Red Sox Predictions: Brendan's (way too early) 2023 season superlatives
Red Sox Wins Leader - Corey Kluber (Prediction: 11 wins)
Kluber is perhaps what one could describe as "on the back 9" of his career, the former multi-Cy Young winner was one of the most underrated moves of the off-season in Boston. One thing of note on Kluber is his undeniable consistency on the hill.
Excluding 2012, a year in which he only appeared in 12 games, the right-hander has only posted a pair of losing records over his 12-year career. That aforementioned consistency will fuel his 2023 campaign with the Red Sox, carrying him to the team lead in victories.
Red Sox Strikeouts Leader - Nick Pivetta (Prediction: 172)
Pivetta isn't, and never has been, the type of pitcher to blow hitters away with his caliber stuff or fastball velocity, but he does have a lot of swing-and-miss in his game. He's racked up at least 140 strikeouts in 4 of his 6 Major League seasons, and one of those was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since joining the Red Sox that same season, Pivetta has fanned exactly 175 batters in each of the last two seasons, and I believe he comes close to hitting that benchmark yet again in 2023.
Red Sox Homeruns Leader - Rafael Devers (Prediction: 36)
Okay, fine. This one probably isn't "bold" by definition or really much of a surprise. It's a pretty safe bet. Devers has belted 30 or more homers in a season twice already in his young MLB career, and he's in line to do it again as part of a lineup where he will be the centerpiece.
While I don't envision Raffy eclipsing his career-high of 38, which coincidentally came during his first All-Star campaign, I do think he will top the 30-mark yet again in 2023, a season that I believe will be a monumental one for the Red Sox third baseman as he looks to set the tone for the offense.
Red Sox Batting Average Leader - Masataka Yoshida (Prediction: .301)
With Yoshida projected to slide from the leadoff spot to somewhere in the middle of the lineup to open the season, he is expected to use his elite bat-to-ball skills to keep the line moving for the Red Sox offense.
Combine his plate discipline and lack of any substantial tape on him for opposing pitchers to scout, Yoshida may put up surprisingly good numbers in his first year facing MLB pitching. In his 7-year career in Japan, he recorded at least a .305 average in all but one year, his very first, hitting .296 in his age-22 season.
Red Sox Clubhouse Leader - Kiké Hernández/Alex Verdugo
I had to go with two names in this category for a multitude of reasons. One primary reason was that Kiké Hernández has been the subject of a lot of off-season chatter, especially regarding his ability to play shortstop full time at the Major League level (something he's never done for a full season in his career). He seems to be embracing his role as a leader in the Red Sox clubhouse.
As for Alex Verdugo, he was called out by his own manager, Alex Cora, on the final day of last season as someone who needed to make the jump in 2023 to a true impact player. I think both players are ready for the challenge and will need to be ready to perform if the Red Sox want to be competitive.
Both Hernández and Verdugo alike have been extremely vocal about how underrated this Red Sox team might actually be, and their confidence in the group that is gathered right now at Fenway South seems infectious.
Red Sox Team MVP - Rafael Devers (Prediction: .297, 36 HR, 107 RBI)
Once again, I know this won't knock your Sox off (see what I did there?) - but this one is clearly the only choice as far as this superlative goes. Devers is unequivocally the star of the show this season for the Red Sox, and he's going to be asked to shoulder the most weight on a nightly basis.
The newly inked superstar has shown he can handle that kind of workload, so expect him to take it and run with it. As the saying goes... that's why they pay him the big bucks!
What do you think of these choices? Which do you agree/disagree with? Let me know in the comments below!