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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 19:33:35 GMT -5
Orioles @ Red Sox Thursday March 30th 2023 2pm @ Fenway Park
Gibson vs Kluber
Saturday, April 1rst, 4pm , Kremer vs Sale
Sunday, April 2nd, Irvin vs Charlie Brown Houck
Opening Day FAQ: Orioles vs. Red Sox 7:06 PM ADT Jake Rill
Jake Rill @jakedrill Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- At what should be a chilly Fenway Park on Thursday with temperatures expected to stay in the 40s, the Orioles and Red Sox -- two longtime foes in the American League East -- will start their respective quests of trying to prove they can be in the mix in one of baseball’s most competitive divisions.
The O's, backed by a nucleus of exciting young players led by catcher Adley Rutschman, were a big surprise last season, finishing at 83-79, their first season above .500 since 2016. Baltimore aims to take it a step further in '23, trying to improve on a fourth-place finish.
Things weren’t nearly as fun in Boston last season, as an injury-ravaged Red Sox team went 78-84 and finished in last place for the second time in the past three years. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has added a host of newcomers -- including Masataka Yoshida, Justin Turner, Adam Duvall, Corey Kluber, Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin -- in hopes of this year being more successful. The Red Sox have said several times how important it is for them to get off to a fast start this season.
As always on Opening Day, the atmosphere will be electric at Fenway Park.
When is the game and how can I watch it? First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET on Thursday, and the game will be available free on MLB.TV. It will be televised on NESN and on MASN2.
What are the likely lineups? Orioles: With vast positional flexibility and no set player at designated hitter, manager Brandon Hyde is likely to write out a lot of lineup combinations this season. They should often feature Cedric Mullins at the top, with Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle and Anthony Santander in the heart of the order. On Opening Day, it could make sense for Baltimore to start left-handed-hitting Kyle Stowers at DH against Boston's Kluber.
1. Cedric Mullins, CF 2. Adley Rutschman, C 3. Ryan Mountcastle, 1B 4. Anthony Santander, RF 5. Gunnar Henderson, 3B 6. Austin Hays, LF 7. Adam Frazier, 2B 8. Jorge Mateo, SS 9. Kyle Stowers, DH
Red Sox: Boston is quietly excited about its lineup. Manager Alex Cora believes this combination of hitters will get back to grinding out at-bats and mainly just swinging at strikes. The Sox have been trying to fill the leadoff spot since Mookie Betts was traded. Alex Verdugo will get a shot against righties. Rafael Devers is one of the most feared hitters in the game, and the Red Sox are hoping a rejuvenated Turner can give him the protection he needs. Yoshida, fresh off 13 RBIs in the World Baseball Classic, adds intrigue.
1. Alex Verdugo, RF 2. Rafael Devers, 3B 3. Justin Turner, DH 4. Masataka Yoshida, LF 5. Adam Duvall, CF 6. Triston Casas, 1B 7. Christian Arroyo, 2B 8. Reese McGuire, C 9. Kiké Hernández, SS
Who are the starting pitchers? Orioles: Kyle Gibson, the 35-year-old that signed a one-year, $10 million deal with Baltimore over the offseason, will make his second career Opening Day start. He’s aiming for better results this time, as he allowed five runs in one-third of an inning in Texas’ 2021 opener in Kansas City. He’s pitched well in four career starts at Fenway Park, recording a 1.57 ERA and a 0.63 WHIP. The O’s are hopeful Gibson can be a reliable veteran presence at the top of their rotation after they opted not to bring back righty Jordan Lyles.
Red Sox: Corey Kluber, the veteran right-hander and two-time Cy Young Award winner, isn’t the elite pitcher he once was, but Kluber has done a nice job reinventing himself by going with a more craftsman approach. Last season, Kluber threw his cutter 34.2 percent of the time and his curve 27.3 percent. He also used his sinker a lot and threw just 36 four-seam fastballs all season. Kluber isn’t going to light up a radar gun. He typically tops out in the tops out at 88-89-mph at this point of his career. This will be Kluber’s Boston debut, but he pitched well as a visitor at Fenway, going 4-1 with a 3.53 ERA in seven starts.
How might the bullpens line up after the starter? Orioles: Félix Bautista enters the 2023 season as Baltimore’s closer, a role he assumed after Jorge López was traded to Minnesota at last year’s Trade Deadline. Bautista had an impressive rookie season, recording a 2.19 ERA, 15 saves and 13 holds. Top setup relievers Bryan Baker and Cionel Pérez should be among those used to bridge the gap from Gibson to Bautista.
Red Sox: They have a new closer in Jansen, and that's not a new name to baseball fans. Jansen has 391 career saves, which ranks eighth all-time. The setup crew will be led by another former Dodger in righty Chris Martin, a strike-throwing machine. John Schreiber broke out to become a force last year. The hope is that it wasn’t a one-year thing. Ryan Brasier, the longest-tenured member of the bullpen, is out to prove he can still pitch after an erratic 2022 season. Richard Bleier opens the season as Boston’s lead lefty with Joely Rodriguez on the injured list.
