After two first place AL East finishes in a row and two straight ALDS appearances, John Farrell was fired. That is just an example of how much the fans and ownership expect of this team. Even with a World Series title to his credit, Farrell wasn’t safe from the offseason axe. But it was more than just Farrell’s performance that got him the boot in Boston. His players’ performance, or lack thereof, played a part as well.
Chris Sale pitched well in the regular season, but struggled in his first playoff appearance of his career (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports).
After being swept by the Indians in the 2016 ALDS, many thought it was just the beginning of a Red Sox resurgence. The team had won 93 games, won the AL East and had a young nucleus.
But instead of improving, the team became stagnant. They posted the exact same regular season result as 2016, winning 93 games and the AL East in 2017. While that is a good season for most teams, it was the lackluster playoff performance that did Farrell in.
The addition of Chris Sale was supposed to put a rotation that featured two Cy Young winners in Porcello and Sale over the top. Instead, it faltered in the ALDS.
Sale would post an 8.38 ERA in the series, giving up 13 hits in 9.1 IP. Ironically enough, David Price, who had been moved to the bullpen after struggling as a starter, logged the second most IP for the Red Sox with 6.1, all out of the pen. His 0.00 ERA was a bright spot on an otherwise gloomy playoff performance.
But even with the poor pitching in the series, it’s the offense that will need some help this offseason.
Even after a playoff collapse, the Red Sox pitching staff was excellent in the regular season. Their collective team ERA of 3.70 was good enough for fourth in all of baseball. It was the offense that struggled throughout the season, posting the 26th highest team slugging at .407. They also finished 27th in home runs, hitting 168 as a team. The loss of David Ortiz was certainly felt this season, and young players like Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts weren’t able to make up for it. Power will be in high demand in Boston this offseason.
Another, more specific area of need is first base. The departure of Mitch Moreland won’t cause too much unrest in Boston, but it will leave a gaping hole at first base. Hanley Ramirez is a DH first type player, and there are no true first basemen on the Red Sox roster. If Boston wants to keep a hold of the AL East crown, they will have to find an answer for their first base question. But if the Red Sox are able to, they could kill two birds with one stone.
Giancarlo Stanton was a force in Miami, and is the prize of Dave Dombrowski’s eye (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images).
Eric Hosmer has been linked to Boston even before the season ended. It seems like a perfect fit for both sides. A great player in the prime of his career, and a big market team willing to pay the price. But it isn’t that easy. If the Red Sox swing and miss with Hosmer, they will have to look at other options to fill in at first base.
Carlos Santana has also been listed as an option for the Red Sox. While Santana is a step below Hosmer in terms of overall play, he would be a noticeable improvement over the departed Mitch Moreland.
Another option the Red Sox could consider is one much more flashy than either Hosmer or Santana. Giancarlo Stanton is the top name on the Red Sox wish list this holiday season. And after his 2017 NL MVP season, it’s easy to see why.
Stanton would be the ultimate luxury on a team that is set in the outfield with Betts, Bradley and Benintendi. But Stanton’s prodigious power could be too much for Dave Dombrowski to dismiss. The Red Sox could play Stanton at DH and move Hanley Ramirez to first base full time, but his diminished defensive skills could make the move a hard sell to Boston fans.
With a strong nucleus and a large market, the Boston Red Sox should be in contention for years to come. But their run as AL East champions may be coming to an end. With the New York Yankees “rebuild” all but over, the Yankees and Red Sox could again be locked into an arms race rivaling that of the Cold War.
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