Boston Red Sox: 3 bold predictions for the 2022 season
Boston Red Sox bold prediction No. 1: The Red Sox will win the AL East
Given the amount of competition in one division, and the fact Boston had a pretty quiet offseason, not many people are picking the Sox to win the AL East. While they didn’t win it last season, they did end up being the last team standing among the group. Whose to say they can’t do it again this season and win the division in the process?
The Blue Jays had the most active offseason, and while they brought in some big name players (Kevin Gausman, Matt Chapman) they also lost some key players too (Marcus Semien, Robbie Ray). The Yankees re-signed Anthony Rizzo and maee swung a trade for Josh Donaldson, but they didn’t make a big move like they were expected to. The Rays were quiet, but they always find a way to exceed expectations, and 2022 will be no different.
Where do the Sox stand among these teams? Obviously it’s tough to tell right now, but there’s no reason to not feel good about this team heading into 2022. They beat both the Yankees and the Rays in the postseason last year, and while it’s a new season, neither team added enough to the point where they are better than Boston. Toronto seems to be the favorite heading into the season, but they have a lot of production to replace from last season.
Boston’s lineup is going to rake. They replaced the lost production from Kyle Schwarber and Hunter Renfroe by signimng Story, which is fine because there were times when one of those guys was being left out of the lineup because of positional issues. The pitching staff is a bit of a concern, but there are enough talented arms on the roster where it should sort itself out similarly to last season.
Next. Red Sox outfield currently lacks a top right fielder. dark
With a dominant lineup, combined with a rotation led by Nathan Eovaldi (and hopefully the aforementioned Sale), Boston is in a good spot to compete for the top spot in the AL East. It’s going to be an absolute battle between four really solid teams, but the Red Sox have positioned themselves well to repeat their unexpected success from the 2021 season, and I expect to see them at the top of the AL East once the season is over.