Any injuries of note? Orioles: The bullpen will be shorthanded as right-hander Dillon Tate (right flexor forearm strain) is opening the season on the 15-day injured list and likely won’t return until May. Plus, righty Mychal Givens’ Opening Day status is in question due to left knee soreness. Backup catcher James McCann has been slowed by left oblique soreness in recent days and could be in jeopardy of starting the year on the IL. Left-hander John Means, the Orioles’ Opening Day starter in 2021 and ‘22, will begin on the 60-day IL while continuing to recover from Tommy John surgery. He isn’t expected to return until July, at the earliest.
Red Sox: Shortstop/second baseman Trevor Story will miss at least half the season as he recovers from an internal bracing procedure on his right elbow. Adalberto Mondesi, one of the players brought into fill Story’s void, is still recovering from a torn left ACL he sustained last season, and won’t be back until at least May. Three starting pitchers -- Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello and James Paxton -- are all beginning the season on the injured list. Whitlock should be back by around April 11. Bello is about a week behind that schedule. Paxton won’t return before May. Rodriguez’s timetable is unclear as he recovers from a Grade 2 strain of his right oblique.
Who’s hot and who’s not? Orioles: Rutschman had a big spring, slashing .310/.420/.595 through 17 games after Monday's result. His four home runs are tied for the team lead. ... Hays also went deep four times and is batting .333 through 14 games. ... Mountcastle has also swung a hot bat, going 19-for-48 (.396) in 17 games. ... Gibson allowed only two runs in 14 innings over his first four starts, but he gave up six runs in 4 2/3 frames vs. the Yankees in his final Grapefruit League start Friday.
Red Sox: AL Rookie of the Year candidate Triston Casas has had a strong spring, hitting .333 with four homers and 10 RBIs. … Duvall, who had a quiet start to camp, belted four homers in a span of 19 at-bats between March 12-21. ... Turner, who missed two weeks after getting hit in the face by a pitch, got back in the groove as soon as he resumed action. Turner walloped a homer into the visitors' bullpen in right-center on Friday. … Relievers Brasier and Schreiber were both inconsistent in Spring Training. The Sox are banking on their performances improving once the games start for real.
Anything else fans might want to know? • This will be the third time in four years the Orioles and Red Sox open the season at Fenway Park. Boston won, 13-2, in 2020, while Baltimore notched a 3-0 victory in ‘21.
• The O’s rank third in all-time Opening Day winning percentage. Over the franchise’s long history (dating back to 1901), the club is 71-49-1 in openers. This will be the fifth consecutive year Baltimore begins the season on the road. It has lost three of its past four Opening Day matchups after winning its opener every year from 2011-18.
• Cora, in his fifth season as Boston’s manager, is looking for his first win on Opening Day.
• Bloom’s offseason acquisitions own a combined nine All-Star selections, five World Series titles, two Cy Young Awards and one Gold Glove.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 19:34:38 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 2h #RedSox optioned Jarren Duran. So it appears Raimel Tapia made the team pending a move to get him on the 40-man roster.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 19:39:32 GMT -5
2023 BASEBALL PREVIEW The Red Sox are finalizing their Opening Day roster. Here’s a look. By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated March 28, 2023, 1 hour ago
The Red Sox will try to put aside their abysmal 2022 season that resulted in a fifth last-place finish in 11 years. They have undergone tons of turnover and are confident that this a club better suited to win than last year’s.
Here’s a look at the roster, which must be trimmed to 26 by Thursday, when the regular season begins:
Jump to a position: Infielders · Catchers · Outfielders · Starting pitchers · Relievers Infielders
1B Triston Casas: The Red Sox gave him the keys to first base after designating Eric Hosmer for assignment. They have lacked a true power first baseman the last few years. Casas can be that.
DH/1B Justin Turner: He will see most of his time in the designated hitter spot but will fill in at first for Casas when the Sox like the matchup. Turner brings a veteran presence, pop in the middle of the order, and elite bat-to-ball skills, though he turned 38 last November.
2B Christian Arroyo: He will have his chance to be a starting second baseman, but the key is staying on the field. When he plays, he has been productive, batting .277/.323/.426 with a .749 OPS the last two seasons.
SS Kiké Hernández: He had a lot to say at the start of spring, intimating that he wants to be the team leader after the exodus of some key cornerstone players, namely Xander Bogaerts. Hernández’s real value is as a utility player, but on this team, he will serve as interim shortstop until Trevor Story is able to return. That’s a tall order despite his defensive ability. Hernández had hip surgery last year, playing in just 93 games and hitting .222.
3B Rafael Devers: He’s the face of the franchise after the Red Sox inked him to a 10-year, $313.5 million extension. Devers is the lone star on this team and will be the biggest force in the lineup.
Catchers Reese McGuire, who joined the team in August last season, seems primed to be the No. 1 catcher. Reese McGuire, who joined the team in August last season, seems primed to be the No. 1 catcher.Jim Davis/Globe Staff
Reese McGuire: Catching is the Sox’ biggest hole. McGuire will likely get the starting nod. Acquired at the trade deadline last season, he spent much of the spring getting to know the pitching staff under the watchful eye of Jason Varitek.
Connor Wong: He missed most of camp with a hamstring injury, but the Sox never ruled out an Opening Day timeline. He’s a smart catcher and knows how to navigate a pitching staff.
