Red Sox manager Alex Cora stressed the importance of improvement during spring training, as Boston will have a new look in the 2023 Major League Baseball season.
Masataka Yoshida is expected to be a boost for Boston’s offense, and the Japanese phenom is projected to bat in the leadoff spot. This could create a predicament for the Red Sox if they choose to have Rafael Devers bat second in the order like he did last season.
“We got a bunch of lefties, and we got to find a way to balance it,” Cora told reporters Tuesday during a news conference at JetBlue Park. “Obviously, the opposition will dictate what we do, too. I’ll say it now, we have to split up Yoshida and (Devers). We got to find a way.”
When asked if he had an approach in mind, Cora added: “I always have a pretty good idea, but we have to try a lot of stuff in the upcoming weeks.”
It’s likely Justin Turner or Kiké Hernández, whose role will change in 2023, will take the second spot in the batting order, with Devers moving to third in the lineup.
The Boston manager will have limited time to get things worked out because the World Baseball Classic starts March 7. A dozen Red Sox players will play in the tournament, including Yoshida and Devers for Japan and the Dominican Republic, respectively.
