The Boston Red Sox’s playoff hopes evaporated a long time ago. It’s a disappointing reality for an organization that won a World Series title last season.

It isn’t time to tune out these Red Sox, though. Sure, they won’t play into October. But there are several storylines worth monitoring over the final two weeks of the 2014 regular season.

The Red Sox figure to be extremely active this offseason while seeking a return to contention in 2015. That could mean trades, major splashes in free agency, etc. The building process actually began at the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, when Boston made a flurry of moves with an eye toward the future, and it has continued down the stretch as the Red Sox evaluate their current roster.

Several players on the 2014 squad are locks for 2015. Others, however, are looking to prove themselves. The Red Sox even will add a high-priced free-agent signing to their major league mix in the hopes of familiarizing themselves with what is expected to be a core member of the franchise moving forward.

Obviously, watching a last-place team pales in comparison to following a legitimate contender. But developments over the final couple of weeks of this season could pave the way for a more fruitful future.