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2) Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox look quite similar to last year with a few key shake-ups, including one really big subtraction.
- Xander Bogaerts
- Rafael Devers
- Alex Verdugo
- JD Martinez
- Mitch Moreland
- Jose Peraza
- Andrew Benintendi
- Christian Vazquez
- Jackie Bradley Jr.
The most obvious hole will be the departure of Mookie Betts, one of the best hitters in the league. Unfortunately for other AL East teams, this lineup is here to stay. Newly acquired Alex Verdugo will be amongst the leaders in extra-base hits. Another sneaky addition is Jose Peraza who came over in free agency after playing the last four seasons with the Reds. One through nine, there is a great mix of power, speed, and agility.
The key to the Red Sox success this season will be the ability to put up runs. Their pitching staff took a big hit with the departures of David Price and Jhoulys Chacin. This means with a down year for the pitching staff, there needs to be a burst of runs if they have a chance of making the playoffs.
Why are the Red Sox at #2? The Red Sox lineup is dangerous. I think the Sox will be underestimated in terms of their hitting, bringing back big bats such as Bogaerts, Devers, Martinez, and Moreland. Like the other teams of the AL East, the Sox are a relatively young team. I only see one team in the division with a better lineup… and it’s not even close.