This outfield is built on belief rather than actual performance

The Red Sox outfield is unproven and inexperienced.

The roster construction out there in the green grass is long past its days as the best defensive outfield in baseball with Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi.

Alex Verdugo was the club’s longest-tenured outfielder prior to being traded to the Yankees. Now that title belongs to Jarren Duran, who has just over two years of service time.

Rob Refsnyder, 32, Tyler O’neill, 28, and Masataka Yoshida, 30, are all older than Duran, who is entering his age-27 season.

But Refsnyder is a bench player who mainly plays against lefties. O’neill, an impending free agent who arrived via trade from the Cardinals, will likely make his Sox debut come Opening Day.

Wilyer Abreu, 24, and Ceddanne Rafaela, 23, both have just 28 big-league games on their résumés. Yet the Sox believe they can be impact players.

Yoshida isn’t expected to wear down late in the season, considering he’s in his second season in the big leagues. The club is clinging to the hope that O’neill, after consecutive injury-riddled seasons, can rediscover his 2021 status as one of the marquee players in the sport, batting .286/.352/.560 with a .912 OPS and 34 homers.

The Sox could have had a sure bet in Teoscar Hernandez. They had “interest.” Hernandez instead signed with the Dodgers on a one-year, $23.5 million deal. The Red Sox also could have been in on Lourdes Gurriel Jr., but he elected to re-sign with the Diamondbacks.

In short, the Sox’s outfield, like much of their roster, is built on belief over performance. In fairness, if the Sox need any ammunition to back their bullishness, Duran should be the example.

After a tumultuous 2022 season, he was one of the Sox’s best players last year before toe surgery claimed the remainder of his season in late August. Duran hit .295/.345/.482 with an .828 OPS while swiping 24 bags. He was a game-changer on the bases, routinely turning singles into doubles and totaling 34 of them.

Duran could be a factor for the Sox in center field, where he improved, but the team feels more comfortable with him in left.

Rafaela is capable of commanding center, but he’s still a work in progress at the plate, where his tendency to chase pitches became apparent. The acquisition of O’neill, a two-time Gold Glove winner, could give Rafaela more time, and the Sox could use either Duran or O’neill in center.

O’neill is capable of playing all three outfield spots despite most of his experience coming in left.

The Sox are high on Abreu, or at least manager Alex Cora is. During the winter meetings he said he’s confident Abreu can handle right field. Abreu possesses a strong arm, though his range and build — listed at 5-foot-10, 215 pounds — will be put to the test at Fenway.

Yoshida creates somewhat of a logjam for the Sox. He is underwhelming defensively in left and isn’t quite a designated hitter. He hit .289 last season despite his second-half dip, but that came with just 15 homers.

For a lefty at Fenway? That doesn’t quite fit the DH mold, which is why the Red Sox have intimated they’ll use more than one player at the spot.

The outfield’s lack of thump is evident. The Sox need more power, and perhaps their best option is bringing back Adam Duvall, who slugged 21 homers in just 92 games for them last season.

But the veteran’s injury history leaves a familiar question about belief.

The outfield

2023 starters: Alex Verdugo RF, Jarren Duran CF, Masataka Yoshida LF

2024 projected starters: Tyler O’neill RF, Duran CF, Yoshida LF

Major league depth: Bobby Dalbec UTL, Wilyer Abreu RF, Rob Refsnyder, Ceddanne Rafaela

Prospects to watch: Roman Anthony, Miguel Bleis, Allan Castro