Yet, after opening the season with a franchise-best 17-2 mark, the Red Sox maintain a sublime run differential (plus-64) that’s nearly 40 runs better than their nearest competitor. Here’s a look at why the Red Sox are the best team in baseball, with, health willing, a decent chance to retain that status:MOOKIE LEADS THE WAYLast season Mookie Betts batted third in the lineup in April, was switched to leadoff for three months, then shuttled around the top four spots. “You play 162 games, you’re going to have injuries, you’re going to have guys go on the DL, so you’ve got to have that depth. But even more encouraging for the Red Sox is that most of the improved output has come from returning players like Betts, Mitch Moreland and Xander Bogaerts, all of whom have an OPS above 1.000. After coughing up six runs in one inning on Opening Day against the Rays, the Red Sox bullpen has logged a 2.60 ERA while holding opponents to a .198 batting average.

Source: thestar April 23, 2018 17:37 UTC