As I recall, prices skyrocketed this year. I think you had to pay quite a bit more to get the autograph version this year for the Topps Now Road to Opening Day set. Jarren Duran, Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts were the signers this year. Knowing my luck, I would have gotten Duran. I declined that this year and just went for the set as I do almost every year (I apparently missed 2019).
1. Rafael Devers. There was a question on Twitter today about whether Devers should be named Captain. Personally, I think it is way too early for that. Boston doesn't give out the Captain label for just anyone. There hasn't been one since Jason Varitek, and before that it was Jim Rice. Devers has not shown that leadership ability yet, and he is still just 26 years old. He is just not there yet, if he ever will be.
2. Jarren Duran. This is the parallel I got in the set. It is the blue version numbered to 49.
3. Xander Bogaerts. Going back to that Captain discussion, Bogaerts would have qualified had he remained in Boston.
4. Jarren Duran. I do love the green uniform for St. Patrick's Day.5. Trevor Story. Story almost was not in this set. He signed with Boston so late there almost was not time to get him in. I do not recall who would have been in the set instead. Michael Wacha maybe?
6. J.D. Martinez. Martinez goes down as one of the all-time best free agent signings in Red Sox history. I would probably put him at number three, behind David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. Sounds like an interesting post idea.
7. Bobby Dalbec. Dalbec's place on the roster is tenuous at best. Triston Casas is expected to be the first-baseman and Justin Turner was signed to be the DH. Dalbec struggled most of the season last year and looks like he is on his way out. But he doesn't have much value in trade either.
8. Alex Verdugo. I would love to see Verdugo embrace more of a leadership role and become a stronger contact hitter in 2023. If he doesn't, I suspect his time in Boston is coming to an end. That would be disappointing.
9. Christian Vazquez. I considered turning Vazquez into my new mini-player collection, similar to Jason Varitek, but then he was traded to Houston and did not return to Boston as a free agent. The catching platoon as currently set is kind of underwhelming, so I was a proponent of bringing him back. That did not work out.
10. Enrique Hernandez. Hernandez's versatility is his biggest asset and it will once again come in handy in 2023. He could easily play center field, second base or shortstop, depending on the team's needs. And with the acquisition of Masataka Yoshida for the leadoff spot, he will be able to bat lower in the lineup, lengthening the lineup.
11. Chris Sale. Hopefully Sale will be fully healthy in 2023. It has been a long time since that happened.
12. Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi will be missed. His spot in the rotation will likely be filled by Corey Kluber, who is no longer the ace he was when he won two Cy Young Awards, but is still an effective starter.
13. Tanner Houck. Where does Houck fit in? At one point he looked like the closer of the future. But Boston signed Kenley Jansen. So, does Houck start? Will he be traded? I really have no idea.
14. James Paxton. Paxton almost became the new Collin McHugh, a pitcher Boston signed who ended up never playing for them. He looked like he was on his way back, then got injured and had to shut down last season. But then he exercised his player option and will be in Boston in 2023. When healthy, he is very good, it would be helpful if he is ready to go this year.
15. Matt Barnes. Barnes should settle in as a late-inning bullpen arm. It seems to be his best role and he came back in a big way at the end of 2022. There will not be as much pressure on him, and he tends to perform better that way.
16. Garrett Whitlock. Whitlock is in a similar position as Houck, but his status on the roster is much more certain. He will not be traded. And he will be given an opportunity to show he can be a starter. He had ups and downs as a starter last season.
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