The Boston Red Sox will have a much different look this season. For such a storied franchise with such high expectations, that should come as no surprise as last season's finish in the basement of the American League East Division was not acceptable in New England. And this will be the first MLB season with retail Massachusetts sportsbooks, which are operating at three casinos.
The loss of star shortstop Xander Bogaerts will be tough to swallow after the star signed a massive 11-year deal with the San Diego Padres. Also gone is designated hitter JD Martinez, who likewise took his talents to California on a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Red Sox Trying To Rebound
By the time the regular season starts, it won’t just be the three commercial casinos in the state taking Red Sox wagers, because online Massachusetts sportsbook apps will launch on March 10.
Despite having Bogaerts and Martinez in the middle of the order last year, the Sox still finished 21 games back of the division-winning Yankees with an 78-84 record.
Fans throughout New England will hope for a massive improvement this season and will be looking to the key additions the team made to help right the ship.
Which of the five key offseason signings are Red Sox fans most interested in? BetMassachusetts.com used Google Trends to look at the highest search volume in Massachusetts involving each player that Boston acquired this offseason. After three months of gathering data, we have determined which players fans are most excited to see.
Red Sox Fans’ Interest In Each Newcomer
Who Led Google Trends Searches Among New Red Sox?
Infielder Justin Turner leads the way with 33% of searches in the area, followed by outfielder Masataka Yoshida at almost 26%. Adalberto Mondesi checks in around 17%, Adam Duvall comes in at 14% and pitcher Kenley Jansen received 11% of the fans' Google searches.
At BetMGM Sportsbook Massachusetts, the Red Sox have +6000 odds to rebound from their losing season of 2022 and win the World Series.
Turner’s addition is a direct replacement for Martinez. Turner, 38, will fill the role of designated hitter on most days after he signed a two-year, $21.7 million contract. Turner brings championship pedigree to the team to go along with his hitting ability.
Yoshida, a left-handed hitting outfielder, was purchased as an international free agent and signed a five-year, $90 million contract. He profiles as a leadoff hitter who draws walks, doesn’t strike out and gets on base. Several players have made the leap from Japan to the MLB with great success and Yoshida, 29, looks to follow in their footsteps.
Since he will be making his MLB debut, Yoshida will be considered a rookie, and PointsBet Massachusetts Sportsbook has him at +900 odds to be AL Rookie of the Year, fifth on the board.
Mondesi, 27, was acquired via trade from the Kansas City Royals and doesn’t bring a ton of hope beyond offering speed on the bases. He can play shortstop or second base and will likely see time at both positions this year.
Duvall, 34, is coming off of a disappointing season with only 12 home runs for the Atlanta Braves last year. But he hit 38 HRs in 2021 and that is the form the Red Sox and their fans will be hoping to see.
Jansen is projected to be Boston’s new closer this year. He spent last year with Atlanta and piled up 41 saves. That led the National League and is about in line with his career average. At 35, he is likely to slow down soon, but the Sox and their fans will hope he has a couple of strong years remaining.
Rafael Devers Biggest Returning Red Sox Star
Change was no doubt a need for a Red Sox team coming off of a down year. Rafael Devers has taken over as the new face of the franchise.
Boston-based DraftKings Sportsbook Massachusetts gives Devers +2000 odds to win the AL Most Valuable Player award, tied for eighth on the board.
The third baseman signed a big extension in the offseason, keeping him with the squad as Bogaerts, Martinez and more departed. With Devers still in the mix and the new additions joining him, Red Sox fans have hope that this year will be much more successful than last.
And starting on March 10, they can use the best Massachusetts sportsbook promo codes to get in on good deals when they sign up for mobile sports betting.
