Camp battles for the Red Sox
What spots are up for grabs?
Today marks the first official day of spring training. With any spring training there are camp battles. Coaching staffs find out who gives them the best 26-man roster to compete right out of the gate. Chaim Bloom had himself an offseason to remember, some good and some really bad. However, despite all that turnover there are not too many positions that are truly up for grabs.
Catching Tandem
Perhaps the most impactful spots up for grabs are the two catchers. As of now the favorites would be a tandem of Reese McGuire and Connor Wong. McGuire played in 36 games last year after getting traded to Boston at the deadline. He hit .337 with a .377 OBP. He provided more offense then expected he is a .256 hitter in his career. Wong was acquired for Mookie Betts and took time to get to the majors.
The second half of last season when Christin Vazquez got moved, was the first time he got a long run at playing time.
The third catcher that could come into play is Jorge Alfaro who signed a minor league deal in January. Alfaro offensively provides a power bat that the Red Sox lack. He only hit seven home runs in 82 games last year, but he could bring great energy into a team that is looking for personalities to excite the clubhouse. Unfortunately because of a minor league deal Alfaro might face an uphill battle to get on the 40-man roster.
Last Bullpen Spot
The majority of the bullpen is set thanks to Bloom finally investing into a closer in Kenley Jansen and a set up man in Chris Martin. The final spot in the bullpen seems like it will go to Ryan Brasier. Despite Brasier’s struggles last year, Bloom and the front office continues to show trust in him. The Sox chief baseball officer talked about how Braiser projected better versys Matt Barnes, who was designated for assignment last month.
The one name that intrigues me the most is Zack Kelly. The right-handed hurler was one of many young arms who made their debut last season. He is an older rookie who didn’t have the strongest numbers, but he did show strikeout potential with solid control.
Last Bench Spot
This spot could be more trickier as the person that could take this might not even be on the team yet. Bloom talked about adding another middle infielder as Adalberto Mondesi recovers from his torn ACL injury. As of now, the last bench spot would likely go to Jarren Duran as he is already on the 40-man and does have MLB experience. Another internal option could be Raimel Tapia who is here on a minor league deal. The Red Sox could also opt to carry three catchers and have Alfaro take this last spot.
The 2023 Red Sox season promises to be an interesting one for sure. Expectations are all over the place. Bloom is not afraid to create turnover and he has six weeks to finalize a 26-man roster that will be new to all Red Sox fans.
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