The Red Sox won consecutive American League East titles in 2016 and 2017, but they were eliminated in the first round both seasons. Despite having won 93 games on the back of a young and talented lineup, highlighted by the Cy Young-caliber year Chris Sale had, and a strong rookie campaign by Andrew Benintendi, the Red Sox sought a makeover with the firing of John Farrell and introducing managing neophyte Alex Cora as the captain at the helm.
But there is a lot to be excited about in Boston. Rafael Devers will experience his first full season in the majors and after his little showcase in 2017, fans have to be salivating to see what he can do with 500 at-bats. Chris Sale will be Chris Sale, undoubtedly, and newcomer JD Martinez will bring his 45 home runs from 2017 and stand as the biggest threat in what's turning out to be a deep and talented lineup.
Now, with the 2018 season on the horizon, let's look at the components of this same-look, different-feel Boston team as they seek to make a far deeper run into the 2018 postseason.