The 2022 Major League Baseball season undoubtedly left a bad taste in the Boston Red Sox’s mouths.
The Red Sox seemingly were on an upward trajectory after reaching the American League Championship Series and falling just two wins shy of the World Series in 2021, but they failed to build on the momentum, instead stumbling to a 78-84 record and a last-place finish in the AL East.
Factor in the amount of roster turnover this offseason, and projections for the Red Sox are all over the place ahead of the 2023 campaign. If everything clicks, Boston could compete for a playoff spot. If not, it’s hard to imagine Alex Cora’s group keeping pace within a stacked division.
Every team across MLB would love to start strong, of course, with Opening Day representing a clean slate for even the most troubled franchises. But hitting the ground running will be of the utmost importance for the Red Sox as they look to reestablish themselves as legitimate contenders.
Fortunately for the Red Sox, they have a relatively favorable schedule out of the gate, beginning with a six-game homestand that includes three games against the Baltimore Orioles and three games against the Pittsburgh Pirates. FanDuel Sportsbook set Baltimore’s regular-season win total at over/under 76.5 and Pittsburgh’s at over/under 67.5.
The upstart O’s proved last season they’re no longer pushovers, finishing ahead of the Sox in the AL East standings, and it’ll be fascinating to see how they perform this season as their top prospects begin to graduate to the majors. Perhaps Baltimore will make the leap in 2023 that Boston couldn’t in 2022.
All told, the season kicks off Thursday afternoon at Fenway Park, with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET and pregame coverage on NESN beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Let’s preview the Red Sox’s season-opening series against the Orioles, to provide a snapshot of what you need to know as Boston begins its 2023 journey.
Red Sox odds (3/29)
To win World Series: +6000
To win American League: +3000
To win AL East: +1800
To make playoffs: +310
Regular-season win total: Over 78.5 (-105), Under 78.5 (-115)
*Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Probable pitchers
— Thursday, March 30 (2:10 p.m. ET vs. Orioles): Corey Kluber, RHP vs. Kyle Gibson, RHP
— Friday, March 31: OFF
— Saturday, April 1 (4:10 p.m. ET vs. Orioles): Chris Sale, LHP vs. Dean Kremer, RHP
— Sunday, April 2 (1:35 p.m. ET vs. Orioles): Tanner Houck, RHP vs. Cole Irvin, LHP
Storylines to watch
1. Will Masataka Yoshida make a strong first impression?
The Red Sox signed Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million contract back in December, a move that left some pundits scratching their heads, especially after Xander Bogaerts departed in free agency. But Yoshida looked awesome during the World Baseball Classic and spring training, increasing the level of optimism surrounding Boston’s new left fielder. The 29-year-old combines an impressive offensive approach with sneaky pop, and he very well could thrust himself into the AL Rookie of the Year conversation. The transition from Japanese baseball to MLB isn’t always easy, though. All eyes will be on the “Macho Man” when he debuts at Fenway Park.
2. How will Chris Sale look?
Sale has been limited to 11 regular-season starts (48 1/3 innings) since 2019. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong last season when injuries again posed problems for the seven-time All-Star. But we all know the utter dominance of vintage Sale. Will luck finally be on his side in 2023? And what is his ceiling at age 33? Sale had a refreshing new outlook during spring training, and now it’s time to see whether those positive vibes will carry over to when wins and losses matter.
3. New results for new-look bullpen?
Boston’s bullpen ranked 26th in ERA (4.59), 22nd in FIP (4.13) and 21st in WHIP (1.36) in 2022. Not good enough, obviously. The Red Sox made several moves to address the glaring deficiency, most notably bringing in closer Kenley Jansen and setup man Chris Martin. Admittedly, the ‘pen looks different now than it probably will in a few weeks, when Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello and/or James Paxton return from their respective injuries and force the Red Sox to make decisions regarding the rotation. But it’ll be interesting to see how Cora manages his pitching staff in the early going.
