Boston Red Sox: Five things we learned from Spring Training 2021
What we learned from watching the Red Sox this spring training
Spring training is in the books and it’s time to move on to Opening Day. Before the Boston Red Sox kick off the 2021 season, let’s reflect on what we’ve learned about this team over the course of training camp.
Many fans didn’t know what to expect from this team heading into spring. The Red Sox are coming off a miserable last-place finish in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The front office was active in free agency and on the trade market but they didn’t make the big splash many were hoping would turn this franchise around.
Instead, the focus was on building depth with role players who compliment the existing core. While the bargain hunting frustrated a portion of the fan base that conveniently forgot that Boston already had one of the largest payrolls in baseball before the offseason began, spring training showed us the value of those shrewd moves.
The Red Sox are a more complete team than the one that stumbled though last year’s 60-game slate. They are deeper, more versatile and have considerably more upside.
Boston’s brass was never going to turn this roster into a championship contender overnight but they should be vastly improved based on what we’ve seen this spring. Here are a handful of reasons why we should be encouraged by what we learned from training camp.
Kike Hernandez will thrive as the Red Sox leadoff hitter
The signing of free-agent Kike Hernandez wasn’t met with much fanfare. The perception was that he was a utility guy who could provide some depth to the bench by filling in at a variety of positions. His lack of a permanent position and wide platoon splits that heavily favor his production against left-handed pitching suggested Hernandez would be a part-time player.
It’s clear from what we saw in spring training that the Red Sox don’t share that assessment. Not only will Hernandez be a staple of the lineup, he’ll be hitting at the top of it.
Boston used Hernandez as their primary leadoff hitter this spring and he thrived in his new role, hitting .320/.443/.580 in 50 at-bats.
Hernandez has historically crushed lefties to the tune of a .263 average and .820 OPS compared to a meager .222 AVG and .673 OPS against right-handers. The platoon splits didn’t seem to matter this spring as Hernandez was plugged into the top of the lineup regardless of which arm the opposing pitcher was throwing with. He fared well regardless of the matchup and bashed all three of his home runs against a right-handed pitcher.
Most encouraging was the walks. Hernandez ranked in the bottom-10 in the majors with a 4.1 BB% last season (minimum 140 plate appearances) and he owns a below-average 9.2 BB% for his career. The Hernandez we saw this spring was not the same hitter. He led the team with 10 walks and drew more free passes than strikeouts (8).
Getting on base is one of the primary goals of a leadoff hitter. It’s clear that Hernandez has changed his approach to adapt to his new role and it’s working.
Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez can still hit
One of the biggest questions hanging over the Red Sox entering camp this spring was how J.D. Martinez would bounce back from a disastrous season. The veteran designated hitter was one of the worst players in baseball in 2020, hitting a miserable .213 with a .680 OPS.
Was it a mechanical issue with his swing? Was he thrown off by the revised schedule form the pandemic-delayed season? Did the lack of access to video during games prevent him from making the proper adjustments? Or was age starting to catch up with him? Maybe it was all of the above.
Martinez came to camp eager to prove his doubters wrong. While he got off to a slow start that had many worrying last year’s slump was carrying over to 2021, his strong finish should ease those concerns.
It took Martinez some time to implement the adjustments he made based on issues with his swing that he identified over the offseason. He was hitting .237/.286/.289 in his first 38 at-bats before finally showing signs of turning a corner with about a week left in camp.
Martinez finished spring training hitting a respectable .286 with a .749 OPS. He led the team with 16 hits and tied for fourth with 10 RBI. He only tallied one home run but Martinez has never been one to rack up homers in exhibition games.
The Red Sox can’t necessarily assume they are getting the peak MVP-caliber version of Martinez but it’s clear that he’s figured some things out with his swing. This isn’t the same guy who looked lost at the plate during a season-long funk a year ago. Martinez didn’t forget how to hit and he’s going to return to being a threat in the middle of this lineup.
Jarren Duran is an exciting Red Sox prospect
The Jarren Duran hype train is picking up steam following an impressive training camp. The speedy outfielder is one of the most exciting prospects in the Red Sox farm system. We heard whispers about his emerging power during his time at the alternate site in Pawtucket last year and he dominated in winter ball down in Puerto Rico. Spring training was the first opportunity for most fans to get an extended look at Duran and he didn’t disappoint.
Duran hit .333 with a 1.048 OPS in 48 at-bats. He bashed three home runs, the last of which came in his final plate appearances of the spring. Duran also swiped a pair of bases and with his speed, he’s capable of stealing many more.
