How much can Sale give Red Sox in 2023?

This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it often in your inbox.

When I arrive in Fort Myers, Fla., on Monday, it is going to mark the beginning of my twenty second season masking the Red Sox for MLB.com. Where has the time gone?

One factor I’ve realized all through these two-plus a long time is that there are all the time just a few storylines that wind up because the prevailing themes of Spring Training.

Here are three that leap out at me for this spring:

1) Sale is wholesome. Will he keep wholesome?
All eyes might be on Chris Sale when Spring Training begins. The veteran left-hander was thrilled to divulge to reporters at Winter Weekend final month that he’s absolutely wholesome once more.

But as Sale and the Red Sox have realized lately, it issues not how he feels firstly of camp, but when he could make it to the tip of it — on observe to be within the rotation come Opening Day, which is one thing he has been unable to do since 2019.

If Sale can keep away from vital accidents and even get near his earlier type, it may assist the Red Sox defy preseason prognostications, the majority of which decide them for fifth place within the American League East. Given that Sale has logged a complete of 57 1/3 innings (together with postseason) because the finish of the 2019 season, it is going to be fascinating to see what number of innings the Red Sox will attempt to get from him if he stays wholesome.

2) The arrival of Yoshida
In phrases of media hype for a Japanese participant, it’s exhausting to suppose something will ever prime Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2007. Dice-Okay’s each transfer was a storyline that spring. While we by no means did see the “gyroball” in motion, Matsuzaka had a stable rookie season, serving to Boston win the World Series. He went 18-3 in his second season earlier than his profession pale considerably.

Yoshida is understood for his very good batting eye. Will that translate towards Major League pitching? Will the left-handed hitter be capable to generate sufficient energy to hit, say, 20 homers in his rookie 12 months? Will his protection be adequate in left area? How will he deal with the highlight?

There are many questions, which is able to make this an incredible story to comply with.

3) Kiké’s quest to take over at brief
When Trevor Story underwent vital surgical procedure on his proper elbow in early January, it felt like a giant blow to the Red Sox, who have been relying on the athletic veteran to take over for the departed Xander Bogaerts at shortstop. There is not any particular timetable for Story’s return, however he’ll miss a big chunk of time in 2023.

Instead of attempting to signal or commerce for a longtime shortstop, the Red Sox as an alternative seem poised to provide Kiké Hernández the possibility to take the job and run with it — a minimum of till Story will get again.

Hernández has been nothing if not overly versatile in his profession, enjoying each place however catcher. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and supervisor Alex Cora each lately stated Hernández has the power to be a plus defender at any place he performs as a result of his first-step quickness. Hernández has began 64 video games at brief in his profession and logged 618 innings, totals that pale compared to how a lot he has performed in heart area and second base.

It might be fascinating to see how properly he’ll adapt to crucial infield place whereas enjoying there regularly and the way his physique will maintain up. Hernández thinks enjoying brief might be much less taxing. Time will inform.