Red Sox: Predicting the 2018 Opening Day 25-man roster

With Opening Day looming just over two weeks away, here’s our best guess of who makes the Boston Red Sox 25-man roster to start the 2018 seasons.

Time is running out for players in camp to state their case for making the Boston Red Sox 25-man roster. Many of the names the team will carry with them for Opening Day are fairly obvious but a few spots are still up for grabs.

The Red Sox have already optioned several players to Triple-A Pawtucket or re-assigned them to minor league camp. None were serious threats to break camp with the big league team. More cuts will follow as the team narrows down their roster to the 25 players they plan to open the season with.

Health will play a significant role. Several players we might expect to be on the roster may not be ready by Opening Day. Some roster decisions may come down to the wire due to ongoing position battles or lingering availability questions for those recovering from injury.

There is just over to weeks to go before Opening Day on March 29. These are the 25 players I predict will be on the roster when the Red Sox open the season against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Catchers

Christian Vazquez, Sandy Leon, Blake Swihart

Vazquez should get the majority of the playing time behind the plate on the heels of a breakout season. He looks ready to emerge as one of the best all-around backstops in baseball now that his bat has started to catch up with his glove. His share of the workload should increase from the 60/40 split the Red Sox used for the majority of last season at the position.

Leon can add value as a defensive-minded backup. Vazquez is a terrific defensive catcher in his own right but he’ll need a day or two off each week to keep him fresh. Leon can be trusted to manage this pitching staff when called upon.

It’s rare for a team to carry three catchers but Swihart’s versatility makes it feasible. He’ll be more of a utility player who happens to be capable of backing up the catcher position. Manager Alex Cora should feel more comfortable pinch-hitting for Leon late in games knowing he has Swihart as an insurance policy. If anything happened to Vazquez after Leon was taken out, Boston wouldn’t be left stranded without a catcher. Swihart’s ability to cover other positions means he won’t be wasting a roster spot as a seldom-used third catcher.

Infielders

Mitch Moreland, Hanley Ramirez, Eduardo Nunez, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Deven Marrero

Moreland will platoon at first base with Ramirez. With Dustin Pedroia expected to start the season on the disabled list, Nunez will get the first crack at covering second base. Bogaerts and Devers will cover the left side of the infield.

Marrero should earn a spot as a utility infielder off the bench. He’s out of minor league options so the Red Sox can’t send him to Pawtucket without exposing him to waivers. That gives him a leg up on Tzu-Wei Lin and the injured Marco Hernandez. Marrero provides a solid glove at several positions and may be counted on to help hold late leads given the questionable defense of a few Red Sox infielders. Swihart will also factor in as a utility infielder, although his value comes from his bat rather than his glove.

Brock Holt is a tough omission given the value he’s provided in the past. He’s coming off essentially a lost season that puts him behind these other infielders on the depth chart. The absence of Pedroia to start the season may create an opening but it would mean carrying one less reliever. A deeper bullpen seems more important than an extra utility player, while Pedroia’s eventual return would make the bench even more crowded.

Outfielders

Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley, Andrew Benintendi, J.D. Martinez

Boston’s starting trio is about as good as it gets in the majors, at least from a defensive standpoint. They also have a high ceiling offensively. Betts is already a star, Benny is emerging into one and JBJ has shown the ability to put together a hot streak at the plate.

Martinez will primarily slot in as the designated hitter but is expected to see some time in the outfield. We can count him as the fourth outfielder despite that he’ll be in the lineup most days regardless. Except Bradley to get some time off against lefties, with Martinez taking over in right field and Betts sliding over to center. Martinez could also cover left if Benintendi needs a breather.

Swihart is capable of covering a corner outfield spot in addition to his role as an infielder and third catcher. If the Red Sox manage to squeeze Holt on the roster then he can provide some additional outfield depth as well.

Boston’s farm system lacks major league-ready outfield talent but the big league club is well stocked. Barring a rash of injuries, they appear to be in great shape.

Bullpen

Craig Kimbrel, Carson Smith, Joe Kelly, Matt Barnes, Robby Scott, Austin Maddox, Roenis Elias

Kimbrel is currently away from the team to be with his infant daughter who is recovering from a heart procedure. The closer has far bigger priorities than baseball at the moment but I’m still projecting him to make the roster. He’s still throwing bullpen sessions in Boston to prepare for the season and the team doesn’t seem too concerned about his availability for Opening Day.

Smith pitched well following his September debut that followed a lengthy injury layoff. His strong spring suggests he’s ready to take over the eighth inning setup role. Barnes and Kelly could factor into that role at times but will primarily be used in the 6th/7th innings.

Scott hasn’t been sharp this spring but remains the top lefty in the bullpen. He may end up being the only lefty, although don’t sleep on Elias. He’s converted himself into a reliever and dropped to a sidearm delivery against lefties. Elias hasn’t allowed an earned run this spring so the approach seems to be working. Johnson could bump him back to Pawtucket if he’s sent to the bullpen when E-Rod or Wright returns – unless Elias supplants Scott as the preferred southpaw in the bullpen.

Also, keep an eye on Bobby Poyner. He’s looked great this spring but I’m not projecting him for Opening Day since he’s not on the 40-man roster. If Scott continues to struggle then a move to bring up Poyner may be warranted.

Tyler Thornburg should establish himself as a key part of this bullpen but may not be ready to begin the season on time. He’s still working his way back from a lost season and hasn’t appeared in a Grapefruit League game yet. I’m predicting Maddox takes his spot until Thornburg is ready.

Next: Bold predictions for 2018

If Boston decides to carry an extra bat on the bench it would come at the expense of a reliever. In that case, Maddox or one of the lefties would be in jeopardy of losing their roster spot.