Trying To Be Positive On The 2024 Boston Red Sox Lineup
During this offseason the Red Sox have faced a ton of adversity on and off the field. Between comments about ownership to not signing key free agents this offseason has been nothing short of disastrous. But as fans come close to Opening Day you have to look at the positives to remain interested.
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For starters, this 2024 Red Sox offense has the chance to be high octane and fun throughout the team. As we approach opening day here’s what the lineup could look like. According to Alex Cora, young speedster Jarren Duran will be the leadoff hitter and play majority left field. Duran, who will be going into his fourth year with the Sox, will be looking to build off his productive 2023 season and take a leap forward. Batting second will most likely be star third baseman Rafael Devers. Devers, looking to build on a “down year”, will be the main star in this odd bridge year. Batting third and playing a consistent shortstop this season will be Trevor Story. Story, who has had two injury prone years in Boston, is looking to be a big right-handed bat in this lineup. Coming off his first healthy and full spring training, Story looks to be an impact bat that the Red Sox desperately need to protect Devers. As for clean up young rising slugger Triston Casas will be filling the role of everyday first baseman. Casas going into his sophomore year will be set up to have a monster breakout year. If Casas can become this star many believe he is then this top four of the lineup could be dangerous. Batting fifth will most likely be Masataka Yoshida who according to Cora will be a majority DH throughout the season. Yoshida, with his first MLB season under his belt will look to improve on his rookie stats. Transferring over from Japan can be grueling especially with travel and the number of games being played in a season. But Yoshida looks to adapt to the MLB and become the big time slugger he was in Japan.
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Batting sixth could be newly acquired second baseman Vaughn Grissom. The Sox have not had an everyday second baseman since losing World Series champion Dustin Pedroia. Grissom looks to take that everyday roll and add average and power to the bottom half of this lineup. Now still being young Grissom could grow to be a big part of this young core the Red Sox are putting together. Batting seventh in the Sox lineup this year could be a platoon type of role at Right Field. The two names that can play Right this year are newly acquired Tyler O’Neill and young prospect Wilyer Abreu. While O’Neill brings more big-league experience and success Abreu adds to the youth and opportunity to this team. O’Neill will most likely take the starting job just due to experience and gold glove caliber defense in a tricky Fenway outfield. As for batting eighth and ninth it could be different depending on the starter of the opposing team. In those last spots in the lineup it could be a mix of Ceddanne Rafaela playing centerfield or Wilyer Abreu taking some of those starts in center as well. Also, rounding out the bottom of the order will most likely be a mix of catchers Connor Wong and Reese McGuire. So as for the opening day lineup it could look like the following:
1. Jarren Duran, LF
2. Rafael Devers, 3B
3. Trevor Story, SS
4. Triston Casas, 1B
5. Masataka Yoshida, DH/LF
6. Vaughn Grissom, 2B
7. Tyler O’Neill/Wilyer Abreu, RF
8. Ceddanne Rafaela/Wilyer Abreu, CF
9. Connor Wong/Reese McGuire, C
However the Red Sox lineup shakes out in 2024 they will be looking to improve on another last place season and try to contend in a loaded AL East.