Red Sox: Five questions we need answers for during 2021 spring training
By Sean Penney
Key questions to explore as the Red Sox begin spring training
Pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers later this week, signaling the official start of spring training. The Boston Red Sox addressed many needs during a busy offseason but there are several lingering questions hanging over this club that could determine which direction this season is heading. Training camp is where we begin to get some answers.
Camp was interrupted by the pandemic last year, sending players into quarantine for months before rushing them through an abbreviated summer camp to prepare for the shortened season. The unusual circumstances presented a challenge for many players who struggled to catch up.
Clearly, there were other factors leading to the Red Sox finishing last in their division with the fourth-worst record in baseball but the unprecedented conditions didn’t help and certainly attributed to the regression of certain players.
We aren’t quite out of the COVID-19 woods yet but the expectation is that players will return to their relatively normal routines this spring. That bodes well for those aiming for a bounce-back season but we still have concerns about this roster that we’ll be watching intently this spring.