Outfielders
RF Alex Verdugo: He has been a league-average player since being traded to the Sox prior to the 2020 season, but he is looking to make that next leap. He will be the primary right fielder, a more demanding position at Fenway, after spending most of his tenure with the Sox in left.
CF Adam Duvall: He will be the starting center fielder, but Alex Cora acknowledged that they will manage the 34-year-old veteran’s workload. He has elite pull-side power, which should benefit him with the Green Monster. Duvall saw limited action last year because of a wrist injury but had 38 homers for the Marlins and Braves in 2021.
LF Masataka Yoshida: The Sox’ biggest free agent signing of the offseason put the baseball world on notice with a record 13 RBIs in the World Baseball Classic for Japan, the winner of the tournament. You can expect Yoshida to hit in the middle of the order, and he just might be the team’s most complete hitter.
UTIL Rob Refsnyder: Was a spark plug last year. Will get his time against lefties.
UTIL Raimel Tapia: He had an impressive spring after signing a minor league dealthat Cora described as a steal. He has great bat-to-ball skills, sometimes to his detriment. Look for him to be the fourth outfielder at the outset.
Starting pitchers
RH Corey Kluber: A veteran who Cora said “knows how to pitch” will get the ball on Opening Day. He is some years removed from his Cy Young days, but, if healthy, he will be a quality starter with the experience to navigate a lineup effectively.
LH Chris Sale: “Humpty Dumpty got put back together,” Sale said during Winter Weekend in January. He made it through the spring unscathed and will be on the Opening Day active roster for the first time since 2019. If there’s any starter the Sox might need to survive in the competitive AL East, it’s Sale.
RH Garrett Whitlock: He will start the season on the injured list after undergoing hip surgery last year, but he could be back for the second or third time through the rotation. The Sox brought him along slowly this spring, ensuring that he was healthy. They will give him a chance to be a full-time starter but his future and real value might be in the bullpen.
RH Brayan Bello: Like Whitlock, he will begin the season on the IL after dealing with forearm tightness at the start of camp. And, like Whitlock, he should be back in the mix soon. The young righthander, the Sox’ prized possession, comes with high hopes that he can make an immediate impact after an impressive showing during his first taste of big league competition late last season.
RH Kutter Crawford: He earned a spot on the Opening Day roster following an accomplished spring. He doesn’t wow you with stuff, but his pitch mix works and he knows how to get outs and keep his team in games.
RH Nick Pivetta: Perhaps a starter for the Sox, but probably a reliever for a lot of other clubs. Pivetta got bullied by the AL East last year, the division teeing off on him for a 6.72 ERA. If there is any value in the righthander, it’s this: He tied for the major league lead in starts last year (33).
LH James Paxton: After a season lost to injury, he incurred a Grade 1 hamstring strain in his first Grapefruit League outing. He too is expected back soon, and he could be a valuable starter if healthy. It’s a big if, though.
RH Tanner Houck: He will get the ball for the third game of the season against the Orioles, but you might be looking at a reliever once some starters get healthy. He struggled this spring as a starter, showing a clear lack of feel for his pitches while toying with new ones (cutter). He has a devastating fastball/slider mix but can be erratic. However, he has a short-term memory regarding his failures and is as competitive as they come. That smells like an All-Star reliever.
Relievers
RH John Schreiber: He was the Sox’ most reliable bullpen arm last season after being designated for assignment by the Tigers in 2021, then designated for assignment once more by the Sox at the end of that year’s camp. Despite a down spring this year, the Sox hope he can be a key piece again in the bullpen, but with less of a workload.
RH Ryan Brasier: It was a shock to those around baseball that Brasier, 35, was tendered a contract in the offseason after posting a 5.78 ERA in 2022. Since his stellar 2018 season (1.60 ERA), he has registered a 4.82 ERA in 168 games. Yet the Sox like the metrics on his pitches. However, it seems as though that music has finally grown tired, and Brasier will be fighting for his baseball life early on.
RH Kenley Jansen: He isn’t what he once was but is still one of the best closers in baseball, and he provides the structure Cora wants in the bullpen.
RH Chris Martin: Next to Jansen, Martin was the Sox’ best reliever signing. He is a veteran who knows how to throw strikes and limit walks, a huge plus for the bullpen at the end of games.
RH Kaleb Ort: He can reach 100 miles per hour with his fastball.
RH Josh Winckowski: A depth arm in the bullpen for the Sox to use as they try to get healthy. He allows contact but can eat innings.
LH Richard Bleier: The lone lefthanded reliever following the injury to Joelys Rodríguez. Bleier won’t strike you out but is a strike thrower.
RH Zack Kelly: Another depth arm whose spring performance didn’t do anything to prevent him from earning an Opening Day roster spot..
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 4:39:24 GMT -5
Regardless of Red Sox expectations, this is a day to celebrate the return of baseball By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Staff,Updated March 29, 2023, 37 minutes ago
For one shining moment, let’s have no snark. No cynicism. No wiseguy remarks about bat-to-ball skills, spin rate, analytic geeks, standing ovations in Springfield, or payroll flexibility.
Let’s celebrate the start of another baseball season. The Red Sox are 0-0 and not yet poisoned by last place or false narratives.
Almost 30 years ago, the Washington Post’s Thomas Boswell — their Gammons — released a book titled, “Why Time Begins on Opening Day.”
