*Photo from Bleacher Report*
The Boston Red Sox recently traded OF Mookie Betts and LHP David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 3 team trade last night, and a lot of Boston fans are upset, myself included. But recently, I've come to notice that, despite my anger, the Red Sox haven't punted the 2020 season, and will probably still compete in 2020, and might even make the playoffs. Here's why I think so.
*Photo from NBC Sports*
The Hitting is still as potent as ever
Despite trading arguably the best hitter in the lineup, the Red Sox lineup is still loaded with talent, and has the ability to keep the team in games if the pitching isn't performing well. Here's a look at a projected lineup in 2020, these names are in no particular order.
1.Christian Vazquez
2.Mitch Moreland
3.Michael Chavis
4.Xander Bogaerts
5.Rafael Devers
6.Andrew Benintendi
7.Jackie Bradley Jr
8.Alex Verdugo
9.JD Martinez
This looks pretty deadly to me. Vazquez is fresh off a 20+ homer season, Bogaerts and Devers are fresh off breakout seasons, Martinez is as efficient as ever, Chavis showed extreme potential as a rookie, and Verdugo is a former top 100 prospect who can rake. Moreland is an offensive and defensive anchor at first, and Bradley Jr can still crush a baseball every now and then. Even without Betts, this lineup is still very dangerous, and has the ability to keep the Red Sox in games.
*Photo from the Boston Globe*
The pitching staff looks just fine
Despite trading Price, the rotation still looks good, despite some question marks. There is still plenty of promise here, despite all the what if's. This rotation could either be pretty good or pretty mediocre. Here's a look at the projected Red Sox starting rotation in 2020, in no particular order.
1.Chris Sale
2.Eduardo Rodriguez
3.Nathan Eovaldi
4.Martin Perez
5.Brusdar Graterol
There's plenty of promise right here. Sale is coming off a down year combined with injuries, but is still the same Sale that has dominated baseball for years. Rodriguez just won 19 games in a breakout 2019. Eovaldi was injured for most of 2019, but he's got all the stuff to bounce back and turn out to be a solid mid rotation pitcher. Perez can eat innings and be durable at the back end, and Graterol is a 21 year old top prospect who can throw triple digit fastballs and sinkers, and will likely get a chance to earn a starting rotation spot in the spring. Watch out for this group.
This is why I think that the Boston Red Sox will end up being, at the very least, just fine in 2020 without Mookie Betts and David Price on the roster. I'm not ready to give up on these guys yet, and you shouldn't be either.
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