With MLB Opening Day only 27 days away and spring training games starting up, baseball season is right around the corner. Over the next month, we will preview all 30 MLB teams for the 2020 season leading up to Opening Day on March 26th. Next up, the Boston Red Sox 2020 preview. Check out the preview for the Baltimore Orioles here.
If there were ever a time where, “enjoy it while it lasts” should be applied, its with the Boston Red Sox. Just one year after winning the World Series in 2018, the Red Sox stumbled to an 84-78 record in 2019 and missed the playoffs. On top of that, the Red Sox parted ways with manager Alex Cora and traded away Mookie Betts this offseason, making this offseason one of the worst in recent memory for the Red Sox.
In the Mookie Betts trade, the Red Sox also parted ways with David Price. In return, the Red Sox received Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, and Connor Wong. While Downs and Wong will not be expected to play major roles on the team this season, Alex Verdugo will be asked to replace Betts in right field. Betts, the 2018 AL MVP, leaves a big hole in the middle of the Red Sox lineup and Verdugo will be relied upon to fill that hole.
Elsewhere in the lineup, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers had career years and will look to keep the middle of the lineup potent. Andrew Benintendi had the worst season of his career in 2019 and a bounce back year would help the Red Sox compete in a talented AL East.
The pitching staff was, to put it nicely, sub-par, in 2019. Outside of Eduardo Rodriguez, the rotation was inconsistent and the bullpen struggled without star closer Craig Kimbrel. A full, healthy offseason from Nathan Eovaldi and a bounce-back season from ace Chris Sale should stabilize the rotation. Brandon Workman stepped up last season into the closer role and was the only constant at the back of the bullpen. The Red Sox need a similar impact from him as well as more consistency from the rest of their relievers to compete in 2020.
The Boston Red Sox are clearly the third best team in the AL East entering 2020 and the Toronto Blue Jays have a young and exciting core that could propel them to a good season. Despite having talent up and down their lineup, the Red Sox pitching staff held them back last season. With no impact additions to the pitching staff, the Red Sox have an uphill climb to compete against the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East in 2020.
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