Opening Day – The start to the latest iteration of The over promising and underwhelming Red Sox disappointment tour other wise known as baseball season
Roman Anthony DH Connor Wong C
Trevor Story SS Isiah Kiner Falefa INF
Jarren Duran LF Andruw Monasterio INF
Wilson Contreras 1B Masataka Yoshida OF/DH
THE ATHLETIC - Anthony and Duran are expected to share left field and DH duties, with Masataka Yoshida perhaps getting some starts whenever Duran is in center field.
Mayer is going to platoon at second base, starting against righties and sitting against lefties (either Monasterio or Isiah Kiner-Falefa will play second against left-handers). Abreu, who’s been primarily a platoon bat to this point in his career, looks to be more of a true everyday option in right field, in part because the Red Sox no longer have Rob Refsnyder to platoon in the outfield corners against lefties.
Rafaela is the only right-handed outfielder on the roster, but Kiner-Falefa played more than 500 innings in the outfield in 2023 — left field and center field — and could go out there as needed.
Monasterio had an .837 OPS against lefties last season, and Yoshida has a .795 career OPS against righties, and given those options off his bench, Cora said he plans to aggressively pinch hit this season, especially for his catchers. It’s a key reason Wong made the team despite his .129 average this spring.
The Red Sox have announced every rotation spot except Game 3 (Suarez and Bello are really the Nos. 3 and 4 starters, but they’re being pushed to Games 4 and 5 because their workloads were limited in the World Baseball Classic).
There’s a chance the Red Sox could shift Oviedo to the bullpen and use 23-year-old lefty Connelly Early as a starting pitcher. The team optioned prospect Payton Tolle on Monday but kept Early, suggesting he’s made the team as either a starter or long reliever. Early had a 1.59 ERA in 17 innings this spring.
Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford loom as other rotation options down the road, though both are almost certainly going to open the season on the Injured List.
Tommy Kahnle was reassigned to minor league camp.
Kahnle signed late in spring training and expressed a willingness to go to Triple A — at least briefly — to start the season, but the Red Sox have coveted him for a while, and it might be a matter of time before he’s added to the roster. He impressed with a hitless inning on Saturday and is scheduled to pitch again on Tuesday.
“I saw a good pitcher the other day, throwing 94-95 (mph) and a good changeup,” Cora said.
36 years old plus 4.43 ERA last year in 63 innings. Career 3.61 ERA. 2023 – 2024 NYY 2.66 and 2.11 ERAs 40-50 games.
Noticeable players optioned to AAA
Kristian Campbell - .220 - .340 onbase % 1 HR 4 RBI in 18 games spring training
HEADLINES WITH THE OBVIOUS ONE
•we are heading to Cincinnati and it’s not for that terrible skyline chili, it’s for opening day as the Red Sox take on the reds. First pitch is 4:10
•the Celtics lost at home to the timber wolves for the first time since 2005, simpler times, happier times, ahhhhhhhhh
Next up a home date with defending champs OKC
•12 games left in the nhl season and the bruins hold the 1st wildcard spot. They take on the maple leafs at home while we record (score update)
•and finally fuck the Florida gators for being the first 1 seed to lose and the team I picked to win the whole god damn thing and the shit I’ve been getting because of it, fuck you too Iowa
This has been headlines with the obvious one
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