Leandre: Projected Boston Red Sox Opening Day roster 1.0
Ten games into Grapefruit League play, here's my best crack at rostering 26 men for the Boston Red Sox on Opening Day
Through 10 games in Grapefruit League play, the Boston Red Sox sport a 7-0-3 record.
Some regulars –– outfielders Masataka Yoshida and Alex Verdugo –– have yet to crack 10 official at-bats this spring and no pitcher has more than five innings.
However, there’s a reasonable enough sample size across the board to start penciling players in to make the Opening Day roster on March 30.
There will be two other installments of my projected Opening Day roster as the first pitch of the 2023 regular season draws near.
Most names won’t come as a surprise –– Rafael Devers, Kiké Hernández, Chris Sale and the aforementioned outfield duo of Yoshida and Verdugo. For that reason, there won’t be an explanation for any of them. That said, there will be justification for any bubble players mentioned.
For fun, I’ll also piece together what I anticipate the starting lineup, rotation and bullpen will look like on Opening Day.
Without further ado, let’s begin.
Quick note: this roster is constructed under the assumption that none of LHP James Paxton nor RHPs Garrett Whitlock and Brayan Bello will open the season ready for MLB action. That same assumption goes for middle infielder Adalberto Mondesi and catcher Connor Wong.
Catchers (2)
Jorge Alfaro and Reese McGuire (L)
Through eyeballing Red Sox social media this offseason, it seemed there was a 50-50 split on whether the team needed to add to its catching room.
Via minor-league (MiLB) deals, Boston added Alfaro and Caleb Hamilton to non-40-man roster deals with invites to camp.
Both have impressed, particularly Alfaro and his 7-for-10 start with two doubles and RBI apiece. As a result, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom faces a good problem to have.
My assumption is, as is the case for most others, the choice will be Alfaro. He has an upward movement clause in his deal that takes effect on March 25. While it doesn’t guarantee the 29-year-old leaves, it may not be worth it to tempt fate –– especially with the hamstring strain suffered by Wong.
Alfaro is about to leave the team for the World Baseball Classic, where he will play a lot of first base and designated hitter for Team Colombia. However, Alex Cora started the veteran behind the dish in Monday’s 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
That’s significant because Monday also marked the spring debut for Sale. While the team’s ace isn’t publicly picky about who catches him, it’s fun to read into his first battery mate also being the team’s primary catcher.
McGuire making the team is unsurprising. However, my guess is he “backs up” –– plays roughly 50% of games –– and takes over should Alfaro struggle or get injured.
Hamilton –– 4-for-6, one homer, two RBI in Grapefruit League play –– does not have an upward movement clause in his contract, making him ideal Triple-A depth with Ronaldo Hernández and, eventually, Wong.
Infielders (6)
Christian Arroyo, Triston Casas (L), Bobby Dalbec, Devers (L), Hernández and Justin Turner*
* - serving as the team’s primary DH
No real surprises here aside from Dalbec, who is once again tearing up Spring Training pitching (1.324 OPS and four extra-base hits in 14 at-bats).
It’s make-or-break time for Dalbec. The 27-year-old product of the Arizona Wildcats enters his third full season at the MLB level with many highs and lows in the rearview.
He’ll be in the role previously held by the likes of Arroyo, Marwin Gonzalez and Brock Holt. Unfortunately, that means at-bats may be scarce until injuries inevitably factor in.
Dalbec is coming off a disappointing 2022 campaign after finishing 2021 as one of baseball’s most lethal hitters post-All-Star Break. Power and positional versatility will never be a concern for the strong and uber-athletic Dalbec.
However, it’s a results-oriented business, meaning Dalbec may feel the heat to begin 2023.
Outfielders (5)
Jarren Duran (L), Adam Duvall, Rob Refsnyder, Verdugo (L) and Yoshida (L)
Duran ultimately eeked out the veteran Raimel Tapia for the final position player spot on the roster. While Duran has MiLB options and his development may take a hit getting inconsistent action, Tapia is not on the 40-man roster.
The former Colorado Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder is 7-for-17 with six extra-base hits and four RBI. However, it doesn’t seem wise to knock someone else off the roster when injuries or poor performance make Tapia much more valuable as a reinforcement from Triple-A.
Not only that, but Duran can serve as a pinch-runner in close games, as well as a pinch-hitter against tough right-handers.
Tapia is historically a very good baserunner, and is a career-.277 hitter, but signing on as a non-roster invite, as well as being yet another left-handed hitting outfielder, hurt him for the sake of my projected roster.
Starting Pitchers (6)
Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, Corey Kluber, Nick Pivetta, Sale (L), and Josh Winckowski
Given the aforementioned injury recoveries for Paxton, Whitlock and Bello, guys like Crawford and Winckowski may not be surprises makes anymore.
However, the two have combined for four outings (two starts), 12 strikeouts and only three walks in 10 scoreless innings.
Crawford has a reputation for putting hitters away, but Winckowski has punched more batters out –– seven –– through his five innings.
Somebody will be the odd man out to cut the rotation to five men. My guess for that is Crawford, as he has more explosive stuff that could become even nastier in a multi-innings relief role.
Relief Pitchers (7)
Richard Bleier (L), Ryan Brasier, Kenley Jansen, Wyatt Mills, Chris Martin, Joely Rodriguez (L) and John Schreiber
I won’t go on a Brasier rant. However, I implore Red Sox fans to be open-minded about him being on the Opening Day roster. He’s survived a litany of scenarios where his job seemed doomed.
The organization likes what he brings to the table.
As for Mills, he’s been unbelievable to start camp. Through three outings, the right-hander with a funky delivery has allowed one earned in four innings of work (2.25 ERA), striking out eight.
He’s not on the 40-man right now, so someone will have to get bumped to add the 28-year-old reliever. That said, he’d join Schreiber as another right-hander with a funky delivery to deceive opposing bats.
I’m not ready to throw my full support behind him making the March 30 roster. However, he’d be an obvious addition should he continue his early success.
40-man roster casualties (2)
IF Yu Chang (Alfaro) and RHP Kaleb Ort (Mills)
Chang felt like somewhat of a placeholder on the 40-man roster because he possesses some familiarity with the organization (83 wRC+ in 26 plate appearances in 2022).
As a result, he finds himself as one of the 40-man casualties.
His versatility as a defender, as well as sneaky pop from the right side of the plate, make him a likely candidate to get claimed after getting designated for assignment.
That said, he’d be great to keep in Triple-A Worcester should he clear waivers, as he’d be an immediate candidate to replace someone like Dalbec.
As for Ort, he finds himself in a similar spot to Brasier: he’s not exactly loved by fans but he is thought well of within the organization.
He possesses a flashy pitch mix, including a fastball that touches triple digits on the radar gun, but he’s allowed four runs and two homers in his first four innings of camp.
Ort’s struggles mixed with Mills’ success make it difficult for him to land on the Opening Day roster.
Projected lineup and pitching staff
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