We’re now 6 days away from opening day for the 2018 MLB season. Coming up next on the list of my 2018 power rankings is number 6, the Boston Red Sox.
LAST YEAR
93-69. The Red Sox were the winners of the AL East and then got bounced by the Astros in the ALDS. After they fell in four games to the Astros they fired their head coach John Farrell. Farrell and the Red Sox won a world series championship in 2013. They went a new direction in hiring a first-time head coach Alex Cora. The Red Sox were 14th in the AL in slugging percentage and dead last in the AL in home runs. What do they do to improve that? They sign the top free-agent OF J.D. Martinez to a 5 year $110 M contract. Martinez hit 45 home runs last year between the two teams he played for, the Detroit Tigers and the Arizona Diamondbacks, while slugging .690.
KEY CONTRIBUTOR
My difference maker this season for the Boston Red Sox this year is David Price. Price is making $30 M a year, which ranks second in all of baseball and only behind Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Price’s first year in Boston he started a career-high 35 games and posted an ERA of 3.99. His ERA was the highest since his rookie season back in 2009 with the Tampa Bay Rays (4.42). In his second year he battled an elbow injury and started only 11 games in the 2017 campaign. The Red Sox were still very good in the regular season without him. I think the problems ensued in the playoffs. In the post season the Astros slash line vs. left handed pitchers was .217/.292/.390. That’s not good. The four pitchers the Red Sox started were: (LHP) Chris Sale, (LHP) Drew Pomeranz, (RHP) Doug Fister, (RHP) Rick Porcello. The only starting pitcher listed to reach more than 3 IP is Sale. Sale also threw 4 and 2/3 against the Astros in Game 4. Price needs to be in that rotation and needs to be at his best for the Red Sox to have a chance at moving to the ALCS. I’m predicting that the Astros vs. Red Sox will face each other in the ALDS again in 2018.
Potential opening day lineup for the Red Sox:
RF – Mookie Betts
LF – Andrew Benintendi
SS – Xander Bogaerts
DH – J.D. Martinez
3B – Rafael Devers
1B – Hanley Ramirez
2B – Eduardo Nunez
C – Christian Vazquez
CF – Jackie Bradley
PREDICTION
90-72. 1st wildcard spot in the AL.
