BRADENTON, FL. -- The bullpen has been fortified, especially in the back end, with the signing of two experienced late-inning relievers. The starting rotation, while plagued this spring by some minor injuries, offers more depth than in recent years.
But for the 2023 Red Sox, there remain valid questions about the team's offensive potential. The Sox lost All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts and veteran DH J.D. Martinez. The current lineup, meanwhile, sports only one player (Rafael Devers) who hit more than 15 homers in the major leagues last season.
Still, Alex Cora is not deterred. He believes the Red Sox won't only show improvement offensively, but that they'll be among the best offensive teams in the league.
"I know how I feel about this team,'' said Cora before the Red Sox defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-4. "I think the more I see the team, the more I like it, especially offensively. The line is going to move and we're going to score runs. Obviously, we've got to do some things better, but I think every team is in that boat,.''
In particular, Cora is encouraged by a change in approach from top-to-bottom with the offense. In their off-season roster construction, the team emphasized on-base skills and sought players with better control of the strike zone. Grinding out at-bats is, again, in, while being overly aggressive and putting yourself in bad hitters' counts is out.
Their biggest winter investment, Japanese free agent outfielder Masataka Yoshida, arrived with a reputation as a player with great plate discipline and the ability to consistently put the ball in play. Yoshida compiled a career on-base percentage of .421 in NPB and demonstrated his patience during the recent World Baseball Classic. In addition, new DH Justin Turner may lack the thump that Martinez had in his prime, but has an impressive .366 OBP across 14 big league seasons.
Triston Casas, the rookie first baseman, perhaps best embodies the shift in philosophy. Yes, Casas has plus power potential and a 25-homer season would not seem out of the question. But as important, Casas has a discerning eye and the patience to either take his base or work himself into advantageous counts.
With hitting instructor Pete Fatse focused on quality at-bats and getting on base, the Sox as a whole have taken to the new team identity.
"The guys we're going to throw out there on a daily basis, they understand who we are offensively,'' said Cora. "It's something we've been talking about, what we've been preaching. I think we're going to be OK.''
But there are other variables that give Cora optimism, too.
"One thing I notice,'' said Cora, "with all the lefties that we have, I think the rules (outlawing infield shifts) are going to actually help us. I've seen a lot of ground balls from a few guys that have gone through on the pull side and up the middle. And we're going to make more contact than last year. We've got a bunch of lefties that are good hitters.
"I've been saying all along, the guy that we saw playing right field for Mexico (Alex Verdugo), he's in a great spot -- physically, mentally, he's up to the challenge. I think Dugie, when he's locked in, the way he is right now, he's a game-changer.''
Cora's public backing of Verdugo is noteworthy, if only because Cora seemed to call him out somewhat on the final day of last season, challenging him to play closer to his potential and to arrive to camp in better physical condition. Verdugo acknowledged the remarks initially stung, but it's also clear that he's taken them to heart.
"And then, Yoshida, we feel is going to hit,'' continued Cora. "Raffy (Devers) is Raffy. Triston, the at-bats he's going to put up, is a solid one. (Turner), even (Wednesday), he didn't swing the bat but he got on base. It's a different dynamic, and different names of course. We know that.''
In contrast to some other teams in the division like Toronto and New York, the Red Sox won't bludgeon opponents with their power. They don't have anyone who can challenge Aaron Judge or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the slugging department. But Cora believes they will hit a sufficient number of homers -- they were 20th in baseball last year -- and the rest will take care of itself.
"It started last year, in September,'' said Cora, noting that the Sox led the American League in on-base percentage in the final month of the 2022 season. "We will hit homers. Just watching them, when they get up to Boston and they see that wall. Dugie (will go the other way), Raffy will do the same thing. I think our shortstop (Kiké Hernandez) will hit some.
"We're not going to be the '27 Yankees, you know. But with traffic, you create more havoc and (the opposing pitcher) has throw the ball over the plate and we're going to take advantage of it. But we have to create the traffic to do that.''