielder Jarren Duran are the Red Sox’ finalists.

Rafael Devers hit .272 with 28 homers and 83 RBIs in 138 games.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

Nov. 18: The Hall of Fame ballot will be released, as well as winners of the Rookie of the Year award. Hanley Ramirez and Dustin Pedroia will be appearing on the ballot for the first time.

Pirates starter Paul Skenes and Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill are the favorites for Rookie of the Year in the National League, while Yankees pitcher Luis Gil and Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser are the favorites in the American League.

Nov. 19: Manager of the Year honors will be announced. This also is the deadline for players to accept a qualifying offer and for teams to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.

The Royals’ Matt Quatraro and the Guardians’ Stephen Vogt are the AL managerial favorites, while in the NL the favorite is Pat Murphy of the Brewers.

Nov. 20: Cy Young Award winners will be announced. The Tigers’ Tarik Skubal and the Braves’ Chris Sale are the favorites.

Former Red Sox lefty Chris Sale went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA in his first year with the Braves.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

Nov. 21: MVPs will be announced. The Yankees’ Aaron Judge and the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani are the favorites.

Nov. 22: Tender deadline. Pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players must be offered a contract for 2025. If not, they become free agents.

The Red Sox have three arbitration-eligible players: Duran, Tanner Houck, and Kutter Crawford, all of whom are in their first year of arbitration. Duran had a career season, batting .285/.342/.492 with an .835 OPS and 21 homers. His 48 doubles and 14 triples led the majors. Houck also had an exceptional season and, like Duran, was an All-Star for the first time. Houck made 30 starts, compiling a 3.12 ERA.

Dec. 8-11: Winter Meetings in Dallas. These meetings include owners, scouts, GMs, and agents, focusing primarily on trades and free agent signings. Although the meetings can be slow at times, last year Ohtani inked his record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers during these meetings.

Dec. 10: MLB Draft lottery. The lottery determines the teams that will receive the first six picks in the draft. The Rockies, Nationals, Angels, and Marlins are in the running for the No. 1 overall pick.

Dec. 11: Rule 5 draft. This allows teams to pick players who were left off their teams’ 40-man roster. Garrett Whitlock, for instance, was a Rule 5 draft choice by the Red Sox in 2020.

Dec. 15: The international signing period ends. Teams can no longer sign amateur international free agents.

Jan. 10: Deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to exchange figures.

Jan. 15: International signing period reopens.

Jan. 21: The Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be announced.

Jan. 27-Feb. 14: Arbitration hearings for players who failed to reach an agreement with the team. Teams and players will sit in front of an arbitrator to settle a contract for next season.


Julian McWilliams can be reached at julian.mcwilliams@globe.com. Follow him @byJulianMack.

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