– Last Updated on November 21, 2022 4:49 pm
2016 Boston Red Sox Preview
Ready to check out our 2016 Boston Red Sox predictions? The Red Sox were not very good last season. Their prized free agent signings – Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval – were busts and the pitching was pretty bad. Put it all together and the Sox finished in last place in the American League East.
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That kind of performance is pretty unacceptable in Beantown so the Red Sox made some big investments in the offseason bringing in David Price to be the ace and Craig Kimbrel to be the closer.
Both are elite pitchers who should help the Sox get out of the cellar.
2016 MLB Team Previews
- Boston Red Sox 2016 AL East Odds: +260
- Boston Red Sox 2016 AL Pennant Odds: 7/1
- Boston Red Sox 2016 World Series Odds: 15/1
Key Additions
SP David Price, RP Craig Kimbrel
Adding a couple of All-Star pitchers bolsters the weakest part of last year’s team. Price may still have to answer questions about his playoff chops but there are few better in the regular season and he knows the division.
Kimbrel is one of the nastiest relievers in the game and might be unhittable until the AL gets a read on his stuff.
Key Subtractions
SP Wade Miley
Losing Miley is not going to hurt this team, he was replacement level at best.
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This team is banking on the players it acquired last year performing better and their young guys taking the next step so the roster is very similar.
2016 Red Sox Predictions – Projected Lineup
- Mookie Betts, RF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Xander Bogaerts, SS
- David Ortiz, DH
- Hanley Ramirez, 1B
- Pablo Sandoval, 3B
- Rusney Castillo, LF
- Blake Swihart, C
- Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
If everyone performs at their best this would be one of the best lineups in the league, especially playing in Fenway Park.
Unfortunately the odds of that happening are as good as Sandoval finishing first in an ab crunch contest.
On some days the combo or Ortiz, Sandoval and Ramirez plus their young guns Bogarts and Betts will form a great offense. Boston should finish in the Top Ten in the Majors in runs scored and they will need to put up a bunch to cover their pitching staff.
The best thing you can probably say about the Boston lineup is that there are no easy outs. I am not really big on Blake Swihart or Jackie Bradley but for an 8/9 combo they are not too bad.
This team will score runs.
2016 Red Sox Predictions – Projected Rotation
- David Price , LHP
- Clay Buchholz, RHP
- Rick Porcello, RHP
- Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP
- Joe Kelly, RHP
Getting an ace to lead the rotation was an absolute need for Boston.
Even though they prove time and again that they are comfortable spending money, investments in guys like Rick Porcello have not really paid off. With Price they have a true number one but the rest of the rotation is full of threes and below.
Buchholz is one of the most unpredictable pitchers in the game and was miscast last year.
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I like Joe Kelly’s arm but he is at the point where you have to wonder if he will ever bring it all together.
2016 Red Sox Predictions – Projected Bullpen
- Craig Kimbrel
- Junichi Tazara
- Koji Euhara
The Sox brought in one of the best closers in the National League to try and solve their back of the bullpen woes.
You have to think that Kimbrel might find it a little more challenging staring down those tougher AL lineups but being new will work to his advantage too.
The rest of the bullpen is just OK as far as I am concerned but they should not blow too many leads late.
2016 Boston Red Sox Predictions
Over the last four seasons the Sox have three last place finishes and a World Series title. I see neither of those outcomes as likely this season. This team has improved enough to get out of the basement but is not championship material to me.
The Sox addressed big needs with their offseason acquisitions this winter but it will not be enough to overcome the fact that last winter’s “solutions” are looking only like patch jobs.
Ortiz is a year older and on his retirement run so who knows if he will be able to have his usual production. Without it the team is really in trouble.
From a betting perspective it is hard to identify some likely situations to be looking more closely at the Red Sox.
This team will hit and they should be better overall, and win more games, but nothing obvious is happening with this group like it might be with other teams – other than to maybe fade some early season hype.
As a result the best approach is to give these guys a few weeks to see how it is really coming together on the field.
What do you think of our 2016 Boston Red Sox predictions? Comments are welcome below.
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