Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez arguably are the Red Sox’s two best players, but neither star is the most important to Boston’s success in the upcoming season.
That’s what ESPN believes, at least.
ESPN on Wednesday published its Major League Baseball Opening Day power rankings, which saw the Red Sox grab the No. 1 spot as the 2019 campaign gets underway. In addition to projected record — Boston is pegged at a 98-64 mark — each listing features the best- and worst-case scenarios for all teams, as well as every club’s “make-or-break player.”
In the eyes of ESPN, the “make-or-break player” honor for the Red Sox goes to the ace of their pitching rotation.
“Yes, the bullpen is a concern, but if the Red Sox are going to beat out the Yankees, they’ll need a healthy and dominant season from Chris Sale,” David Schoenfield wrote. “He ended last season with a sore shoulder after spending time on the injured list and throwing 56 fewer innings than he did in 2017. They didn’t need those innings last year, but with less depth in the bullpen, those innings will matter in 2019.”
It’s not difficult to understand Schoenfield’s line of thinking. Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel both were critical cogs in the Red Sox’s bullpen throughout their run to a World Series title, and neither hard-throwing righty will be with the club this season. Manager Alex Cora maintained confidence in the state of Boston’s relief pitching corps throughout spring training, but time will tell if the current group is capable of getting the job done.
When it comes to the postseason, however, the Red Sox might not need to bank on Sale going deep in games. Teams typically roll with a shorter rotation come playoff time, and there’s a chance Nathan Eovaldi could be reunited with his dual starter-reliever role should the Sox return to October baseball.
So while Boston will be looking for Sale to perform like an ace from wire to wire, the need for the southpaw to be an innings-eating machine might not be as pressing as some think. That said, as we’ve seen when he’s healthy, Sale can mow ’em down with the best of them.