It’s a great phrase and reminds us of a long-ago day when baseball was king of New England and Opening Day was a legal excuse to skip school.
Happy New Year, everyone. The Red Sox are readying for their 123rd season opener Thursday (2:10 p.m.) at ancient, beautiful Fenway Park against the Orioles and we are in Full Rochie, Hakuna Matata mode.
For this one day only, we are all Bart Giamatti, Roger Angell, Ken Burns, and Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Ich bin ein citizen of Red Sox Nation.
Celebrate. Hope for the future. Honor the past.
The Boston Baseball Opener is when 19-year-old Swampscott rookie Tony Conigliaro homered in his first Fenway at-bat in 1964. It’s when the Sox unveiled a rookie second baseman named Reggie Smith and got a win from Jim Lonborg in the Cinderella season of 1967. It’s when Yankees slugger Ron Blomberg became the first DH in baseball history in 1973, and when Mo Vaughn capped a comeback with a walkoff grand slam against the Mariners in 1998.
It’s when Bill Russell and Bobby Orr threw out ceremonial first pitches as the curse-busting 2004 champs received their rings in front of the Yankees in April of 2005.
With the energy of the innocent, an expected crowd of 35,000-plus will shiver and watch two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber in his Red Sox debut. They’ll check to see if rookie first baseman Triston Casas still has red fingernails, and if the kid can show the plate discipline and power he demonstrated in his short sample last September.
Fans of 2023 are in for a surprise because new rules are in place to stimulate scoring and — best of all — speed up the pace of play. Baseball ground to a halt in recent seasons with an endless succession of batters stepping out of the box and pitchers walking around the mound, ramping up for their next 100-m.p.h. launch. A pitch clock (deliver a pitch within 15 seconds) has stopped the madness, and you’ll find yourself viewing a game with more action and less dead time.
“It’s like watching video of a game from the 1975 season,” says former Sox general manager Theo Epstein, who was hired by MLB to Stop The Stall and Make Baseball Great Again.
You’ll likely find that it’s easier to keep your head in the game. Don’t glance at your phone or you might miss something. Spring training games were 26 minutes shorter, on average.
The 2023 Chaim Bloom Red Sox feature plenty of new faces. Left fielder Masataka Yoshida got a bag of money to leave the Orix Buffaloes and he batted cleanup for his homeland when Japan won the World Baseball Classic. New center fielder Adam Duvall once led the National League in RBIs, and new/old DH Justin Turner was a world champ and two-time All-Star with the Dodgers.
They join a lineup that already features Rafael Devers, who signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension in the offseason. Clearly, money is no object with Sox ownership (OK, I know this is starting to sound like a hostage tape).
Boston’s bullpen is better. Oft-injured Chris Sale showed his All-Star form in spring training. The Sox think young Dominican righty Brayan Bello is a future stopper.
There’s also shortstop Kiké Hernández, the self-appointed team leader, face of the franchise, a man of many hair colors.
Manager Alex Cora likes his underdog squad and speaks glowingly of an improved clubhouse vibe.
“This group knows what we can do, but the world doesn’t,” Cora told the Globe’s Peter Abraham before the team left Florida.
So there. Things look pretty swell for the Local Nine. Remember that the Red Sox finished last in 2012, then came back to win the World Series in 2013. The Bloominati think history could repeat itself.
It’s Opening Day, the Red Sox are undefeated, and anything’s possible. Enough with the narratives, true or false. Let’s suspend reality and embrace this weekend of April Fools.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 10:17:57 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 49m #RedSox win total is 78.5 as the season opens per @betonline_ag
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 10:20:22 GMT -5
Five ways this Red Sox team could actually be good
By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 3 hours ago Chaim Bloom gives a GM's perspective of Opening Day
FORT MYERS, Fla. - The question regarding how the manager of the Red Sox felt moments after the final spring training pitch had been thrown wasn't even completed when the answer was shot back.
"Excited," Alex Cora definitively responded.
He proceeded to elaborate.
"Spring training was a lot different than the last two as far as the traveling and all that. It was a lot longer in that sense. Obviously, the guys playing in the tournament. We're in a good spot," Cora continued. "Offensively, we're a good team. We're not perfect. But we can win ballgames, and that's the most important thing. Let's take the season pieces by pieces and see where it takes us. I'm looking forward to get to Fenway. I know there are a lot of pictures of the home clubhouse and all of that. Thank you for that. Usually when we take the flight to Fenway for Boston and the first time they see the clubhouse, you're like, 'Oh, boy. They're not going to like it.' But they are going to like it. I think ownership and the front office have done an amazing job taking care of this group.
"I think the group is united. We're in a great spot. It's just a matter of performing. That's the bottom line. People are going to judge us not because we have a great group of guys and we have great chemistry. It's what you do every single day over 162 plus. When you take those steps, that Green Monster (scoreboard) will tell you how good you are and how much you have to gain ground. I'm excited about the group, excited about the season. Personally, I'm very excited about that. The boys are finally going to enjoy it. They are five so they understand the whole thing, that this is fun. I'm looking forward to them spending the summer with us and enjoy it. Hopefully everybody enjoys it. Be ready for Thursday. It should be a beautiful day as always. It's Opening Day, man. It's great."
