What would a dream Red Sox starting lineup look like next season?
By Tim Boyle
2) Dream Red Sox starting lineup: Rafael Devers batting second, 3B
It’s no surprise to find Rafael Devers batting second for the Red Sox. He has hit there often and could be a great candidate to bat there again both in real life and in this fantasy lineup for Boston.
Devers has grown into one of the most important players on the entire Red Sox roster. He’s going to be a centerpiece of any dream lineup in Beantown.
Devers might not be exactly how most teams envision their number two hitter, at least from a traditional standpoint. He hits with a lot more power than the lighter-hitting players traditionally batting in this spot.
Does it really matter where Devers is in the lineup? He’s going to hit. And in this dream Red Sox lineup, he opens the season with a new extension and maybe even a home run.
3) Dream Red Sox starting lineup: Xander Bogaerts batting third, SS
He’s back! After opting out as expected, the Red Sox manage to quickly re-sign Xander Bogaerts to remain as their shortstop for the foreseeable future. Sure, they can consider something like signing Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, or even Dansby Swanson. The far more romantic move in this dream is to stick with Bogaerts.
What Devers has been to the organization, double it for Bogaerts. A longer-tenured player for the team that has seen the best and worst in Boston, it’s hard to imagine him playing anywhere else.
Bogaerts should stay with the Red Sox. If this team has any serious intention of winning, they need to keep players like him around. They’ll have a shot in free agency this offseason. In our dream lineup, it happens and we barely start sweating about the possibility of him landing somewhere else.