#26
The Boston Red Sox had a tumultuous year in 2020, losing their best player, their ace, and their manager. Will 2021 bring a quick rebound, or are they stuck in an impending rebuild?
2020 Predictions
#21 - 4th in AL East
MIH - Xander Bogaerts
MIP - Nathan Eovaldi
PTW - Tanner Houck
2020 Results
#27 - 5th in AL East
Everyone knew the Red Sox were going to take a step back in 2020, but I don't know if anyone thought it would be a step back that far. They dropped all the way to the cellar without Mookie Betts, Chris Sale, and Alex Cora leading the way. They did have some sparks, as Alex Verdugo proved to be a potential budding star they got back in the Betts deal. My prospect to watch also flashed in the few opportunities he got on the mound in 2020.
Additions / Subtractions
The Red Sox had a fascinating offseason in that they were not in the full "go for it" mode you tend to see out of them. They made some interesting additions in signing Kike Hernandez to replace the (finally) retiring Dustin Pedroia at second base. They signed Hunter Renfroe to man a corner outfield spot. They traded for Adam Ottavino from the Yankees. They brought in upside guys like Garrett Richards and Nick Pivetta for their rotation. These are nice little moves, but not the type of move you expect to see come out of Boston. One of the more fascinating moves of the offseason for the Red Sox was the trade of Andrew Benintendi to the Royals. The biggest transaction overall has to be the re-hiring of Alex Cora after his one year suspension/hiatus.
Most Important Hitter
Rafael Devers
With as much success as he had as early as he had it, it's easy to forget how young Rafael Devers is. Entering only his age 24 season, Devers still hasn't hit his peak. He is one of the main pieces of what should be the new core of the next wave of Red Sox. His bat has always been really good, but his defense was pretty bad last year. For the Red Sox to bounce back, Devers needs to round out his overall game and finally become the perennial All Star that everyone thought he would become.
Most Important Pitcher
Eduardo Rodriguez
One of the biggest things that doomed the 2020 campaign for the Red Sox was the depleted rotation. Not only did you have an injured and recovering Chris Sale, but you also had an entire lost year from Eduardo Rodriguez, who struggled through a bad case of COVID and never was healthy enough to play. One of the most consistent and steady pitchers in the league over the last couple years, Rodriguez is going to try and make a comeback and show that he is back to full strength. With Chris Sale probably not ready to start the season, his presence in the rotation will be key.
Prospect to Watch
Bobby Dalbec
Ranked the 93rd best prospect in baseball on mlb.com, Bobby Dalbec had a really strong look in the big leagues last season. Dalbec and his huge power will get every opportunity to prove that he is a middle-of-the-order bat for the Red Sox moving forward.
2021 Predictions
5th in AL East
I'm not really sure why I am still so low on the Red Sox this season. They have a lot of great pieces in place, they have their manager back, and they're the freaking Red Sox and are never down for that long. With all that said, it feels like the step back they took last year is not quite ready for a bounce back yet. They could easily end up in 4th instead, but the team they are fighting with at the bottom of the division seems to have a lot more momentum on their side.
Fearless Prediction
J.D. Martinez will be traded before the 2022 season.
Entering the 2021 season, J.D. Martinez is the only regular in the Red Sox lineup that is over 30. There is an obvious youth movement hitting Boston, and if the team sees the disappointments they had last season, look for them to unload another aging old contract from their roster to improve the prospects of their next big run coming up soon.
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