Red Sox's Early Takeaways of 2023 MLB Season

After a sluggish start, the Boston Red Sox have been playing their best baseball of the season in recent weeks, ripping off an eight-game winning streak that included a four-game sweep of the division rival Toronto Blue Jays.

That hot stretch moved them back above .500 and into contention, but their starting rotation remains a major concern. It will be up to their offense, led by one of the best outfields in baseball, to shoulder the load. If Boston can build leads, newcomer Kenley Jansen has been lights-out in the ninth inning.

There is still a lot of season to be played, but with six weeks gone, now is the perfect time to dig in to some of the team's biggest early takeaways.

Kenley Jansen Was One of the Best Signings of the Offseason

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 06: Kenley Jansen #74 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates a 6-3 win over the Detroit Tigers with Reese McGuire during opening day at Comerica Park on April 06, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The Red Sox bullpen was a revolving door last season. Nine players recorded at least one save, and it converted just 39 of 67 save opportunities while finishing 26th in the majors with a 4.59 ERA.

Veteran closer Kenley Jansen signed a two-year, $32 million deal during the offseason to provide late-inning stability, and he has been great so far.

The 35-year-old is 8-for-9 in save opportunities with a 0.84 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 11 appearances. The one save he did blow ended with a Red Sox win in 10 innings.

Bulk reliever Josh Winckowski has been a key arm, and 2022 standout John Schreiber is having a solid season once again in a setup role, but the addition of Jansen has helped transform the relief corps into a strength.

The Starting Rotation Is a Major Issue

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Chris Sale

Hitting grabs headlines, but pitching wins championships, and it's impossible to look at the Red Sox starting staff and frame it as a championship-caliber group.

Here's a look at the rotation:

• Chris Sale: 7 GS, 6.37 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 35.1 IP
• Corey Kluber: 7 GS, 6.29 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 34.1 IP
• Tanner Houck: 7 GS, 5.26 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 37.2 IP
• Nick Pivetta: 7 GS, 6.23 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 34.2 IP
• Brayan Bello: 4 GS, 5.71 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 17.1 IP

The Sox rank 28th in the majors with a 6.10 starters' ERA, ahead of only the Cincinnati Reds (6.39) and Oakland Athletics (7.76).

Sale and Houck are the only pitchers from that group with a FIP under 5.00, so there is little hope for positive regression based on peripheral numbers, and the farm system is not exactly loaded with MLB-ready arms.

This could be what keeps the Red Sox from contending.

The Outfield Might Be the Best in Baseball

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Masataka Yoshida

For all their shortcomings on the pitching side of things, the Red Sox have had one of the most productive lineups in baseball, ranking third in MLB in batting average (.270), OPS (.790) and runs per game (5.7).

Third baseman Rafael Devers has slugged a team-high 11 home runs, but the starting outfielders have done the most damage at the plate.

• LF Masataka Yoshida: 134 PA, 143 OPS+, .308/.388/.513, 12 XBH
• CF Jarren Duran: 84 PA, 166 OPS+, .360/.405/.587, 13 XBH
• RF Alex Verdugo: 158 PA, 142 OPS+, .317/.386/.514, 17 XBH

Yoshida signed a five-year, $90 million deal in free agency after starring in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, while Duran actually began the year at Triple-A after failing to seize the starting center field job in 2022.

An injury to Adam Duvall, who went 15-for-33 with 10 extra-base hits in eight games, opened the door for Duran to be recalled, and he has made the most of the opportunity.

This group stands as one of the best outfields in baseball and will continue to drive one of baseball's best lineups.

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Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Tuesday.