The Boston Red Sox are three games into spring training. While not fully set in stone, the everyday lineup has slowly begun to take shape throughout the early games of spring training.

NBC Sports Boston predicted the lineup, which looked a little bit different from their previous 2025 starting lineup.

The predicted lineup is:

1. Roman Anthony, LF/DH

2. Trevor Story, SS

3. Jarren Duran, DH/LF

4. Willson Contreras, 1B

5. Wilyer Abreu, RF

6. Carlos Narvaez, C

7. Marcelo Mayer, 2B

8. Caleb Durbin, 3B

9. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF

Alex Cora confirmed before the second spring training game that Anthony would be the everyday leadoff hitter.

My Hottest Take: The Red Sox Do Not Need a Power Hitter

Since Alex Bregman signed with the Chicago Cubs and Pete Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles, people have said that the Red Sox need to find a power hitter, like they had in Rafael Devers. The Red Sox do not need a power hitter. Yes, it is nice to have a hitter who can demolish 20–30 home runs a year, but games are not won with just home runs.

The lineup last year showed that the team does not need someone to just mash home runs to allow them to win games. The lineup is speed-oriented and will look to continue that again this coming season. The team will be looking at putting the ball in play on top of better defense to compete against the teams that do have power hitters.

You Should Know: The Team Does Have Power

The Red Sox last year only had two players hit 20 or more home runs: Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu. The team will look for those two to have similar numbers coming up this season to help them where they lack power. Abreu more than likely could have had a couple more homers if he wasn’t sidelined by a calf strain that kept him out for a month. Story has the ability to be a 30+ home run hitter, having hit 37 in 2018, before succumbing to injuries in four out of the next seven seasons.

Duran and Anthony will more than likely share time in left field, with the other being the DH. Having Story as the second hitter allows for the chance to move Anthony and then have Duran bring him in. The second hole is normally reserved for the best hitter on the team, which belonged to Story for the last three months of 2025. He will look to fall right back into that position this coming season; during those three months, he was one of the best hitters in the league. Duran and Anthony with full seasons may be able to add 20-plus home runs each.

Willson Contreras and the newly-acquired Caleb Durbin offer above-average bat-to-ball numbers, but not really home run power. Contreras can be a 20+ home run hitter, having hit 24 back in 2019. Durbin is going into his second year in the league, with 11 homers under his belt during his rookie season.

Before You Go: The Rise of Roman's Empire

Anthony should be able to be more impactful with a full spring training as well as being fully healthy coming off the season-ending oblique strain he suffered at the end of August. Duran is hoping to connect with his 2024 All-Star self, coming off a slightly disappointing 2025 campaign. Mayer is coming off a season-ending wrist injury and only a 44-game season in his rookie year. Rafaela is looking to solidify himself as a hitter on top of being an outstanding outfielder.

The Red Sox are looking to have another season like last year when, while they may not have been a homer-hitting team, they were a tough team to face because they could win when it came to small ball. The Red Sox last season were ranked 15th in home runs but ranked seventh in terms of runs scored. The team was ranked third in stolen bases in the American League last season and will continue to rely on the speed in the lineup.

It is looking like speed and good defense will be the recipe for success once again during the 2026 season, as well as a lot of trust in the young players.