I will take my rose-colored shot:
Starting Pitching:
1) Sale
2) Eovaldi (I think he signs a 1 year deal somewhere around the QO mark)
3) Pivetta
4) Paxton
5) Bello
6) Whitlock
I actually really like this staff. I am probably on the crazy side, but I think that Paxton is going to have a monster year this season, and I think by the end Red Sox fans will be in love with him for what he gave us for $10M.
Bullpen:
CL: Jansen
Martin
Schrieber
Barnes
Houck
Brasier
Kelly
German
I actually like this bullpen, too. Jansen and Martin allow them to slot the other guys where they need them and maybe not run Schrieber into the ground like last year. It's a pretty deep pen, and should also be able to help with load management for the starters to try to keep them healthy. I do worry about Jansen with the pitch clock, though.
Catchers:
McGuire (L)
Wong (R)
I think they are probably done here, but would not be surprised to see them add someone like Sanchez to primarily be a DH but backup at catcher when needed. I also wouldn't be opposed to seeing them sign someone like Hedges, who is a solid pitch framer, though his noodle bat doesn't lengthen the lineup.
Infield:
1B: Casas (L)/Hosmer (R)
2B: Story (R)
3B: Devers (L)
SS:
IF Bench:
Arroyo (R)
Dalbec (R)
SS is obviously the big question mark. I am a fan of Swanson so would love him on a not-ridiculous deal (I like the 6/$160 that has been mentioned), but I think someone is going to go to the moon for him. They could slot Hernandez or Story there, but I think both of them are more valuable at CF/2B respectively. I would also be okay with Iglesias, who isn't what he once was defensively, but who puts the ball in play (95% in K% and Whiff%), which could be useful for a team that I think is going to have some strikeout problems. He also has some speed. I think this is probably who they end up with, much to the chagrin of many.
Outfield:
LF: Verdugo (L)/Yoshida (L)
CF: Hernandez (R)
RF:
Bench: Refsnyder
I think they need another free agent signing here, assuming they actually want to be competitive in the AL. If they fill RF with a trade (assuming at least one of Verdugo/Dalbec and/or one of Houck/Whitlock would move in that deal), then it would prevent a depth addition, so while I think it is possible, I think they go the free agent route. The names still available don't really inspire confidence, and I wish I thought Verdugo would take a step forward because it would make signing a league avrage-ish bat for a corner outfield position more palatable. I will say that I really want nothing to do with Gallo here, and I really don't think they are dead set on a right handed bat. Any of Benintendi/Myers/Brantley/Pollock make sense if you squint, but they might be too expensive for the production you can actually expect from them, and I really think the goal is going to be to get a starter and a utility guy here. I am going to guess they end up with David Peralta and one of the four mentioned in the previous sentence. Tha would also move Yoshida to mostly DH.
Primary Lineup:
Hernandez
Yoshida (assuming relative success)
Devers
Story
Verdugo
Casas
Peralta (or other FA)
McGuire/Wong
Iglesias
That's not a terrible team.
Starting Pitching:
1) Sale
2) Eovaldi (I think he signs a 1 year deal somewhere around the QO mark)
3) Pivetta
4) Paxton
5) Bello
6) Whitlock
I actually really like this staff. I am probably on the crazy side, but I think that Paxton is going to have a monster year this season, and I think by the end Red Sox fans will be in love with him for what he gave us for $10M.
Bullpen:
CL: Jansen
Martin
Schrieber
Barnes
Houck
Brasier
Kelly
German
I actually like this bullpen, too. Jansen and Martin allow them to slot the other guys where they need them and maybe not run Schrieber into the ground like last year. It's a pretty deep pen, and should also be able to help with load management for the starters to try to keep them healthy. I do worry about Jansen with the pitch clock, though.
Catchers:
McGuire (L)
Wong (R)
I think they are probably done here, but would not be surprised to see them add someone like Sanchez to primarily be a DH but backup at catcher when needed. I also wouldn't be opposed to seeing them sign someone like Hedges, who is a solid pitch framer, though his noodle bat doesn't lengthen the lineup.
Infield:
1B: Casas (L)/Hosmer (R)
2B: Story (R)
3B: Devers (L)
SS:
IF Bench:
Arroyo (R)
Dalbec (R)
SS is obviously the big question mark. I am a fan of Swanson so would love him on a not-ridiculous deal (I like the 6/$160 that has been mentioned), but I think someone is going to go to the moon for him. They could slot Hernandez or Story there, but I think both of them are more valuable at CF/2B respectively. I would also be okay with Iglesias, who isn't what he once was defensively, but who puts the ball in play (95% in K% and Whiff%), which could be useful for a team that I think is going to have some strikeout problems. He also has some speed. I think this is probably who they end up with, much to the chagrin of many.
Outfield:
LF: Verdugo (L)/Yoshida (L)
CF: Hernandez (R)
RF:
Bench: Refsnyder
I think they need another free agent signing here, assuming they actually want to be competitive in the AL. If they fill RF with a trade (assuming at least one of Verdugo/Dalbec and/or one of Houck/Whitlock would move in that deal), then it would prevent a depth addition, so while I think it is possible, I think they go the free agent route. The names still available don't really inspire confidence, and I wish I thought Verdugo would take a step forward because it would make signing a league avrage-ish bat for a corner outfield position more palatable. I will say that I really want nothing to do with Gallo here, and I really don't think they are dead set on a right handed bat. Any of Benintendi/Myers/Brantley/Pollock make sense if you squint, but they might be too expensive for the production you can actually expect from them, and I really think the goal is going to be to get a starter and a utility guy here. I am going to guess they end up with David Peralta and one of the four mentioned in the previous sentence. Tha would also move Yoshida to mostly DH.
Primary Lineup:
Hernandez
Yoshida (assuming relative success)
Devers
Story
Verdugo
Casas
Peralta (or other FA)
McGuire/Wong
Iglesias
That's not a terrible team.