FanDuel SportsBook has the Red Sox over/under win total set at 78.5. They have the 19th-best odds (plus-6000) to win the World Series.
Yes, for the first time in a long time the Red Sox can officially be classified as long shots.
But, after watching virtually every game this team played in spring training, it is clear there is a path to contention. It is one with plenty of potholes, forks in the road, and murky visibility, but it is a path, nonetheless.
And while the Red Sox might view this road a bit better-paved than most, there are reasons Cora is genuinely "excited" about what awaits. Let's take a look at the maybes that this club is banking on becoming absolutelys. Pap has predictions
THIS TIME THEY DO FIND THEIR FIVE ACES
We all remember the proclamation and the plan when it came to the Red Sox' 2015 starting rotation. A case could be made (and t-shirts were made) that Wade Miley, Clay Buchholz, Joe Kelly, Rick Porcello and Justin Masterson all had the stuff to live life at the top of the rotation, making everyone forget Jon Lester.
Oh, well.
This time around the Red Sox are banking on another bunch of pitchers with potential: Corey Kluber, Chris Sale, Tanner Houck, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Bryan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Josh Winckowski and James Paxton.
It could work. In fact, throughout spring training it actually looked like this was the thing that might have the best chance at coming to fruition.
Kluber and Sale looked close to their old selves. Pivetta's final Grapefruit League outing offered a reminder of what he can be. The hitters reactions to Whitlock and Bello are just different. Before hurting his hamstring Paxton was the talk of camp in terms of how well he was throwing. And Houck, Crawford and Winckowski (who may have had the best spring training of the bunch) certainly offer the kind of depth in the rotation or bullpen any team yearns for.
Yes, there isn't the no-doubt-about-it top of the rotation guy, such as Gerrit Cole, Alex Manoah or Shane McClanahan. But the group possesses potential to find a couple of those sort of pieces. Kenley Jansen is ready to evolve - as a pitcher and hoop fan
THEY PAID FOR BULLPEN CERTAINTY
We can't be hypocrites. The knock on this group's team-building philosophy is oftentimes that it is so focused on finding the next diamonds in the rough that the idea of actually investing in the known goes out the window. But this offseason there was an example of Chaim Bloom and Co. paying for past and future performance. That can be found in the Red Sox' late-inning relievers.
Kenley Jansen. Chris Martin. Joely Rodriguez. And even trading for Richard Bleier.
You have your no-doubt-about-it closer. The set-up guy who should be a solid complement to John Schreiber (or even Houck). And the proven veteran lefties.
When pushing the optimism of this group heading into Opening Day, we do have to avert our eyes from spring training. Both Jansen and Martin had very uneven exhibition seasons, with Rodriguez starting the season on the injured list due to an injured oblique. But ... all together now: "Thou shall not be seduced by the Grapefruit League!"
There is also the prospects of someone else stepping up to fill whatever void needs to be plugged. The potential of Zack Kelly. The version of Ryan Brasier that dominated the final month of 2022. The continued evolution of Winckowski. Or maybe even Bryan Mata getting dropped into the big leagues at some point.
At least they know this: This April can't be worse than what we saw in the first month a year ago.
THIS LINEUP IS AS GOOD AS CORA THINKS IT IS
Watching the post-WBC spring training games, you can understand where the manager is coming from when he sings the praises of what this offense might represent.
The best versions of each of these hitters - from first to last - represent really tough outs. Now, it's about uncovering the ceilings instead of the floors.
Perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle resides in the middle of the batting order. That's where the Red Sox are banking on Justin Turner and Masa Yoshida protecting Rafael Devers. Both Turner and Yoshida are heading to Boston carrying the optimism of productive March's (with the exception of one fastball to the face).
But can they be what the likes of Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez represented when the Red Sox were really rolling? At least there is a chance. And then there are the positives that come with Adam Duvall really catching fire in the final few weeks of spring training, Triston Casas looking like he belongs and Christian Arroyo representing perhaps the Sox' best all-around Grapefruit League player.
A case could be made for both good and bad when it comes to virtually every one of these hitters. But, as we put Florida in the rearview mirror, the "good" case isn't all that hard to muster.
THERE ARE CHIPS ON SHOULDERS
This probably doesn't matter all that much. As Cora noted, a team can have the best chemistry, intentions and motivations in the world, but unless you have talent it's all eye-wash.
But the prevailing attitude in Red Sox camp for the last 1 1/2 months did seem eerily familiar to another notable season. That would be 2013.
There is something to be said for a group that is made up of we'll-show-you-30-somethings - as was the case in 2013 - who understand Rudy-on-the-stool speeches don't matter a lick unless you make sure business is done the right way. And it certainly seemed there was a very real focus on making sure there was no room for interpretation when it came to defining how these days should unfold.
Recent history suggests that Red Sox teams who have something to prove usually do pretty well. This seems to be the mantra once again this time around. Listening to Cora prior to the last spring training game, that was pretty evident.
"I have a lot of reasons to go out there and guide this team to where we want to go. We always have the same expectations, just like the fan base and the organization. But there were a lot of things that happened in the offseason that kind of like, 'OK ...' I took it personal. It's not baseball-related. I think it's life related," Cora said. "If I needed a chip on my shoulder than I just got another one. I don't want to say I'm more locked in than previous years, but people lit a fire under me in the offseason, personally. I'm ready to go. I'm really locked in on what I want to do. Some things you take personal and others you just brush away. I think there are a lot of things that happened in the offseason where I was like, 'OK, this is how it goes? Well, let me go out there and do my thing.'"
