Boston Red Sox: Recap of the 2017 season with what to look for this offseason

Boston Red Sox

2016-2017 Recap: The Red Sox are coming off a very good but disappointing season. With adding Chris Sale and Doug Fister in the offseason; the Red Sox thought they had the pitching rotation with Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello, and Doug Fister leading the way the Red Sox thought they were going to have a championship season. With David Price and Doug Fister getting injured; they were constantly trying to find pitchers to fill their role. They however did overcome these odds, to win the AL East with a 93-69 record in a competitive division with their rival New York Yankees. They were eliminated by the world champion Houston Astros in the ALDS in 4 games to end what Red Sox fans thought could've been the year once again. After the season they fired manager John Farrell, and went in a new direction with signing former 2nd baseman for the team and bench coach of the Houston Astros, Alex Cora.

The Red Sox hit well, they were an above average hitting MLB team this year. They finished 11th in the MLB in both OBP. with .324 and RBI’s with 735.  They also finished 13th as a team in Batting Average hitting .258. Their ability to get on base this season was very good; while driving in those runners was also very good which helps when you have rotation problems like they did. The Red Sox with a small porch out in left and right but with the green monster in left and center being 420 this posed as a problem to the Red Sox in the power category. They finished 27th in home runs; which is pretty awful considering that left is 310 and right is 302 feet away; no matter how big that wall is.

They did have bright spots in the lineup with their young bats on fire in Mookie Betts, Xander Bogart, Andrew Benintendi. Betts was supposed to or was expected to have a great season, maybe if even contend for the MVP trophy. He did have a decent one with being 30th in the MLB in OBP and 7th in RBI’s with 102. To that city of Boston though it was disappointing considering they expected 30 big flies with 102 RBIs from Betts. Xander Bogart the young shortstop for the Red Sox was also supposed to have a great season and came up short. He didn’t finish in the MLB in the top 40 of players in home runs or RBI’s. He finished 34th in batting average, hitting .273 and had a .343 OBP which was 32nd in the MLB. He did a good job with getting on base but not to the point the fans would of wanted. The nice bright spot for the Red Sox this year was the 23 year old left fielder Andrew Benintendi. Benintendi was in the Red Sox plan but he overachieved this year. Finishing 40th in BA, 25th in OBP, and 16th in RBIs with 90. It was nice to see Benintendi for Red Sox fans have such a good season. They have a right fielder in Betts and now a left fielder in Benintendi for the future. MORE YOUNG TALENT.

The Red Sox had ups and downs in the pitching department throughout the 2017 campaign. Doug Fister and David Price got injured early; which left the Red Sox with their hands full. Fister and Price eat up a lot of innings, the Red Sox had to find a way to make up those innings. Rick Porcello helped with that being 7th in the MLB in IP; but Porcello followed behind newly acquired white to Red Sox Chris Sale who led the MLB in IP with 214.1. Behind these two pitchers the Red Sox led in the MLB in IP; while also being 9th in Batting Average against these starters. The opposing hitters only hit .245 against this thrown together pitching rotation. The rotation besides Drew Pomeranz and Chris Sale struggled to keep the opposing team to a limited amount of runs. They were 27th in ERA as a rotation, letting in 3.70 earned runs a game. If Price and Fister were their yes it could've been much lower but they weren’t and it’s a problem they faced. The Red Sox should not panic though with Price coming back next season the ERA will be lower. They shouldn’t rule out though signing another arm this offseason though.    

The Red Sox rotation struggled but two pitchers that came up big for them this season was Chris Sale and Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz came in the season thinking he would be the  5th starter in this rotation behind Price, Porcello, Sale, and Fister; with the occasional bullpen appearance. He became the 3rd starter after injuries and he did not disappoint. He had the 13th lowest ERA only allowing 3.32 per game. This wasn’t even the best part he got 17 wins for the Red Sox this seasons which was 5th in MLB. The impact Pomeranz had on the Red Sox was only good; they didn’t expect anything great out of him this season, and he gave them more then they could of asked. Brightspot doesn’t describe what Chris Sale did for the Red Sox this season; he was more like the Sun. After being acquired from the White Sox in the offseason; Sale was ready to prove that he can pitch in any color sock. He was 6th in the MLB with a 2.90 ERA and with his 0.97 WHIP which was 4th in the MLB; dealing was not the word for what Sale was doing this season. He was tied with teammate Pomeranz with 17 wins. He was nothing but dominate; if you had tickets to a Red Sox game no matter what kind of fan; you always checked and hoped this guy was pitching just to admire the dominance.    

