The difference between things going well or badly for the Boston Red Sox won’t be subtle.
ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle on Thursday presented the best- and worst-case scenarios for the Red Sox in the 2020 Major League Baseball season.
After the Worldwide Leader ranked Boston 20th among MLB’s 30 teams, Doolittle theorized that while the Red Sox probably won’t win the American League East, they might contend for a wild-card spot if their star hitters live up to their billing and the pitching staff exceeds expectations.
Here’s what Doolittle wrote about Boston’s best-case scenario:
Best case: The Yankees and Rays run away from the Red Sox in the AL East, but MVP-level seasons from J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers are supported by strong collective work from the Boston bullpen as the BoSox hover a few games over .500 and challenge for a playoff slot.
And here’s more from Doolittle on the Red Sox’s worst-case scenario, which would involve Boston finishing in fourth or fifth place in the AL East:
Worst case: An MLB-worst pitching staff can’t put up quality innings, as the Yankees, Rays and Blue Jays run away from Boston in the AL East and Red Sox fans are forced to look over their shoulders at the closely trailing Orioles during the longest two-month season in BoSox history.
The Red Sox will begin their 60-game regular season Friday night at Fenway Park against the Orioles. If the Red Sox don’t start the season on a winning note, the prospect of Doolittle’s worst-case scenario coming to fruition will loom increasingly larger in the minds of the public with each passing day.
