A few days ago, the Boston Red Sox made Justin Turner‘s signing official.
It’s one of several new additions to the roster.
The veteran third baseman will likely play most of his games as a designated hitter because some guy named Rafael Devers is there at the hot corner almost every night.
That guy received an 11-year, $331 million extension.
The Red Sox don’t have Xander Bogaerts or JD Martinez anymore, and that probably makes them a bit weaker than last year even though they brought in Turner and excellent Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida.
However, their lineup is actually not bad, and can even surprise some people.
Look at the unit so far:
With Justin Turner officially signing with the Red Sox today, here is how they are looking heading into 2023 👀 pic.twitter.com/EwQAylgTLY
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 6, 2023
Yoshida is said to be a fantastic table-setter: he knows how to take a walk and rarely strikes out.
With some occasional power and very high on-base prospects, he shapes up as a real asset for the lineup.
Turner also has a high contact rate and doesn’t swing and miss very often, while Devers and Verdugo are great run-producers.
The bottom of the lineup is probably reserved for guys like Kiké Hernandez, Christian Arroyo and Reese McGuire.
If the Red Sox still have an impact move on them, it should be to upgrade one of those three positions: center field, second base, and catcher.
Otherwise, the offense is not too shabby and will be very hard to strike out.
Of course, much of their ability to produce will also depend on whether Casas can take a step forward.
All things considered, it’s not a perfect group but it can sure score some runs.
