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.