The Boston Red Sox will be looking to shake off their last-place finish in the AL East in 2022. Here are 4 bold predictions for the 2023 season.
As the 2023 season approaches, the bar has been set relatively low for the Boston Red Sox. The team finished in the AL East basement last season with a record of 78-84.
Boston sold off some pieces at last year’s trade deadline and failed to re-sign shortstop Xander Bogaerts during the offseason. However, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom was able to help negotiate a long-term contract with All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers.
The Red Sox find themselves in a rather awkward spot heading into 2023. According to Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA Standings, Boston is expected to finish with about a .500 record. While that may be accurate, it won’t sit well with Red Sox Nation. Let’s look at 4 bold predictions for Boston’s 2023 season.
4. Bold prediction for Red Sox 2023 season: Masataka Yoshida struggles mightily during his rookie year
Let’s start with the negative, shall we? The Boston Red Sox’s major free agent acquisition this offseason was signing outfielder Masataka Yoshida to a massive five-year, $90-million contract after seven successful seasons overseas in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Unfortunately, the track record for Japanese players coming to play ball state-side has not been very good of late. Yoshi Tsutsugo and Shogo Akiyama were both big names coming out of Japan in 2020 and neither found much, if any, success in Major League Baseball.
The adjustment from the NPB to MLB is not an easy one, and fans of the Red Sox shouldn’t expect to see Yoshida take to the major league game like a duck to water. It may be well into the summer before Yoshida realizes his true potential.
Look for the 29-year-old to struggle mightily in Year 1. The Red Sox do have Adam Duvall on the roster, and the veteran right-handed slugger has plenty of experience in the outfield. However, the injury to Trevor Story has already displaced Kike Hernandez back to the infield dirt, so Duvall may be called upon to be Boston’s starting centerfield early on in 2023.