$Predicting The Boston Red Sox\'s 2016 Opening Day Lineup$

Predicting The Boston Red Sox's 2016 Opening Day Lineup

By Brad Faber

Going into the 2016 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox will be looking to bounce back from two straight last-place finishes in the AL East, and they certainly appear to have the pieces to do just that. Here is a spring training prediction of what manager John Farrell‘s lineup might look like on opening day.

$Predicting The Boston Red Sox\'s 2016 Opening Day Lineup$

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1. Mookie Betts, RF — Through 145 games last year, Mookie Betts hit a rock-solid .291/.341/.479 with 18 home runs and 77 RBIs. Betts gives the Red Sox a tremendous leadoff option for 2016.

2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B — Set to enter his 11th MLB season, Dustin Pedroia remains an excellent ballplayer at the age of 32. The second baseman is a lifetime .299/.365/.444 hitter.

3. Xander Bogaerts, SS — Fresh off of a breakout season in which he hit .320/.355/.421 with seven homers and 81 RBIs, Xander Bogaerts should be a fun player to watch once again in 2016. The shortstop is still just 23 years old.

4. David Ortiz, DH — After announcing his intention to retire after the 2016 campaign last fall, David Ortiz will be returning to put the finishing touches on what many consider to be a Hall of Fame career. Now 40 years old, Ortiz is still a feared slugger and hit an impressive .273/.360/.553 with 37 homers and 108 RBIs just last season.

5. Hanley Ramirez, 1B — After hitting just .249/.291/.426 with 19 homers and 53 RBIs through 105 games last year, the Red Sox have now moved Hanley Ramirez to first base, and it will be interesting to see if he can bounce back at the plate. Ramirez is still a .296/.367/.494 lifetime hitter.

6. Rusney Castillo, LF — After signing a reported seven-year, $72.5 million deal to join the Red Sox in 2014, Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo has hit a combined .262/.302/.379 with seven homers and 35 RBIs across 90 games over the past two seasons. It should be interesting to see if Castillo can put together a breakout season in 2016.

7. Pablo Sandoval, 3B — Last season, former San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval hit just .245/.292/.366 with 10 homers and 47 RBIs with the Red Sox. It would be huge for Boston if he could just get back to being a .280-ish hitter with 15-homer pop.

8. Blake Swihart, C — Across 84 games last season, Blake Swihart hit a very respectable .274/.319/.392 with five homers and 31 RBIs. The young switch-hitting backstop should have a very bright future in front of him.

9. Jackie Bradley Jr., CF — Although he may be known mostly for his tremendous glove work, Jackie Bradley Jr. also showed some promise with the bat last season, hitting .249/.335/.498 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs. The 25-year-old should give Boston a solid center fielder in 2016.

David Price, P — Signed to a reported seven-year, $217 million deal over the offseason, one would have to think that David Price will be named the Red Sox's opening day starter. Price is coming off of a season in which he went a combined 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP for the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays.

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