But the beauty of spring
training is that it provides
a natural shift of focus
from who has been lost to
who is coming back, and
who may be on the way.
And in that regard, the
Red Sox still feature some
formidable pieces, and
incoming additions that
have the potential to make
an impact, sooner than
later.
“You know, every offseason
has its share of twists
and turns, (and) this has
probably had more than
most,’’ said Chaim Bloom,
beginning his first spring
as Boston’s chief baseball officer after 15
years with the Tampa Bay Rays, “but you
remember at the end of the day, you get
to spring training, and you get a chance to
prepare yourself to do something great.”
The fans flocking to Jet Blue Park this spring
will have no shortage of stars to watch as
they prepare for the new season, which for
the Red Sox will begin March 26 under the
dome in Toronto.
The list includes:
CHRIS SALE, the seven-time All-Star who
has finished in the top six in the voting for
the Cy Young Award seven times. Sale’s
career earned run average of 3.03 is the
lowest among active American League
REDSOX.COM/MAGAZINE
starters who have pitched at least 1,000
innings; Hall of Famers Pedro Martinez
(2.52) and Jim Palmer (2.82) are the only
AL starters since 1970 who pitched at least
1,000 innings and had a lower career ERA
than Sale.
Sale was shut down last August with
inflammation in his left elbow and did not
pitch the rest of the season. He subsequently
received a platelet-rich plasma injection,
avoided surgery, and the early indications
are that he is healthy again. A top-of-hisform
Sale, who struggled through the worst
season of his career in 2019 (6-11, 4.40 ERA),
would give the Sox rotation a huge lift, as
would the return to health of right-hander
Nate Eovaldi, whose own
elbow issues limited him to
just 72 2/3 innings last season.
______
Slugger J.D. MARTINEZ, the
only big leaguer to bat .300 or
better, hit 35 or more home
runs, and drive in 100 runs in
each of the last three seasons.
The Red Sox DH-outfielder
elected not to exercise the
opt-out clause in his contract,
keeping him in a Sox uniform
for 2020, and at age 32 remains
a fearsome presence in the
middle of the Red Sox lineup.
______
S h o r t s t o p XANDER
BOGAERTS, who signed a
long-term extension with the club last
spring, then enjoyed a breakout season,
earning his second All-Star selection and
first Silver Slugger while finishing fifth in
the Most Valuable Player award voting.
Bogie last season hit a career-high 33
home runs, 10 more than his previous best,
drove in 117 runs, another career-best, and
posted an OPS of .939, highest among all
major-league shortstops with at least 400
plate appearances. Bogaerts is still just 27,
though he has been a fixture here since
2013, when he burst on the scene during
Boston’s postseason run that October. He
has become a leader in the Sox clubhouse,
evident in the mentoring role he has played
with emerging star Rafael Devers.
45
MARTÍN PÉREZ MATT BARNES AND BRANDON WORKMAN
“YOU KNOW, EVERY OFFSEASON HAS ITS
SHARE OF TWISTS AND TURNS, (AND) THIS
HAS PROBABLY HAD MORE THAN MOST,’’ SAID
CHAIM BLOOM, BEGINNING HIS FIRST SPRING AS
BOSTON’S CHIEF BASEBALL OFFICER AFTER 15
YEARS WITH THE TAMPA BAY RAYS, “BUT YOU
REMEMBER AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU GET
TO SPRING TRAINING, AND YOU GET A CHANCE TO
PREPARE YOURSELF TO DO SOMETHING GREAT.”
– CHAIM BLOOM
BILLIE WEISS
MICHAEL IVINS
/MAGAZINE