2021 Red Sox Season Met its End, but Future is Bright in Boston
Surprise playoff teams often don’t have consistency in the outcomes of future seasons. The Miami Marlins are a prime example of how playoff success doesn’t indicate future success, as they made the 2020 playoffs but were last in their division in 2021. The Boston Red Sox are another story since they were a 4th place team in 2020 and a playoff team in 2021. The difference between those two teams is that the Red Sox already had a solid core all-around and needed a few supplement pieces, along with productive seasons from their superstars to make the playoffs. The Marlins, meanwhile, had a few talented pieces but understood that the 2020 team was the result of a shortened season, and a few additions wouldn’t make them a perennial playoff team. The 2021 Red Sox are an indication that Boston is set up for years to come with the makings of a financially viable roster that can challenge any team.
The 2021 Red Sox may not have been the strongest team to end the regular season but squeaked into the playoffs. They beat division rivals New York and Tampa Bay en route to a 6-game series against the Astros, which ended their season. Midway through the series, it looked like Boston had the pieces necessary to overcome a potent Astros lineup, but then Houston pitching figured out how to quiet the Sox bats, and every break went their way. It was the true definition of a series swing of momentum. A good offense can only take teams so far, while durable starting pitching leaves teams to figure out the bullpen at the end. The Astros and Braves had terrific starts towards the end of their series that saved their best bullpen arms for the later innings. The Red Sox did not have long-lasting starting pitching, and by the end of the series, it was clear that Houston could hit all of Boston’s pitchers.
That said, there is much unexpected about the 2022 Red Sox. The team will return most of their players, but it’s unclear if Kyle Schwarber will return, even though he was a fan-favorite in his half-season in Boston because he is an upcoming free agent and is sure to have a plethora of free-agent suitors. The decision on Schwarber will also linger on if J.D. Martinez opts out of his contract because the Sox can’t field a lineup with one of those liabilities on the field. Given Schwarber’s success in Boston and Martinez’s gradual decline, it would not be unexpected to see the Sox prioritize Schwarber over Martinez. It’ll be curious to learn what the Red Sox do with their catching situation, given that Christian Vasquez and Kevin Plawecki struggled with runners on base. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Sox give up on Vasquez and find another starter to fill in as their starter until Connor Wong is ready.
The starting pitching will also need to be sorted out but expect Eduardo Rodriguez to return to Boston after a strong postseason and a fluky regular season. The Sox could also make a push for one of the top free-agent starters to complete their rotation. Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock will compete for rotation spots to complement Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Sale, and Nick Pivetta. Whitlock will return to the bullpen after one of the best relief-pitching seasons a rookie could have. The rest of the bullpen requires configuration, but Josh Taylor (performance), Matt Barnes (contract), Austin Davis (left-handed relief option), and Hirokazu Sawamura are all locks to make the roster. The Sox should target a late-inning reliever to replace the aging Adam Ottavino and another new arm to strengthen their late-inning struggles. They should also re-sign Garrett Richards, who impressed in the second half with multi-inning bullpen appearances. No matter how the roster turns out, it’s reasonable to trust Chaim Bloom’s decisions given the team’s turnaround, replenished farm system, and freed up payroll.
There’s a lot to like about the 2022 Red Sox, but the expectations are high. Anything less than winning the division will not be a successful season in the eyes of the media and Red Sox fans. The pressure is on for the Red Sox front office to find out which pieces are here to stay and which must be shown the door without hurting their playoff chances. It’ll be an eventful offseason amid much speculation around the Red Sox and the top free agents. Expect bullpen changes and depth pieces to be put into place to help the Sox get through the season, then rely on their superstars during the postseason. They’ll ride or die by their best players, a formula for success or crash and burn.
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