The 2023 MLB season is here and the Boston Red Sox are hoping to surprise some folks and actually give their beloved fans a season.
With Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Nathan Eovaldi all departed, the hype for this Red Sox squad center around a surging young superstar in Rafael Devers, a newcomer in Masataka Yoshida and a young prospect in Triston Casas who could make the season interesting if he pops and becomes another guy in the lineup besides Devers.
Oh, there is also that guy named Chris Sale looking to return to his dominance after battling injuries the last four seasons. While the buzz surrounding this team hasn’t been centered around “what if’s,” there is a mix of talent that could compete if those “what if’s” pan out.
Boston Red Sox need to get off to a good start
Coming off a last place finish in the American League East a year ago, Sale and the Red Sox are going into Opening Day of the 2023 MLB season with optimism.
"“I think more so than anything, the talent is obviously there, but the excitement is there,” Sale said, via MLB.com. “The drive, the focus [are there]. We’re very disciplined. I think that obviously starts with our [coaching] staff. [Alex Cora] holds people accountable, and people respect him. As much as people want to go out there and do well for us, we don’t want to let them down either.”"
Sale won’t be the Opening Day starter, but there will be a former Cy Young winner on the mound for the Red Sox when they open the season against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Corey Kluber isn’t the pitcher he was, but could he put together one more solid season as a starter?
The Red Sox are banking on it and that is where the hyped-up predictions start.
Red Sox start Corey Kluber will settle down and pitch a solid game
It will be a chilly day at Fenway Park, but Corey Kluber will put together a solid five-inning performance against a hungry Orioles lineup. He’ll give up a couple runs early, but the veteran will put it together on the mound and give the Red Sox a bit more hope in that starting rotation.
In all, he’ll give up a few hits, but will strike out 6 while the Red Sox batting order finds a way to get to Orioles starter Kyle Gibson.
Kluber will be making his sixth Opening Day start which he says is an honor.
"“It’s definitely an honor,” Kluber said, via MLB. “There are plenty of guys in this clubhouse who could’ve taken the ball on Opening Day. The way I look at it is, regardless of if you pitch the first day, the fifth day, it really only matters that first time through the order and then everything kind of gets messed up anyways. But it is an honor. I’ve done it before, and I will try to make it as normal as possible.”"
Red Sox manager Alex Cora did surprise folks by giving the ball to Kluber on Opening Day, but it is not a bad decision given the veteran’s experience. Kluber is coming off a season in which he went 10-10 with a 4.34 ERA in 31 starts. Obviously not elite, but he knows how to pitch and has been impressing during Spring Training.
A solid Opening Day start will set the tone for the starting rotation and the 2023 Boston Red Sox team looking to prove a lot of the projections wrong.
Red Sox newcomer Adam Duvall smashes the first homer of 2023
With all the hype around Triston Casas and Masataka Yoshida, it will be newcomer Adam Duvall who will win Fenway Park over.
Signing a one-year deal with the Red Sox this offseason, Duvall is a player who has proven his power in the past and is looking to have a big season in Boston in 2023. The Red Sox pretty much need the 34-year-old outfielder to produce the same way he did when he put together back-to-back 30 homer seasons back in 2016 and 2017.
That was a few seasons ago, but Duvall is a capable power hitter and a bat that can be very valuable in this Red Sox lineup as long as he stays healthy.
On Thursday, looking for Duvall to introduce himself to Fenway Park by delivering the team’s first homer of the season. This will come early in the game and will get the offense rolling. Duvall will continue to have a strong Red Sox debut with a couple of nifty defensive plays in the outfield.
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Speaking of the outfield, Duvall has been preparing to take on the duties of centerfield, which will be as important as his offensive production.
"“I put in a lot of work getting my legs built up in the offseason,” Duvall said, via NBC Sports Boston. “We did a lot of sprint work, a lot of first-step, and then a lot of endurance stuff too, longer sprints, long sled pushes. You’re doing it at the end of a workout, where you’re tired. Just to be able to extend that a little bit and hopefully that will prepare me.”"
Duvall will be put to the test early against the Baltimore Orioles and his defense will help Kluber settle down on the mound.
Red Sox Opening Day will be about Masataka Yoshida
If Red Sox fans weren’t excited about Masataka Yoshida already, they will be after Opening Day at Fenway Park.
Coming off an impressive WBC performance, the rookie outfielder out of Japan will have a solid debut hitting at the top of the Boston Red Sox lineup. He will go 3-for-5 with a couple RBI and will impress fans with his patience at the plate.
With his presence at the plate being a strength, Yoshida will deliver in his Major League debut and get his rookie season off to a promising start by being the catalyst on offense, helping the team to an Opening Day victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
In all, the newcomers will shine while some of the returning players like Alex Verdugo, Devers and KiKe Hernandez all contribute in a good start for the Red Sox as a team.
While Kluber and Duvall will have their moments, the talk of Opening Day will be about Yoshida as his spotlight will shine even brighter and have Red Sox Nation buzzing.