If the Boston Red Sox enjoy unexpected success in 2021, one Major League Baseball executive believes three of their stars will be driving forces.
An MLB executive predicted in a survey ESPN’s Jesse Rogers published Wednesday the 2021 Red Sox will play surprisingly well because Eduardo Rodriguez and J.D. Martinez both will return to their pre-2020 form, and Christian Vazquez will join the ranks of elite catchers.
“The Red Sox will challenge for the AL wild card behind another great year from Eduardo Rodriguez, the return to form for J.D. Martinez and catcher Christian Vasquez establishing himself as a top-five catcher in the game,” the executive said.
Martinez has been one of MLB’s best hitters in the first week of the season, and Vazquez has demonstrated his power at plate in the home runs he hit Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon. After missing his first scheduled start of the season due to a dead arm, Rodriguez will make his 2021 debut Thursday when Boston visits the Baltimore Orioles.
The Red Sox still have 156-plus games remaining on their regular-season schedule, but if Rodriguez wins Thursday, and Martinez and Vazquez continue bashing, we’ll have to start wondering whether the executive is a prophet … an anonymous one.
