After a fun 2021 season, the Boston Red Sox are hoping to take another step in the right direction in 2022.
There is a lot of uncertainty regarding what the 2022 MLB season will hold, which is something that every player in the league is dealing with right now.
But the Red Sox are staying ready, and some members of the team’s pitching staff recently found a creative way to get some work in.
Due to the lockout, players aren’t allowed to train at team facilities.
For that reason, some Red Sox hurlers recently used the facilities at Florida Gulf Coast University to stay sharp.
This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, as multiple pitchers in the Red Sox organization attended FGCU.
While baseball fans want nothing more than for the lockout to end, it’s certainly great to see that players are staying ready no matter what happens.
Staying Sharp
There’s no replacement for facing actual MLB competition, but some Red Sox pitchers were recently able to get some live work in against FGCU hitters.
Chris Sale and Nick Pivetta were among the Boston pitchers who took part in the action.
Chris Sale is now facing FGCU hitters; pic.twitter.com/bdUCmMe19j
— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) February 24, 2022
Nick Pivetta live BP; pic.twitter.com/IGWZDSU104
— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) February 24, 2022
Sale and Pivetta figure to play crucial roles for the Red Sox in the 2022 season.
For Sale, he’s looking to prove to the baseball world that he’s still capable of pitching like an ace after undergoing Tommy John.
In 2021, the lefty ended up making nine starts in the regular season and three more in the playoffs after returning from surgery.
Statistically, the results were fine, but the eye test told a different story.
The hope is that Sale will take a step forward in 2022 and show signs of his vintage self.
As for Pivetta, he’s coming off of a career year.
The 29-year-old exceeded most expectations in 2021 and posted career-bests in several categories, including ERA (4.53), ERA+ (104), WHIP (1.30), and bWAR (2.6).
If he shows even more signs of improvement in the 2022 season, that’ll be a fantastic development for Boston.
Plenty To Prove
The Red Sox were one of three AL East teams to make the playoffs in 2021, and Boston survived in the postseason longer than any other team in the division did.
Despite that, the majority of sportsbooks think the Red Sox are major underdogs in the AL East in 2022.
Most sportsbooks think the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Tampa Bay Rays all have a better shot at winning the division than the Red Sox do.
If Boston wants to prove to the league that its playoff run in 2021 wasn’t a fluke, then the team is going to need to put together another strong showing in 2022.
Ultimately, only time will tell if the Red Sox can do so, but the club surely has no shortage of motivation.
Being doubted adds fuel to the fire for virtually anybody.
One thing is for sure: It’s likely going to be an odd season.
The league has already canceled some games, and it remains to be seen what the 2022 campaign will actually look like when all is said and done.
MLB has canceled the first two series of the season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 1, 2022
But in due time, and maybe with a little bit of luck, the season will arrive.
The Red Sox and their pitching staff seem ready for that to happen.
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