2 Players The 2023 Season Hinges On: Boston Red Sox

The pundits aren’t expecting big things this season from the Boston Red Sox. Xander Bogaerts is gone from the everyday lineup, and Nate Eovaldi is no longer a part of the rotation. 

But if the BoSox are to prove the so-called experts wrong, they’ll need huge contributions from the following two players… Two guys who, you might say, the whole season hinges on. 

Masataka Yoshida

The Red Sox were ridiculed for spending so much ($90M) on the MLB-unproven Japanese hitting star Yoshida. But after watching him at the WBC, Boston might be having the last laugh. All Yoshida did to help lead Japan to the World Baseball Classic title was bat .409 with a 1.258 OPS, and he led the world (literally) with 13 RBIs in the tourney, in just 7 games. 

He’s looking like a top-to-middle of the order staple for the Red Sox in 2023, and he’ll need to deliver to justify that big price tag.  

Chris Sale

Speaking of big price tags… The Red Sox signed Sale to a massive 5-year, $145M contract that kicked in in the 2019 season. Since then, he’s delivered just 11 wins, and just five over the past three seasons. He knows better than anyone that he needs to stay on the field, avoid dumb, freak injuries, and start earning his paycheck. With Eovaldi gone, they desperately need this former 7-time All-Star to step up and lead the rotation. 

The season could hinge upon it. 

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports