The Boston Red Sox are about to embark on the second half of their 2019 season. They currently sit at 49-41, two and a half games back of the Rays, and nine back of the Yankees. A lot of people, including myself, were not overly enthusiastic about the first half of the season. But the second half kicks off officially on Friday when the Red Sox host the Dodgers. Keep in mind, this is a rematch of last year’s World Series match-up. Here are some reasons to be optimistic about the second half of the season.
Rafael Devers
First things first, can we acknowledge what a season Rafael Devers has had? Now, can we all agree that he should have been in the All-Star Game? We all can agree? Okay good, moving on!
Rafael Devers had one of the best first halves on the Red Sox by far. He is currently hitting for a .324 average ,along with 16 home runs and 62 RBI’s. If that doesn’t impress you, he also has 69 runs scored, along with a .923 OPS. Devers has been a man on a mission in the first half of the season. Now he just needs to keep up his hot hitting in the second half to give the Red Sox a chance of contending.
David Price
David. Price. Is. GOOD. Let’s end any debate of that now. While other Red Sox arms such as Chris Sale and Rick Porcello struggled in the first half, Price excelled. He was the Red Sox most consistent starter, and continuously pitched deep into his starts when they needed him. The numbers don’t exactly wow you, but they make you nod your head in approval. Price is currently 7-2 with a 3.24 ERA. In 83 and 1/3 innings he has 95 strikeouts, so just above one an inning. A lot of people were skeptical of Price in his first few seasons in Boston. But last year from the All-Star break until now he has now put the past behind him. If Price can continue his consistency in the second half, and the other starters improve, the rest of the MLB needs to look out.
Christian Vazquez
Nobody has really talked about Christian Vazquez in the first half. The Red Sox catcher has swung the bat very well so far this season. He is hitting .299 with 14 home runs and 41 RBIs (both career highs). We all knew Vazquez was an above average defensive catcher. But the hitting side of things was always Vazquez’s biggest question mark. He has certainly proved a lot of people wrong this season. If he keeps this pace up, maybe the demands for Sandy Leon will decrease.
In Conclusion
The Red Sox are in a better spot than we all think. They have had it all in the first half of the season. There’s been the rising star (Devers), the veteran making a statement (Price), and the surprise of the year (Vazquez), with the second half of the season yet to start. Are the Red Sox perfect? Not even close! No MLB team is perfect in all aspects of the game. But, do they have the pieces that can help them make a second half run? Definitely! 72 games remain, let’s see what this Red Sox team has in store for us.