5 Bold Red Sox Predictions: 2018

For any baseball fan, this is the best time of year. With opening day right around the corner, EVERYBODY is optimistic, even if your a fan of the Miami Marlins. The beginning of the season is the biggest "What if" time of the year and leads to many minds wondering way too far. It also allows fans to made outrageous bets and predictions, and have no immediate consequences. So here I am, ready to make the BOLDEST predictions of the season. Get ready, they are coming at you fast.

1) David Price will finish top-3 in the AL Cy Young Award.

Photo: Boston Globe

When Price won the AL Cy Young award in 2012, many can argue that it wasn't even his best year. Yes, he had a career high of 20 wins and posted an ERA of 2.56 with 205 strikeouts, but this is David Price just getting started. In 2015, Price had an ERA of 2.45 while pitching in 32 games, while striking out 225. In 2014, Price struck out a whopping 271. Hate on the man all you want, but he can bring the GAS. I believe since he didn't pitch much last year due to injury, has a great supporting cast this year, and is in "prove it" year, he will bounce back and surprise haters everywhere. Mark it down, I am a Pro-Price guy.

2) Rafael Devers will hit more home runs than J.D. Martinez

Ahhh, the kid, Raffy Big Stick. Honestly, he is the guy I believe is going be the X-factor. He is the guy no one is accounting for! Yes, I realize that it is too early to accurately predict what Devers can bring, but my man Sam wrote about on him recently (see that HERE), and mannnnn this guy has potential to blow up. Devers hit 10 home runs in 58 games for the Red Sox as a 20 year old, and as long as he is as good (which I hoped he improved SOME over the offseason) his numbers could very well equate to over 30 home runs. J.D. Martinez has only hit over 30 home runs in 2 of his 7 years in the majors.

3) Xander Bogaerts will be traded

As a sports writer, we have to be realistic and understand that not everything is going be sunshine and butterflies. This is the tough part, and especially this prediction because I honestly love Xander. The Red Sox struggled for so many years to find a reliable SS (cringes at thinking about Julio Lugo), and just when I thought Xander was going be the long term solution, he had one of worst years in Boston. Now granted, he was injured and that affected his bat, but if he continues to have another down year, he could be traded before the deadline. Spotrac.com reports him to having only 1 more year on his contact before becoming a free agent. Now, I am hoping that DOESN'T happen, and Xander comes back to be his dominate self and rakes in 2018, destroying any rumor of trades.

4) Brian Johnson will have over 10 wins

Now if you are asking yourself why the name Brian Johnson sounds familiar, its probably because you thought to yourself "Who is this guy?" when he pitched for the Red Sox for 1 game in 2015, and 5 games in 2017. He has been that guy who has always hovered around the top of Pawtucket rotation, waiting for his chance to shine in the majors. Unfortunately, when he does get to the majors, he struggles. In those 5 games in 2017, Johnson had an ERA of 4.90 with only 2 wins. However, this year, it seems like a lock to appear in more major league games, and already in 5 spring training games, Johnson has an ERA of 1.72. This includes the most recent game against the new Yankees lineup! Though I do not believe he will remain on the major league roster all year, I do believe he will be there long enough to register that 10th win.

5) Andrew Benintendi will lead the Red Sox in batting average

Who exactly is Andrew Benintendi? Is he a power hitter? Well he hit for 20 homeruns in 2017 and had a slugging percentage of .424. Not bad. Is he hits type of guy, who can get on base? He had a batting average of .271 and an OPS of .776, which is decent. While Mr. Benny Biceps might not be great at one thing, he is very good at a lot of things. Benintendi has already proven to us he has the power and patience to be a great hitter and I believe this is the year he will rake all season long. He is already batting a .386 in spring training in 16 games. I know this is a small sample size, but I think it is accurate.

Overall, I have very high hopes for Red Sox this year and believe we have a real shot at the championship. It seems like we finally have a good balance of both hitting and pitching, under a presumably good manager. It should be a very fun year, and like always, am very excited to get things underway.

Stay Laced.

*All stats referenced from baseball-reference.com

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