As Thanksgiving winds down and everyone recovers from the big meal, Boston fans have more to be thankful for than just family, stuffing, and Drake Maye.

Here’s three things Sox fans should toast, and maybe even celebrate with a little extra garlic mashed potatoes:

1. Roman Anthony:

It goes without saying, but the kid is the real deal.

Let’s be honest: when Anthony got called up, expectations were elevated, but realistic. He was a top prospect, but immediate big-league success is never guaranteed.

In 2025, though, he didn’t just contribute.

He dominated.

Anthony emerged as one of the top hitters in baseball in only a few short weeks after being called up from Triple-A Worcester, giving Boston a long-term table-setter at the top of the lineup.

There’s a reason why they gave the 21-year-old an eight-year deal worth $130 million less than two months after joining the team at Fenway full-time. And there’s a reason why he finished as a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year despite not getting called up from Worcester until mid June.

For Red Sox fans who are used to pouring their hearts and souls into prospects, Anthony is different.

He’s not just a quick success, lightning-in-a-bottle-type like Kristian Campbell was in April. He’s the kind of player you build a team around.

This Thanksgiving, Boston should be grateful for a young star who should help lead the Red Sox for years to come.

2. Garrett Crochet:

Finally, a frontline ace in Boston.

It’s been a while since Chris Sale was healthy enough to be “that guy.”

After years of patchwork rotations, unreliable innings eaters, and bullpen-by-committee games, Crochet gave Boston something rare: a true ace.

His presence in the 2025 rotation changed the feel of the season, and even though the postseason ended in disappointment, there’s no doubt he’s now the anchor at the top.

When you lead the league in strikeouts and finish second in Cy Young Award voting, you immediately vault yourself into the discussion for not only best player on the roster, but possibly best athlete in the city at the moment (Jayson Tatum is injured, Maye is the only real competition here).

Sox fans have wanted that kind of stability: someone you can trust with the ball and feel confident about your chances. Crochet brings that.

This holiday, Sox fans should toast the guy who might finally gives Boston the consistency and hope they’ve been waiting for every fifth day.

3. Fenway Sports Group:

…wait, what?

Oh, let me finish the sentence:

Fenway Sports Group, and their reported willingness to spend into the CBT this offseason to go all-in.

Maybe the boldest and most important reason to be thankful: FSG finally seems ready to stop acting like a small-market, budget-conscious club, and start treating Boston like a team that should always contend.

As Sean McAdam reported in October, the Red Sox “fully expect to spend past the first CBT threshold of $244 million,” and are embracing aggressive offseason spending to build a roster meant not just for October, but for a real deep run.

That matters.

It’s not just about having a bigger payroll, but about showing real intent - the kind that says, “We’re not rebuilding slowly. We want to win now.”

For fans who have watched seasons slip by with thin rosters and cautious moves, this is a change worth celebrating.

This Thanksgiving, let’s thank ownership for finally backing up their words with action, starting with the trade for righty Sonny Gray.

…because that’s just the start, right?

And there you have it: Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet, and FSG.

If everything comes together - young stars stepping up, an ace leading the rotation, and strong investment from ownership - 2026 could be the year this fan base stops hoping and starts expecting. As of publishing, they’re tied with Toronto for the seventh-best World Series odds. And even though the Blue Jays just signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year deal worth $210 million, it has not yet had an impact on the betting markets.

So as you pass the cranberry sauce and look at the pie, be thankful.

This offseason, for the first time in a while, it feels like Boston finally has something real to build on.

Happy Thanksgiving, Red Sox Nation.

Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.