Per ESPN 2023 power rankings:
23. Boston Red Sox
2022 record: 78-84 (fifth in the AL East)
2022 final ranking: 17
It's hard to know what to make of the Red Sox right now with two last-place finishes sandwiched around a playoff trip in 2021. Xander Bogaerts was their best player in 2022, and he's expected to opt out of his player option and head into free agency. Boston can slide Trevor Story over to shortstop, although his arm strength is an issue, so maybe the Red Sox will sign another of the free-agent shortstops (or a stopgap until top prospect Marcelo Mayer is ready).
Their top two pitchers via WAR were Michael Wacha and John Schreiber, which is not a path to success, as the Red Sox finished 22nd in the majors in rotation ERA and 26th in bullpen ERA. Wacha, Nathan Eovaldi and Rich Hill are all free agents, which is 69 starts to figure out. The hope is 30 of those will come from Chris Sale, who made just two starts in 2022 after suffering a stress fracture in his rib cage, a broken pinkie and then a fractured wrist in a bicycle accident.
Some veterans like Alex Verdugo and Enrique Hernandez are capable of better seasons, and the Red Sox have money to spend, but this feels like a roster in disarray.
Doesn't sound too promising right now. #23 with teams like the Royals, Angels and Cubs ahead of them. Bloom has a LOT of work to do to salvage his job.