DON'T FORGET ABOUT TREVOR STORY
It sure seems like this guy is on pace to be ready to play in the final few months of the 2023 season. His surgically-repaired elbow hasn't slowed him down when it comes to working out every morning at spring training, with actual swings of the baseball bat now slated for less than a month away.
Contract and expectations aside, we saw that when healthy Story can truly impact a team - both offensively and defensively. And what we should also understand is that of all the players on this club, nobody's value take more of an uptick because of the new rules than this infielder.
Defensively, he possesses the kind of athleticism that these no-shift games will end itself to. And in this new world of the running game actually mattering, Story is due to become even more of a weapon. (He has been thrown out stealing just 30 times in 143 attempts.)
If the Red Sox are still in it come August, this type of player should scratch right where they are itching.
Now, it's just finding that road to those mid-summer meaningful games.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 10:27:34 GMT -5
OBF: Pennant fever? Red Sox begin season amid astounding sense of apathy
By Bill Speros | bsperos1@gmail.com | March 29, 2023 at 6:02 a.m.
The Red Sox open the 2023 season Thursday afternoon at Fenway Park.
First pitch against Baltimore is at 2:10 p.m.
Pregame festivities begin at 12:30 with the ceremonial raising of the White Flag to honor Boston’s 2022 last-place finish.
Plenty of good seats are still available.
For Opening Day.
At list price.
Or below.
And it isn’t even going to snow.
That’s not a throwaway line. It’s a sobering truth. As of this writing, dozens of seats between first and third base were still available for list price (plus fees) through the Red Sox official ticket website. For Opening Day. The crash in the secondary ticket market rivals that of FTX.
And not all these available seats are strategically positioned behind poles. One example: Section 24, Row 9, Seats 1-4. Each seat offers a clear and unobstructed view of the entire playing field – save for a spot in the deep left-field corner. Nothing but Fenway Park’s pristine, hallowed field, an 80-foot-long MassMutual sign above the big screen, and the alluring
If this helps John Henry, LeBron James & Co. fill seats, so be it. Tickets to Opening Day at Fenway Park were coveted family jewels, handed down through wills, divorce decrees, or gifted on Christmas Day. Now they’re simply barcodes on the MLB Ballpark app and as common as Dunkin’ drive-thrus.
The abundance of available tickets, er, digital entry codes, for Opening Day and beyond perhaps best illustrates the sullen state of the Red Sox within the region’s sports soul.
If this keeps up, Tom Werner may have to replace “Sweet Caroline” with “The Sounds of Silence.”
The Red Sox have been crowded off your screens, feeds, radios, podcasts and the back page since they locked up Rafael Devers through 2033 with a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension.
Signing Devers to the biggest contract in Boston sports history was the bare minimum the Red Sox needed to do to remain above the relevance waterline.
Gone are the days when we hotly debated whether the Red Sox are the most popular team in town. In 2023, they are barely hanging on to fourh place, just ahead of the Boston Pride, New England Revolution and AFC Richmond.
The hype machine was tuned up in earnest Tuesday. A roster of dignitaries met the media at Fenway, among them Mayor Wu of Boston and Prime Minister Jim Rice of Red Sox Nation. The new team clubhouse looked snazzy bathed in a soft magenta hue.
The Red Sox lost pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, their best overall player in Xander Bogaerts, and their 2022 leader in doubles and strikeouts in J.D. Martinez, to free agency in the offseason.
But what they lost on the field, they have made up for on the menu. New to the Red Sox “lineup” in 2023: cheddar and caramel popcorn, crab cake sandwiches, crispy avocado fries and gluten free pizza.
Adds a whole new meaning to gas up the Duck Boats.
Our own Gabrielle Starr reports that the Red Sox have an AI feature near Gate K where kids at Fenway can face MLB pitching. The team has yet to confirm if opposing hitters at Fenway will be doing the same.
We only kid because we care. Someone must.
The Red Sox have done their best in charting a course to irrelevance. For many, losing Bogaerts was the octane boost necessary to fuel an emotional and financial separation from the team.
It was hard even for NESN to mask the vacant seats at JetBlue Park this spring. AI isn’t that good.
The Red Sox are far from the only local franchise coming off a sub-.500 finish. Dysfunction and chaos have engulfed the Kremlin on Route 1 in Foxboro. But “Bill vs. Bob” has the makings of a Netflix series. We can’t get enough. Not to mention Lamar Jackson. Maybe Mac Jones throws out the first pitch Thursday. Hope Matt Milano isn’t there to pick it off.
The only drama surrounding the Red Sox is how many personalities on its radio affiliate will be booted off the air for botched attempts at humor.
Masataka Yoshida, cover your ears.
Given the tepid expectations surrounding the team, starting the season in obscurity is just what these Red Sox need. Maybe they’ll still be in contention when Patrice Bergeron returns to Fenway Park in June with the Stanley Cup.
The Red Sox won 78 games in 2022. Their over/under this season is 78.5. It opened at 76 before everyone in the Commonwealth took the over.
