The Boston Globe reports that it has been a while since the Red Sox have assembled a team without many renowned players.
The Red Sox are focused on finding the next top-performing players within their organization. These players will be crucial in establishing a strong core, similar to the 1967 Red Sox team that included star players such as Yastrzemski, Lonborg, George Scott, Rico Petrocelli, and Reggie Smith. This will set the team up for continued success in the future.
It is possible, it is possible, it is possible. The success of the Sox currently relies not on established stars maintaining their form or making a comeback, but on players reaching new levels that they have not yet attained.
The Red Sox have maintained a streak of 56 seasons in a row where their Opening Day roster includes a player who has finished in the top two for either MVP or Cy Young awards. This streak began in 1968 with Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Lonborg, whose impressive performances in the previous year helped fuel the team’s “Impossible Dream” season. Over the years, the Red Sox have consistently featured some of the most accomplished players in baseball, including Chris Sale and Corey Kluber in 2023.
In the past, the 2023 Orioles did not have any players who had placed higher than ninth in MVP or Cy Young voting. They also only had five former All-Stars on their team, none of whom had been selected for multiple All-Star games. However, their success can be attributed to a young group of players who matured and helped them win 101 games.
The Red Sox may break their streak if they decide to sign the two-time Cy Young winner and current free agent Blake Snell.
It is not necessarily relevant. The highly-regarded 2011 team experienced a major collapse, resulting in them missing the playoffs. Sale and Kluber may have actually contributed more to the Red Sox’s downfall in 2023 than to their success. On the other hand, the 1967 team made it to the World Series, with young players establishing themselves as top performers.
However, unless there is a last-minute change, the Red Sox will not have any players on their Opening Day roster who have had a standout season in the top tier of the sport. None of the players on the roster have placed higher than eighth in MVP voting (Trevor Story in 2018 and Tyler O’Neill in 2021), and no pitcher has ranked higher than fifth in Cy Young award voting (Kenley Jansen in 2017).
The Red Sox were unable to maintain a strong position in the competitive American League East due to a lack of prominent players. Looking at their minimal actions during the offseason, it is reasonable to question if the upcoming year will bring similar results.
The team is expected to start the year with only four players who have been chosen as All-Stars: Rafael Devers, Story, Jansen, and newcomer Lucas Giolito. This is the lowest number of All-Stars the team has had on Opening Day in the 21st century, with only three All-Stars in 2021 (Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez, and Sale). This is a big difference from the 16(!) All-Star players on the Opening Day roster in 2011.
Theo Epstein has returned to Boston.
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