2021 Boston Red Sox Depth Chart
The 2020 Red Sox roster is constructed around consistency throughout the lineup. Most of the talent pool is birthed from an in-home standpoint, acquiring their talents after they are seasoned through the minor league system. Most of the starting lineup is sprinkled with players that have been afforded careers with the club, citing Jackie Bradley Jr., Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, and Xander Bogaerts as the main talents drafted by the team. This make-up also favors contributions from trade and off-season acquisitions in J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler, and Steve Pearce. All position players are relatively consistent in role contribution, with a few fluctuations and flexors in Brock Holt and Eduardo Nunez. The team’s development program is still working to favor the talent of Rafael Devers, one of the youngest remaining prospects being pushed through the system. This construction builds far beyond field talent and we’ll continue to work to detail all areas contributing to the team’s success in 2020.
| Catcher | Christian Vazquez | Kevin Plawecki | |
| 1st Base | Bobby Dalbec | ||
| 2nd Base | Enrique Hernandez | Christian Arroyo | |
| Shortstop | Xander Bogaerts | ||
| 3rd Base | Rafael Devers | Marwin Gonzalez | |
| Left Field | Franchy Cordero | ||
| Center Field | Alex Verdugo | ||
| Right Field | Hunter Renfroe | ||
| Designated Hitter | J.D. Martinez |
Top Pitchers
The starting rotation is centered around distant players that leave little room for the bullpen to eat. Chris Sale plays owner to 17 quality starts for the team, steady progressing his contribution per 6 inning stretches. David Price and Rick Porcello are right behind him at 16 quality starts a piece. In terms of strikeouts, Sale has the team lead for the foreseeable future. A 2019 average of 13.50 per 9-inning outing has his numbers standing within reaching distance of the league’s best arms. Amongst starters, Sale also features the most favorable ERA at 1.97, a vast improvement from his 2.9 average in 2017. Drew Pomeranz is another name that fails the spotlight reach with guys like Chris Sale, David Price, and Rick Porcello on-board. Pomeranz enjoyed the shift to a long-distance reliever in favor of the return of Nathan Eovaldi. This shift places Pomeranz within at-risk situations as his relief likely spells a shorter from the regular starter. The bullpen returns to immaculate form in 2020. There are so many consistent contributors, marking the 7-9 inning situations up for grabs. Their mastered and practiced closer is Craig Kimbrel. His strikeout per 9-inning numbers are near the best in the league and his ERA marks for the best amongst closers. Shorter contributors like Matt Barnes and Tyler Thornburg round out this talented group of bullpen arms.
Top Infielders
Working from left to right, there are little holes within the infield. The main flex position is first base, with Mitch Moreland becoming the most active contributor. Ian Kinsler has adopted the second base position when he came over from the Angels. He plays owner to an above .300 average since joining the team, slotting anywhere from leadoff to 7th slot in the batting rotation. This hold might feature a fluctuation once Dustin Pedroia returns, but this conversation is scheduled in the distant future. Bogaerts is the team’s everyday short stop, rarely hosting a day off. His .281 average is up .009 points from last season, a promising clip for an everyday talent. Rafael Devers continues to feature his ups and downs within the lineup. He is batting right around the league average and offers a mid-range power contribution. Working within the cast of supporters has helped strengthen his game as he was headed to a sub-par realm of under .200 batting. His development is still forgoing the intensive process, but he has the talent around him that allows his game to flourish.
Top Outfielders
The outfield is where the magic happens for this team. A starting front of Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts, and Jackie Bradley Jr. marks for strong defensive contribution. Each player is a gold glove talent in blooming and their plate presence is second to none within this starting lineup. Betts and Benintendi has exchanged leadoff duties per matchups and Bradley finds himself at the bottom of the batting order. Being a cellar dweller is nothing new for Bradley, who favors the second round of batting rotations, often offering him plenty of RBI opportunities. Having the ability to slot Bradley near the bottom of the order speaks to the batting depth of this lineup. When J.D. Martinez is not batting from the designated hitter position, he can be found at either corner of the outfield. Martinez leads the team in homeruns with 39. This number already extends beyond double digits in terms of his best years, teaming these totals with an impressive .335 average. Betts shares the batting title, also playing owner to a .335 batting average.
Starting Lineup
The starting lineup does its best to mirror the opposition. The team has the depth to play favorable bats versus righties or lefties, with a couple of players that bat switch. The defensive match-ups can also be constructed on a day-to-day clip thanks to the natural talent within the infield. The team also carries three catchers, helping to assist pitchers with claiming the guys they prefer behind the plate. There are no barriers to production within this starting lineup.