Sports Q

Sports Q: How many games will the Red Sox win in 2020?

Predict Boston's win total for the upcoming 60-game season.

Rafael Devers is congratulated by Xander Bogaerts after Devers hit a solo home run in an August, 2019 game against the Cleveland Indians. AP Photo/Tony Dejak

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Now that the baseball season is set at 60 games, here’s a baseball question: How many games will the Red Sox win this year? I’m going 30 –right at .500. What about you? – Lynn N.

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I think it’s going to be fewer than that, not because they will be lousy – Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts are too good to let them slip below mediocrity – but because I’m skeptical even a 60-game season is going to happen. The COVID-19 virus probably isn’t going to allow  for it

I don’t think I’m being negative. I think that’s being realistic. Think about it. This new phase of spring training or summer camp or whatever you want to call it starts July 1. The actual season doesn’t start until around July 24. From the time I got this question in the morning to when I got around to writing this up in the afternoon, we found out that multiple Blue Jays players and staff members tested positive. Tuesday, we found out that even more Phillies players tested positive – that number is reportedly in the double-digits now.

We’re going to hear about all sorts of these stories over the next days and weeks as the virus continues to rip through the country, and if the tipping point – a large number or players testing positive in a short time — doesn’t come before the season begins, it could occur during the season, further abbreviating if not outright ending it.

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I’m interested to see how this 60-game silly season goes. I’m skeptical it will happen as designed.

That long caveat aside, if they do play 60 games, put ‘em down for 32 wins and no playoffs. Eduardo Rodriguez will lead the team with 7 wins, Bogaerts will hit 14 homers, and Jackie Bradley Jr. will squeeze his annual hot streak into the 60-game window and hit .386. Unrealistic? Maybe. But that also applies to the idea of playing baseball right now, and we’re going ahead with that, so …

What does everyone else think? How many games will the Red Sox win this year? I’ll hear you in the comments.

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