Some interesting Boston Red Sox Spring Training tidbits to watch
Football season is over and that means one thing: baseball season is right around the corner. Boston Red Sox baseball will be upon us before we even have time to blink!
This Red Sox team is going to look a bit different in 2023. Xander Bogaerts is out. Other core members of the 2018 World Series team are out. New players are in and there seems to be a different vibe with this year’s group.
With Spring Training officially starting up, let’s look at a few different tidbits to pay attention to with this Boston Red Sox team.
Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers being the leader of this team
With Bogaerts and a lot of other veterans elsewhere, it’s time for Rafael Devers to step up and be a leader for this Red Sox team.
He doesn’t have to be the “rah-rah” type of guy where he’s getting into guys’ faces. But, he can be a leader by example that this team desperately needs right now.
We all know the team is building around Devers. That’s why they gave the 26 year old a double digit year contract extension!
So it starts with this Spring Training. Will we see a Devers that can show maturity and leadership for a team that people are so low on? Or will he only focus on his personal self and let the other veterans show the way in Boston? Time will tell.
Boston Red Sox pitching staff first impressions and staying healthy
We know that the starting pitching wasn’t close to being productive and healthy for the whole 2022 season.
Want your voice heard? Join the Chowder And Champions team!
It all starts and ends with Chris Sale. He seems to be hinting at how good he feels and how he wants to make sure he’s on the field with his teammates. But will he actually be healthy?
Then there’s the rest of the rotation. Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, James Paxton, Corey Kluber, and others will be battling for a spot in the rotation. Will they all be able to keep this Red Sox team afloat and in games? Could it be a repeat of last season where starters can’t locate and get outs when they need to?
Boston Red Sox outfield production
What will the outfield look like for the Red Sox this year?
Next. What if...Triston Casas sizzles at the plate. dark
A combination of Masataka Yoshida, Adam Duvall, and Alex Verdugo looks like the likely trio to patrol the outfield this season.
Yoshida needs to be able to take his talent from Japan and apply it to being a solid leadoff hitter in the MLB. The contract also plays a big factor in seeing if Yoshida will live up to the hype.
Duvall is expected to be a power guy. Can he give you anywhere from 22-28 homeruns this year? Probably, yes. He can take care of center field as Yoshida and Verdugo get the corners.
Verdugo is looking very trim as he enters Spring Training. He needs to show that he isn’t just a small piece of the Mookie Betts trade. That he can be a border-line caliber All-star outfielder! Doing it at the plater will certainly help. A little bit of stellar defensive play thrown in? Now, we’re cooking!