The 2021 Boston Red Sox are back for revenge after an embarrassing 2020 stint. After finishing last in the American League East and 16 games back of the first place Tampa Bay Rays last season, the Sox added depth and a former manager to their squad and are looking to be competitive once again. The roster is taking shape this spring at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, and many key faces return as the core of the team. Position players such as starting catcher Christian Vázquez, starting third baseman Rafael Devers, starting shortstop Xander Bogaerts, and designated hitter JD Martinez are stars that bolster the Red Sox’s connection to their World Series title squad in 2018. Those players will guide others like first baseman Bobby Dalbec, second baseman Enrique Hernandez (signed to a two-year contract in free agency), and outfielders Hunter Renfroe, Alex Verdugo and Franchy Cordero who currently round out the Sox’s starters. The Red Sox did lose salient outfielders Jackie Bradley Jr, Andrew Benintendi, and, most notably, Mookie Betts in the last 13 months, but this starting roster is an example of the Boston Red Sox rising out of the ashes of free-agency once again.
One of the biggest stories of the off-season was the return of former manager, Alex Cora. After a suspension related to the sign-stealing scandal of the Huston Astros, Cora was not in the Sox’s dugout during their 2020 struggles. Cora was re-signed this past November and has returned to the helm ready to lead his team to glory once again. According to Joon Lee of ESPN, Cora said, "This is where I wanted to be. This is where I'm at. I love every second of it, and I'm not going to take it for granted." There is a certain identity of power and prestige that the Red Sox take on when Cora is leading the team, and it will be interesting to see that identity come to fruition in 2021. “Everyone talks about the Rays, everyone talks about the Dodgers… It’s not like we’re trying to be them,” Cora noted. “We are trying to be the best version of us.”
One of the most important pieces of being the best version of the Red Sox is getting into a solid rhythm with the pitching rotation. Opening Day (Orioles @ Red Sox, April 1) starter Eduardo Rodriguez agreed to a one-year, $8.3 million dollar contract with the Red Sox and is looking to bolster the rotation at least until Chris Sale returns from surgery on his left elbow. His return is slated for the later stages of the summer. Until then, Nathan Eovaldi (3.72 ERA in nine 2020 starts) will take on the #2 role and Garrett Richards wills serve as the #3 man after signing a one-year, $10 million dollar contract at the end of January. Richards comes from the Padres after posting a 4.03 ERA over 51.1 innings during the 2020 regular season — he will try to live up to his contract in 2021. Martin Perez, a 29-year-old lefty will return to the Sox on a one-year, $4.5 million dollar deal, and young gun Nick Pivetta will also return and round out the rotation. Both Perez and Pivetta have something to prove to stay in the rotation, but Cora has shown commitment and trust in both as they have each performed well in multiple spring starts.
After adding additional depth players to round out the roster, there is optimism that 2021 will be a much better showing for the Sox. With that said, though, the AL East did not get any worse. The Rays, Yankees, and Blue Jays are the biggest threats in the division while the Orioles could present problems if the Sox’s rotation cannot hit its stride or key offensive players go down with injuries. The Red Sox are a more complete baseball team with their leader back with authority and some of their gaping 2020 holes filled, but a paramount question remains: do they have enough talent to make a deep run in September and October? It takes a well-oiled machine and a little bit of magic to win a World Series, and we will see if the 2021 Boston Red Sox have what it takes.
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