2 Red Sox players moving up the depth chart, moving 2 down
The Boston Red Sox depth chart took a hit before the season even began with Trevor Story going on the IL before the thought of spring training even crept into our brains. They’ve struggled to find any sort of offense up the middle in his absence. Maybe more painful was the loss of Adam Duvall after a legendary start to his tenure in Boston. It hasn’t been a good start there or a few other places.
Two and a half weeks into the MLB season, the Red Sox depth chart is looking a bit different already. Two starting position players are already down for the count. Who’s moving up and who is moving down the depth chart?
Red Sox depth chart: John Schreiber is moving up as he continues to prove he is reliable
Reliever John Schreiber doesn’t have fantastic numbers when we look beyond his 1.13 ERA. He has tossed 8 innings for the Red Sox while owning a 1.50 WHIP and .241 batting average against. Numbers like ERA can be incredibly deceiving this early on in the year. It tells us Schreiber is getting into jams but working out of them.
This actually should help Schreiber’s place on the depth chart. For a Boston bullpen now missing Chris Martin due to an injury, Schreiber could be Alex Cora’s best option before the ball gets to Kenley Jansen in the ninth.
Schreiber first showed Red Sox fans what he was made of last year when in 65 innings of work he struck out 74 and had a 2.22 ERA. He has been a bit wild to start this year but his success in 2022 should have fans feeling confident he can continue to get the job done.
Red Sox depth chart: Garrett Whitlock is moving up as he shows he belongs in the rotation
After a lackluster season debut from Garrett Whitlock, he’s moving up the depth chart following his strong outing on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Angels. Seven innings of one-run ball is impressive for anyone in this day and age.
Considering the way the rest of the Red Sox starters have performed, there’s a good case that Whitlock becomes the staff’s ace by the end of 2023. It’s certainly a bit premature just 11 starts into his MLB career. Success as a reliever in both 2021 and 2022 should have the Red Sox sticking with this younger arm in hopes of getting the most from him while he’s hot.
It’s not always easy to tell where certain pitchers fall on the proverbial depth chart. In Whitlock’s case, it can be even more difficult.
Staffed with veterans Chris Sale and Corey Kluber at the top due to experience, the Red Sox rotation could very easily get turned upside down by the time the year is through.
Knowing Whitlock was stolen from the New York Yankees in the Rule 5 Draft makes it even sweeter each time he steps on the mound and performs at a high level. Thoughts of sending him to the minors or even to the bullpen should be put on hold for now. Whitlock can pitch. The Red Sox need to get every inning they can from him.
Red Sox depth chart: Triston Casas is moving down with early struggles
Triston Casas has had such a painfully bad beginning to the year that the Red Sox are already pairing him with Bobby Dalbec in a platoon at first base. His job hasn’t been completely taken away from him but the starts against left-handed pitchers should minimize.
Casas goes into Monday’s action batting .133/.200/.311 with a pair of home runs and 16 strikeouts in 15 games played. Left-handed pitchers haven’t been his issue as 3 of his 6 hits came against southpaws. It has just been an overall struggle for him at the dish this season.
It’s gravely disappointing because the Red Sox did seem to put a ton of faith in Casas being their guy. First base isn’t a position a team can afford to get such little production from on offense. Something has to give. Either Casas must start hitting or face demotion.
Until then, Casas moves down the depth chart away from being one of the key pieces of the offense. He’s already an afterthought in most lineups. He hasn’t struck the kind of fear in pitchers we all hoped he could at this point.
Patience is running thin. If this is the best offense the Red Sox farm has to offer, this team is going to be in even more trouble in the coming years.
Red Sox depth chart: Chris Sale is moving down and cannot be trusted
Three starts is more than enough to know Chris Sale isn’t the same pitcher he used to be. Blame it on the fan who said “all I want is for Sale to be healthy this year.” Well, he is but that isn’t nearly enough.
A 1-1 record, 11.25 ERA, and only 12 innings in 3 starts are some of the numbers from Sale’s season. He has already given up 5 home runs and he is walking batters at a horrendous rate.
Next. 3 changes we'd already make to the Red Sox roster. dark
Maybe most shocking from Sale’s season is how the Red Sox have actually won two of his starts and came two runs away from winning the third. In fact, that third outing was their chance to end the new deceased Tampa Bay Rays winning streak they began the year with.
The end of Sale’s career definitely feels like it’s nearing, but the first step for any ace is to become an overpriced fifth starter. Owed $27.5 million this year and next, this may be one of those bad contracts the Red Sox simply have to wait out. The only alternative would be to call up the Los Angeles Dodgers to take it. They’ve done it before. Can we interest them in another bad contract?
Out of respect for Sale, management may need to see things get even uglier before considering a move to the bullpen. He can consider himself lucky that he’s not the only pitcher struggling early on.