Poll: Red Sox 2023 Predictions, Part II – Pitchers

48 hours from now, Red Sox pregame will take over the airwaves of 92.9 The Ticket with the Sox set to open the season vs. Baltimore Thursday at 2 p.m.

Yesterday, we used the Drive Poll to forecast some of Boston's top slashers this season. Here are the results...

- 58.6% said Rafael Devers will lead the team in AVG, HR and RBI.

- 59.3% believe Masataka Yoshida will be the team's 2nd-most productive hitter, after Devers.

- 59% think Triston Casas will hit at least 20 home runs this season.

- 55.6% think Yoshida will drive in north of 81 runs as the team's cleanup hitter.

Now, it's time to turn the attention to the mound. If I'm being honest, I think the Sox lineup this season will actually produce just fine. It won't feature as many homers as you might be accustomed to, but at least features capable major league hitters top-to-bottom.

The pitching, though, that worries me a bit. We head into Opening Day with the rotation being "anchored" by a 36-year-old Corey Kluber and Chris Sale, who hasn't really pitched in the last three and a half years.

Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello and James Paxton will all open the season on the IL. While the team is singing a tune of optimism with all three, the club has a pretty spotty track record when it comes to correctly projecting injury timetables for their hurlers.

The bullpen was also ravaged by injury during spring training and may not be the late-game stronghold Chaim Bloom hoped for.

But enough from me, let's see what you think!