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MLB Spring Training: Boston Red Sox Full Preview

By Nick Fustor

Aug 18, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez (13) and center fielder Mookie Betts (50) and right fielder Rusney Castillo (38) celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 18, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez (13) and center fielder Mookie Betts (50) and right fielder Rusney Castillo (38) celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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After failing to live up to lofty expectations last season, the Boston Red Sox swiftly addressed their main roster concerns during the offseason. Now, with a roster full of budding stars and established talent, the Red Sox figure to be one of the more competitive teams in the American League East this season.  Here’s what to look for as they enter Spring Training.

Key Offseason Additions: LHP David Price, RHP Craig Kimbrel, RHP Carson Smith, OF Chris Young

Key Offseason Subtractions: LHP Wade Miley, OF Manuel Margot (prospect)

The Rotation:  Boston’s lack of an ace doomed the team last season, but there weren’t all negatives surrounding the rotation after the emergence of young studs like Eduardo Rodriguez and Henry Owens. Now led by David Price, the team has a core of pitchers to build around that could develop into one of the league’s best.

Eduardo Rodriguez should enjoy a solid follow-up to his rookie campaign.  Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Eduardo Rodriguez should enjoy a solid follow-up to his rookie campaign.  Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /

Behind Price, Rick Porcello will likely be the team’s No. 2 starter after a solid run down the stretch last season, but Rodriguez could quickly take that role.  Clay Buchholz, if healthy, should have another effective year, while Joe Kelly is poised to take the number No. 5 spot in the rotation after a dominant run to end the season.

If any of the back-end pitchers falter at any point, Boston has plenty of depth in the minor leagues with Brian Johnson and Owens seemingly ready for consistent time at the major-league level.

The Lineup:  If Boston’s pitching had been just average last season, the team’s lineup could have vaulted them into contending status.  The team was ranked fourth in the league in runs scored with 748 and sixth with a .265 team average.

Here’s a look at what the team’s everyday lineup is likely to look like:

  1. RF Mookie Betts
  2. 2B Dustin Pedroia
  3. SS Xander Bogaerts
  4. DH David Ortiz
  5. 1B Hanley Ramirez
  6. 3B Pablo Sandoval
  7. LF Rusney Castillo
  8. CF Jackie Bradley Jr.
  9. C Blake Swihart

As David Ortiz enters his final season, Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts will be counted on to continue their development and further establish themselves as franchise cornerstones.

Xander Bogaerts established himself as one of the best hitters in baseball last season.  Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Xander Bogaerts established himself as one of the best hitters in baseball last season.  Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Alongside them, Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez will be counted on for bounceback years.  If Jackie Bradley Jr. can continue his hot hitting from the end of last season, the lineup has virtually no holes.

The Bullpen:  The additions of star closer Craig Kimbrel and Carson Smith make an already solid bullpen that much better – as the team now has three lockdown pitchers for the seventh, eighth and ninth innings with Koji Uehara also in the mix.

Knuckleballer Stephen Wright will likely be the long man and occasional spot starter once again, while Matt Barnes could take the role if he proves to be effective.  The bullpen’s depth and the organization’s minor league talent should prove useful if an injury occurs at some point.

Competitions:  Coming off Tommy John Surgery, catcher Christian Vazquez – who was projected to be the starter entering last season – will have to compete with veteran Ryan Hanigan for the backup catcher job.  Blake Swihart is firmly entrenched as the team’s catcher of the future, but Vazquez represents a plus-defender with the ability to develop his bat enough to earn consistent playing time.  Hanigan will most likely win the job as the team looks to develop Vazquez, but he could be called up at any time in the season.

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