Matt Lindeman runs the baseball trading desk at WynnBET. He’s agnostic when it comes to fandom, so we asked him what oddsmakers think about the 2023 Red Sox.
It’s far less appetizing than avocado fries.
“There’s a lot of excitement in Massachusetts because it’s the first time they’re able to bet on the Red Sox win total. I don’t know if this is the best year to have the over on the Red Sox. They did not have a good offseason. The pitching staff is old and frail. The lineup just isn’t that deep and lacks star power. Outside of Devers, they have a lot of question marks,” Lindeman said. “In that division with the Orioles not being a bottom-feeder anymore, and those other three teams being in contention, it’s going to be really tough to get over that win total.”
Unbowed, this columnist made his first legal sports bets in the Commonwealth on Jan. 31 at Encore. I took the Red Sox over 76 wins, at +300 to make the playoffs, and Triston Casas to be Rookie of the Year at +900.
Just doing my part to fund the state coffers.
And giving myself a reason to watch baseball after Labor Day.
Bill Speros (@billsperos and @realobf) can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 13:42:17 GMT -5
The Red Sox have a road map this year, but no one knows where it will lead By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated March 29, 2023, 45 minutes ago
That the Red Sox finished spring training 14-14-4 was perfect. That record captures the outlook most fans have headed into Opening Day Thursday afternoon at Fenway.
There are equal parts optimism and pessimism.
Some look at the roster and how it performed in Florida and see a more explosive lineup with Masataka Yoshida, Justin Turner, and Adam Duvall now part of the mix.
Others can rightfully question the pitching staff. Starting the season with Corey Kluber and Chris Sale pitching the first two games would have been great in 2017 when they finished first and second in the Cy Young voting.
But this is 2023, and it’s been five years since either of them received a vote.
Is there another legitimate starter on the staff? Brayan Bello and Garrett Whitlock are the leading candidates but will open the season on the injured list.
The bullpen has to be considered a question mark, too, given how little Kenley Jansen pitched in camp — only 5⅔ innings against other teams. He put nine men on base and five scored.
By signing Kluber, Jansen, Richard Bleier, Duvall, Chris Martin, and Turner, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom gave the Sox a veneer of respectability.
That group has four World Series rings, nine All-Star appearances, a Gold Glove, and two Cy Young awards.
Toss in Sale, Kiké Hernández, and James Paxton (who is on the injured list), and the Sox have nine veteran players with an average of 10.2 years of major league experience and an average age of 34.7.
None are signed beyond 2024.
That group will determine the outcome of the coming season, one way or the other.
Manager Alex Cora believes it will be for the better. He sees the veterans, particularly the newcomers, coming in and wiping away the stain of finishing in last place in 2022.
“Look at what they’ve accomplished,” Cora said. “They don’t care what happened last year. They’re here to win.”
Most have something to prove, too. Turner was dumped by the Dodgers in favor of J.D. Martinez. The Braves weren’t all that interested in keeping Duval or Jansen.
Sale and Paxton have combined for just 17 starts over the last three seasons.
Hernández, a utility player all his career, wants to show the industry he can play shortstop.
“I can’t speak for anybody else, but there is a lot I need to show people this season,” Sale said. “I get that. They signed me to a contract [in 2019] and I haven’t done my part.”
There’s a lot there for Cora to mine as motivation.
Alternatively, that same group could be looking at their phones come July to see if they’re the subject of trade rumors if the Sox aren’t in contention.
Or maybe the Sox were just a good opportunity to pump up their bank accounts before retirement.
It’s easy to see what the Sox have planned: shoot for contention with this patchwork bunch and leave plenty of opportunity for prospects like Marcelo Mayer, Ceddanne Rafaela, Bryan Mata, Nick Yorke, Chris Murphy, and others.
In time, the core of the Sox will be Bello, Whitlock, Yoshida, Triston Casas, and Rafael Devers as the young talent filters in. But they need help in the interim.
“I feel like we’re going in the right direction,” Devers said. “I still think I am young, but I see players younger than me and they have talent. They’re going to be here soon.”
When Devers agreed to a 10-year, $313.5 million extension in January, his agents wisely took advantage of a team that needed some good news to peddle to a fan base grown disgruntled by a parade of star players leaving town.
But Devers also took on some risk that the Sox will build around him and get back to the postseason. He just as easily could have waited to become a free agent to cash in.
“He believes in what we’re doing,” Cora said.
Some of you share that belief and more of you probably don’t. But after seeming to try and go in all directions at once last year, at least the Sox have a road map.
The first stop is Thursday afternoon against the Orioles. Let’s see where this goes.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 13:43:25 GMT -5
New-look Red Sox, upstart Orioles face off to open 2022 FLM
A pair of veteran pitchers will debut for new teams Thursday when the Boston Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles in an Opening Day matchup.
Two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber is set for his first home start at Fenway Park, having joined the Red Sox in the offseason -- as his fifth team in as many seasons and third straight within the American League East alone.
Kluber, 36, was 10-10 with a 4.34 ERA in 31 starts for Tampa Bay last season. The right-hander sported a 3.53 ERA and won four of his seven starts as a Fenway visitor and is 6-4 in 16 career starts against Baltimore.
