FORT MYERS, Fla. — The questions have come from all sides when it comes to the Red Sox this spring, but with so many unknowns, what the lineup is going to look like has taken a back seat.
The World Baseball Classic has forced the Red Sox (and most teams) to field lineups throughout the spring that feature as many minor leaguers as everyday major-league players, and in turn, it’s left teams with less time to figure out which players fit best in which spots in the batting order.
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But soon many of those players who left for the WBC will be back in camp, and for the Red Sox, the final two weeks of camp could be an important time featuring a lot of lineup experimentation.
The leadoff spot, in particular, has been a topic of debate for the Red Sox this spring.
“You can ask all the coaches who the leadoff guy is and they can give you 10 different answers,” manager Alex Cora said on Thursday.
Lineup construction has changed in recent years as pitchers have become more dominant and runs have been harder to come by. Though many teams still employ a speedy, on-base machine atop the lineup, the focus for some teams has shifted from speed to power.
“In an era where scoring runs is challenging, you get one of your best guys up in the first inning and a chance to do it multiple times, give him an extra at-bat, that’s a lot,” hitting coach Peter Fatse said.
That’s part of the reasoning the Red Sox have in considering Triston Casas in the leadoff spot for certain matchups, particularly versus right-handers. Cora floated the idea earlier in camp when he hit Casas leadoff for one game, but at the time Cora played coy when asked if it would be a recurring thing. Earlier this week, Cora mentioned Casas at leadoff again because of his ability to get on base in addition to his power threat.
“He’s a guy that at certain times we will do that because of who he is and what he can do,” Cora said.
The Red Sox slotted Kyle Schwarber into the leadoff spot in the second half of 2021, in part because of his patient approach at the plate, but Schwarber’s power threat also played well in the role, and it rejuvenated the lineup down the stretch. Meanwhile, Aaron Judge, who mostly hits second for the Yankees, hit leadoff 34 times last season including almost the entire month of September.
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“You think about it and you want to stack ideally the best three guys for the matchup that night and line it up so they get first cracks at the starter and hopefully get a second or maybe third time through,” Fatse said. “As the game has evolved it’s about putting guys in a position to have success that night. For some teams, they have a pretty consistent 1-2-3, but you are seeing teams put Aaron Judges in the leadoff spot and you’re pitching to damage from pitch one. It sets the stage, a guy that can get on base. Ultimately, that’s the priority, is that you want that first guy to get on base or have the best chance of converting from that spot.”
While it appeared that Masataka Yoshida might be a perfect leadoff candidate thanks to his patient approach at the plate and contact ability, Cora and Fatse think he will be better suited in the middle of the order along with Rafael Devers and Justin Turner. There’s still value in having a power-hitting group in the three-through-five holes to maximize run production with men on base. For the Red Sox, it’s just a matter of looking at different ways to get the most out of a lineup and against certain pitchers, so stacking the top with more of a power bat might be the best approach for that particular night.
More often than not, matchups will dictate who hits where so there won’t always be a heavy hitter at the top of the order. Casas and Alex Verdugo could see leadoff reps against right-handers while Rob Refsnyder, Kiké Hernández and Christian Arroyo could be options against lefties.
Cora said Arroyo will be leading off a lot over the next few days and outside of Casas, the second baseman has the least experience in the role. Nevertheless, he’s having a strong camp and will be in the mix. Verdugo led off 33 times in 2020 and Hernandez spent 118 games at leadoff in 2021. Ramiel Tapia, who doesn’t yet have a spot on the active roster, has gotten reps at the leadoff spots too this spring. His combination of speed and aggressiveness on the bases is something Cora wants to take advantage of more.
“I think the really unique thing is there are a few guys in that leadoff conversation,” Fatse said. “So I think that shows some of the depth in that spot that in the past we were working through, so it’s good we have options.”
(Top photo of Triston Casas: Brynn Anderson / AP Photo)
