Boston Red Sox: 5 reasons team will repeat in 2019
By Ryan Feyre
The Boston Red Sox have built themselves a dynasty after their 2018 World Series win. Do they have what it takes to do it again in 2019? It’s never too early to talk about it.
The Boston Red Sox gave fans of all ages an October to remember, winning the 2018 World Series in dominating fashion.
Now, with dynastic implications swirling around the organization’s front office, a lot of fans will begin to wonder how their beloved team plans to repeat in 2019. Sure, it’s probably way to early to talk about this, but things tend to move quickly in this part of the country.
When something huge occurs, people move on to the next order of business. For Boston fans, winning a consecutive title would be magical. We’re never satisfied here, no matter how many championships the city has seen.
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With that in mind, since we’re all probably thinking it, here are five reasons the Boston Red Sox will repeat as 2019 World Series champions, and become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.
1. Chris Sale’s option has been picked up
The Boston Red Sox picked up Sale’s 2019 option for $15 million. This will be his final season as part of his five-year contract he signed with the Chicago White Sox back in 2013.
The move is a win-win for GM Dave Dombrowski, notably because Sale had such an awesome 2018 where he went 12-4 with 2.11 ERA and 237 strikeouts in the regular season, before dealing with a shoulder injury in the second half. His Cy Young chances have diminished because of that, but his stellar playoff performance convinced Dombrowski enough, to the point where he at least trusts him as the ace for one more year.
Sure, he obtained a pretty mediocre 5.40 ERA in the World Series, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The lefty had ten strikeouts in only five innings pitched during that same five-game span against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and closed out Game 5 in easy fashion during a relief stint in the ninth.
His performance against New York in the ALDS also helped spark this magnificent run, specifically in Game 1 at home, where he pitched five stellar innings, recording eight strikeouts, and obtaining his first career postseason win.
This was a huge breakthrough for a player who’s never had much experience in high-stakes situations like these, even with his old squad. His only other appearance in the playoffs transpired against a very dangerous Houston Astros team in the 2017 ALDS, where Sale gave up four home runs and 13 hits in the only two contests he appeared in.
Alex Cora was definitely initially worried about Sale’s health heading into October, especially with his decreasing fastball velocity in September. Luckily, the ace got back on track, and for the most part, looked like the Cy Young candidate we always knew.
The guy is only 29 too, and if he keeps his velocity between 94-96 mph, then 2019 could be another special year for him. If he stays healthy, then Sale may just have a shot at acquiring another large contract from the Boston Red Sox organization. Either way, picking up that option was essential in maintaining success, at least for 2019.