Should the Yankees start worrying about Boston?

In advance of its first seasonal storm, Boston yesterday signed outfielder Hunter Renfro to a relatively cheap, one-year deal worth $3.1 million. 

The storm will likely generate better numbers.

For Hub fans, to imagine their team winning 2021 requires primo, Willie Nelson-quality weed. That said, recent history is in their favor, and Renfro serves as a reminder that Boston has about $25 million in movie money - or "Mookie" money. 

On Feb. 11 -back when "Covid" was gibberish to Andrew Cuomo - the Redsocks dealt Mookie Betts and David Price to the Dodgers, effectively tossing in their Tank Towel for 2021. They would finish 5th in the AL East, 12 games below .500. But here's the dilemma for Yank fans: Was last year real, or was it Memorex? 

I think the Redsocks freaked out after two events. In mid-March, Chris Sale announced he would need Tommy John surgery. Also, their No. 2 starter, Eduardo Rodriguez, reported aftereffects from his bout with Covid. It led to heart issues, scary stuff, and the news freaked out the entire sports world. Suddenly, athletes in their prime faced a threat. The world had changed.

From that moment on, Boston began looking to 2021. 

So, are they that bad? Last year, they had a Gary Sanchez... in left field. On the season, Andrew Benintendi hit .103 - no HRs, one RBI. He played in 14 games. Then there was JD Martinez, the former future Hall of Famer. He finished at .213 with 7 HRs. Rafael Devers never heated up. At 1B, Michael Chavis hit .212. Everything fell upon Alex Verdugo, the 23-year-old they received for Mookie, and ascending star SS Xander Bogaertes. In mid-season, they traded Mitch Moreland, simply because he was hitting .328 and ruining their plans.  

Oh, wait... I'm not done with their carcass. What about pitching? Well, their four-man rotation - that's right, four - consisted of Martin Perez, Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Mazza and Zack Godley. Rising no-names? Nope. All four are 30 or over. 

Based on 2020, you'd think Boston has nothing. That's not true. 

What they have is a track record. 

They won in 2018, three years after twice finishing 5th. They won in 2013, a year after finishing 5th. They won in 2007, after finishing 3rd. They have shown the ability - and willingness - to blow up their team and start over. They do not fall in love with aging stars - as they showed with Mookie, Wade, Roger, Jacoby, Manny, Youk and Carlton - and lash themselves to long, restrictive contracts. (Pedroia was an outlier.) 

They are said to be potential bidders for DJ LeMahieu. Yeah, I dunno about that. Talks would have to go far south for DJ to sign with Boston. But the Redsocks do sometimes wildly overpay - especially when the Yankees are involved. Remember the money avalanche they bestowed upon Yoan Moncatta, whisking him away overnight? During this millennium - Boston's millennium - that singular deal remains the fulcrum point in the Yankee-Redsock rivalry. 

With or without LeMahieu, the Yankees must to remake their team.  The lack of starting pitching, and Hal Steinbrenner's unwillingness to pay luxury taxes, means that Cooperstown Cashman must make at least one - probably two - major trades. Want something to worry about? There you go. 

Otherwise, think: Boston in 2022.