Boston Red Sox: Early prediction of 2018 playoff roster
By Oliver Gold
With a 90-40 record, it’s pretty safe to say the Boston Red Sox will be in the 2018 postseason. What will their roster look like?
It’s pretty safe to say the Boston Red Sox will make it to the postseason.
Through 130 games, the Red Sox are 90-40 and are 8.0 games above the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Yankees are 8.5 games ahead of the Mariners for the second wild-card spot, so the Red Sox are 16.5 games ahead of the Mariners.
With all this in mind, it’s time to start taking a look at what the Red Sox postseason roster could look like. It will obviously look much different if the Red Sox have to play in the Wild Card game, but we’ll assume they close out the division and play in the ALDS.
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This would be Alex Cora’s first time managing in the postseason. The former Red Sox player served as the bench coach for the Houston Astros last season, who went on to beat the Red Sox in the ALDS and win the World Series.
Let’s take a look at what Cora’s roster could look like. Lots of things could happen before the start of the postseason, but this will assume everybody except for Dustin Pedroia and Carson Smith are healthy, including Chris Sale.
Starting Pitchers: Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello
Most teams only use three starting pitchers in the postseason, especially in the ALDS. There might be a time where the team needs a fourth starter, but for the most part, teams will roll with three guys.
These three have been the most consistent starting pitchers for the Red Sox all season long.
Sale has been having an insane season. The left-hander is currently 12-4 with a 1.97 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP and has 219 strikeouts in 146 innings pitched.
Sale struggled in the postseason last season. In the game he started, Sale gave up seven runs over five innings and gave up two runs over 4.2 innings in the game he came out of the bullpen.
He will certainly be looking to have more success this year.
David Price has been terrific recently. Since the all-star break, the former Cy Young winner is 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in six starts.
Price has struggled in the postseason his entire career, however. In his career, the southpaw is 2-8 with a 5.03 ERA. Last season with the Red Sox, however, Price did not give up a run and allowed just seven baserunners in 6.2 innings of work.
He came out of the bullpen in both those games. Price will be looking for more of the same this season as a starter.
Rick Porcello has been a solid option all season. The right-hander is 15-6 with a 4.14 ERA. Eduardo Rodriguez could be the one taking this spot, as he is 11-3 with a 3.44 ERA, but E-Rod has never started a postseason game. He appeared in just one game last postseason and allowed the only two men he faced to reach base. Nathan Eovaldi could be in contention as well.
It should be a bit concerning for Red Sox that their starting staff has not been very good in the postseason. However, these three have been reliable for the Red Sox all season long, and nothing should change in the postseason.