The Red Sox bullpen was another nice luxury they had this season. The Bullpen finished 2nd in ERA. Their ERA was 3.15 which is near lock down for a bullpen. They outdueled their rivals the New York Yankees who were expected to have the best bullpen ever. The Yankees did prove in the PostSeason they had a better pen. However this shouldn’t take away the year the Red Sox pen had. They were not expected to have a lockdown bullpen but they did; and a nice reload phase instead of rebuilding for that pen. The pen was lead by Craig Kimbrel who had 35 saves and a 1.43 ERA. He was nothing but locked down in the 9th it’s time to get him a nice setup man to have that 1-2 combination in the 8th and 9th for the Sox.  

Key Free Agents:

IF/OF Eduardo Nunez

1B/DH Mitch Moreland

RP Addison Reed

OF Chris Young

SP Doug Fister

RP Blain Boyer

OF Rajai Davis

SP Kyle Kendricks

Who To Keep:

Eduardo Nunez: They should keep Nunez. He is not a star or even a starter but it’s always nice to have backup. He can play anywhere on the field from the infield to the outfield; which most players can’t. Their is no such thing of having too many utilities players and he is one that the Red Sox should bring back.

Mitch Moreland: Keep Moreland. Moreland was signed last offseason because they needed someone to play first as Hanley Ramirez filled the DH role for retiring David Ortiz. He outplayed his low deal being 38th in MLB with 78 RBIs. He is definitely a player who will want a little more money but nothing the Red Sox can’t afford.  

Addison Reed: Keep but can’t with Reed. Addison Reed was acquired from the Mets before the trade deadline. He was had good moments with fewer bad moments when pitching down the stretch. He was a nice setup man to have before Kimbrel came in the game. However the Red Sox probably won’t bring him back but should try.

Doug Fister: Keep if no other choice. Yes Doug Fister is a good pitcher and this injured season will affect his free agent stock. In my opinion I think he’ll still be able to pitch effectively for someone. Just not the Red Sox; unless he is willing to take less money to stay.

Who To Get:

Giancarlo Stanton: This guy will probably be on every team's list this offseason if available. The Red Sox are 27th in home runs and he was 1st with 59 as a player enough said.

Yangervis Solarte: Now a more realistic move the Red Sox should make. Yes Solarte does not put up any numbers that will make your eyes pop out of your skull. The young infielder however very consent which is something the Red Sox need. With the Padres doing nothing again this year watch Solarte looking to move locations for money and to win; the Red Sox can do both.

Gio Gonzalez: Gonzalez after a rough 2016 bounced back this season for the Nationals rotation. Posting a 2.96 ERA in 201 IP; which was  among the MLB’s elite pitchers this season. He is someone that the Red Sox because he won’t cost as much as a big time pitcher like Jake Arrieta; but has the potential to put big numbers or at least give you 10 wins a season which is always nice to have.      

Joe Smith: Smith was a big part of that dominate Indians bullpen this season. He was acquired by the Indians from free agency. The Indians brought Smith back after a couple of years bouncing around from team to team. Smith was solid for that pen with a 3.44 ERA coming in the middle innings. Adding Smith would put that Red Sox bullpen is a better position and maybe become the new best bullpen around for a low price.

What’s Next?:

The Red Sox are not rebuilding they are reloading this offseason. Behind first year manager Alex Cora look for them to make a splash in the offseason. Adding a big bat, quality starter, and good middle inning and setup pitcher will be things to watch out of the Red Sox this offseason. The Red Sox’s are still a top flight team and expect them to continue for years with that young team.

By

Matthew Doherty