Projecting Red Sox’s Opening Day Lineup As Spring Training Begins

Despite team inconsistencies over the last few seasons, the Boston Red Sox have found a way to hit consistently over the course of the year.

Boston ranked among the top 10 offenses in the sport for six straight seasons. While cornerstone bats return in 2024, the Red Sox will rely on several young hitters to pace the lineup and produce runs.

We’ve looked at what the Red Sox could feature on the mound on Opening Day, both in the starting rotation as well as the bullpen.

In the first days of spring training, here’s what Alex Cora could pencil in as his Opening Day lineup:

Jarren Duran, CF
Rafael Devers, 3B
Trevor Story, SS
Triston Casas, 1B
Masataka Yoshida, DH
Tyler O’Neill, LF
Wilyer Abreu, RF
Vaughn Grissom, 2B
Connor Wong, C

Boston certainly has excitement at the top of the order with the pressure Duran puts on opponents with the ability to turn singles into doubles. His speed and bat-to-ball skills make him Alex Cora’s prime candidate to consistently start the order in 2024.

As the power bats of the lineup, Casas and Devers will be the muscle of the lineup again as primary run-producers for the Red Sox. Casas finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting after a massive second-half surge while Devers looks to build on a Silver Slugger-winning campaign with 33 home runs and 100 RBIs.

It’s no secret to say that Story plays as a major X-factor in the Red Sox lineup entering 2024. After not adding another impact right-handed bat in the offseason, Story will have to take on that responsibility in the No. 3 hole. Injuries have derailed his production in his first two seasons in Boston. He may not return to the All-Star production he had with the Colorado Rockies, but there’s no reason that Story can’t add complimentary production between the two left-handed sluggers of Casas and Devers, maybe to the tune of 20 homers.

Yoshida moves in as the primary designated hitter after playing mostly left field in his first season with the Red Sox. That should help stabilize him after a long 2023 season that started with the World Baseball Classic wore him down late in the year. Yoshida still hit close to .300 with 15 homers in 140 games. With a year of big-league experience to work from, Yoshida could add consistency.

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If O’Neill stays healthy, Boston may find some extra right-handed pop further down the lineup. Excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, O’Neill has averaged just 85 games per season in his major league career. The one season he played over 100 games? He blasted 34 home runs in 138 games, finishing eighth in National League MVP voting.

Grissom and Abreu have shown flashes with their bats before, though both players are entering their first full seasons in the majors. The Red Sox are seeking upside from two young players with room to grow in the batter’s box.

Wong also looks to grow from his first full season in the majors, particularly with his bat to give Boston some solid at-bats out of the No. 9 spot.

As for the bench, backup catcher Reese McGuire joins infielder Pablo Reyes, outfielder Rob Refsnyder to mix in. For a final bat, the last spot could come down to Bobby Dalbec or Ceddanne Rafaela based on positional need.

If the Red Sox can see growth from young hitters, Boston’s lineup can creep closer to usual production.