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As eager as we are to see Duran make his major league debut, he still needs some polishing in the minors. He’s never played above Double-A and the Red Sox aren’t willing to let their top prospects skip a level in the wake of last year’s cancelled minor league season.
Duran’s blazing speed should allow him to develop into a solid defensive center fielder but the converted infielder still needs time to learn the position. He also needs to work on his plate discipline after striking out 20 times with only two walks this spring. These as aspects of his game that Duran can polish up in Triple-A to begin the season with an eye on getting called up later this year.
The departure of Jackie Bradley Jr. hit hard for many Red Sox fans who remain in awe by his wizardry with the glove. Boston will certainly miss his defensive presence in the outfield but one of the reasons why the club didn’t fight harder to re-sign him is the progress of Duran. Bradley Jr. would have only been a temporary stopgap until the prospect is deemed ready. Duran’s time is coming and the results we saw this spring show it will be sooner rather than later.
Red Sox revamped bullpen is an improvement
Boston’s bullpen was among the worst in baseball last season, ranking fourth-worst in the majors with a collective 5.79 ERA and in the bottom-five with a -0.5 WAR, per FanGraphs.
While the Red Sox didn’t land one of the high-priced proven closers on the free-agent market this winter, they did overhaul their bullpen to assemble a core that appears vastly improved.
The closer battle still hasn’t been clearly settled but candidates Matt Barnes and Adam Ottavino both proved worthy of the opportunity based on their strong spring performances. Neither reliever allowed an earned run and they combined for 25 strikeouts over 11 2/3 innings.
A pair of newcomers provide the bullpen with options that can log multiple innings and fill in for the occasional spot start. Matt Andriese owned a solid 2.70 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 10 innings this spring. Garrett Whitlock allowed only one run in nine innings while striking out 12 without a walk.
Hirokazu Sawamura faces an adjustment period adapting from Japan to MLB. His control remains a work in progress after walking eight batters in only 4 /23 innings but he still managed a decent 3.86 ERA. He might take some time to work his way up the hierarchy but Sawamura has the talent to be a valuable asset to this bullpen.
Josh Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez were expected to be the key left-handed options in last year’s bullpen but the Red Sox got very little out of either of them since they were sidelined by COVID-19 for most of the season. Now healthy, these southpaws are ready to contribute. Taylor allowed only one earned run in his seven appearances. Hernandez struggled with his command, walking seven batters in 5 2/3 innings, but we know there is elite strikeout upside that comes with those bouts of wildness.
The bullpen depth beyond that is a bit questionable but the Red Sox have a solid core of relievers to rely on. It might not be the strength of the team but it no longer appears to be a weakness.
Versatility is key for the Red Sox
Versatility is going to be one of the primary themes of this season. Every position player they added this offseason has the ability to play multiple positions.
Kike Hernandez should see the bulk of the playing time at second base but he will also be called on to play some center field. Alex Verdugo will be the primary center fielder but the Red Sox value his defense in Fenway’s challenging right field so don’t be surprised if he shifts over to that spot for home games with Hernandez filling in at center. Hernandez has some experience at every position except for catcher so he could move around based on the team’s needs.
Marwin Gonzalez is another player who can move around virtually anywhere on the field, providing manager Alex Cora with plenty of flexibility. He might not be a part of the team’s projected everyday lineup but he should be the first bat off the bench and will get his fair share of starts to spell the regulars in the lineup. We know Gonzalez is a favorite of Cora so he’ll get his chances as long as he’s producing.
Christian Arroyo beat out Michael Chavis for the final bench spot. The fact that he was out of minor league options while Chavis has some remaining was a significant factor in that decision but Arroyo also provides more versatility with experience at most infield positions.
We saw the Red Sox shuffle their outfield alignment throughout spring training. Franchy Cordero and Hunter Renfroe are expected to start in left and right field respectively but they are both capable of handling either corner. We could even see them fill in at center field on occasion.
The option to use so many of these players at multiple positions will be invaluable to Cora. It allows him to ensure his regular starters can get a breather once in a while knowing he has a reliable option to turn to regardless of which position needs filling. Bench players who can handle multiple positions will find an easier path to playing time, ensuring they stay sharp.
dark. Next. Predicting the 2021 starting rotation
The Red Sox didn’t go shopping for one of the big bats on the market this winter but they added several players who can help this team in a variety of ways, adding enviable depth and tremendous flexibility.