"Plenty of guys in this clubhouse could've taken the ball on Opening Day," Kluber said. "The way I look at it is, regardless if you pitch the first day, the fifth day, it really only matters that first time through the order and then everything kind of gets messed up anyways. ... I've done it (five times) before, and I try to make it as normal as possible."
Kluber will oppose 35-year-old Baltimore righty Kyle Gibson, who went 10-8 with a 5.05 ERA in 31 starts in helping Philadelphia to the National League pennant in 2022.
In addition to Kluber and returning a healthy Chris Sale, Boston added several key pieces in the likes of World Baseball Classic champion Masataka Yoshida, veteran infielder Justin Turner, outfielder Adam Duvall and reliever Kenley Jansen.
After finishing 2022 in the division cellar at 78-84, the Red Sox currently have 10 players on the 40-man roster who were not previously in the organization.
Despite losing star shortstop Xander Bogaerts to San Diego, the roster gained 6.1 WAR over this offseason, tied for the fifth-largest improvement in MLB, according to FanGraphs.
"What I like is that we have veteran guys. They don't care what happened here last year or in '18 (a year after a World Series championship)," Red Sox manager Alex Cora told the Boston Globe. "Each one of them, they have reasons to prove people wrong. ... This group knows what we can do, but the world doesn't."
The re-signing of Rafael Devers was surely the team's biggest offseason move. The 26-year-old third baseman, whose 246 extra-base hits since 2019 lead the majors, signed a 10-year extension in January.
At 83-79, Baltimore finished directly above Boston in the division and remains built around young stars like catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson, who rose through the game's No. 1 farm system, according to MLB Pipeline's rankings.
The organizational depth was evidenced by No. 2 prospect Grayson Rodriguez being optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday after the pitcher seemingly emerged as a favorite to make the team early in spring training.
"We're more talented than ever before since I've been here," O's manager Brandon Hyde said. "Even the guys that don't break with us, upper-level minor league guys, there's a lot of excitement about the talent that we have."
Other Baltimore newcomers include left-handed starter Cole Irvin, infielder Adam Frazier and catcher James McCann.
Gibson, who has a 1.57 ERA in 28 2/3 career innings at Fenway, was the Opening Day starter for Texas during a 2021 season in which he was an All-Star.
"Hopefully, (with) that first time that I've done it, you can get some of the extra nerves out, but I have a little bit of anxiety and nerves every start," Gibson said. "So you figure out how to use that and you figure out how to use that adrenaline in the right way."
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 13:46:04 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats ·
Next up: Opening Day, Thursday against Baltimore, 2:10 pm, Fenway Park
Forecast: Sunny, 38°, wind gusting left to right
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 13:49:41 GMT -5
Red Sox Opening Day is tomorrow at 2:10 P.M. against the Baltimore Orioles Fans Asked To Be In Their Seats By 1:30 p.m. For Opening Day Ceremonies 53 minutes ago
BOSTON, MA – The Red Sox will present their Opening Day ceremonies before the commencement of their 123rd home season, and their 112th at Fenway Park this Thursday, March 30. Fans attending the game are asked to be in their seats by 1:30 p.m. to enjoy the ceremony. The club plays the Baltimore Orioles at 2:10 p.m.
Thursday’s game is the first opportunity for fans to see the debut of several new players, including 2022 Roberto Clemente Award winner Justin Turner and 2023 World Baseball Classic Champion Masataka Yoshida. The opening day pitching matchup will feature Red Sox pitcher Corey Kluber and Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Gibson. The new rules implemented by Major League Baseball will also be in effect and have resulted in game times being cut by an average of 26 minutes in Spring Training.
Before the game, the two teams will be introduced along the base lines. The giant American flag will be draped over the left field wall and presented by members of Hanscom Air Force Base under the direction of Brigadier General James Pabis of the Vermont National Guard. The national anthem will be performed by award-winning recording artist and Springfield native Michelle Brooks-Thompson.
The longtime tradition of a flyover on Opening Day will be maintained with two F-15C’s from the 104th Fighter Wing flown out of Westfield, Massachusetts and two F-35A’s from the 158th Fighter Wing flown out of Burlington, Vermont.
Before the festivities, an Air Force swearing-in ceremony will take place at Fenway Park for 16 Air Force recruits at 9 a.m. on the warning track near “Canvas Alley.”
Red Sox Opening Day, including the ceremony, will be broadcast live on NESN beginning with their pregame show at noon. WEEI’s Opening Day broadcast begins at 1:10 p.m.
Fenway Park gates open two hours before the game for all fans on Opening Day (12:10 p.m.) and 1½ hours for all other regular season games.
To kick off the 2023 season, the Red Sox Foundation is guaranteeing a $25,000 jackpot as part of their Opening Series 50/50 Raffle taking place March 27 to April 2. The contest will run from 12 p.m. on Monday, March 27 until the end of the 6th inning of the Red Sox-Orioles game on Sunday, April 2. The Red Sox 50/50 Raffle is presented by DraftKings and is open to fans located in Massachusetts and over 18 years of age at the time of purchase. See the official rules for full details and redsox.com/5050 to purchase tickets.
Fenway Park’s new bag policy is now in effect. Bags must be single-compartment and no larger than 12"x12"x6". Backpacks, backpack-style purses, duffel bags, and other multi-compartment bags are not permitted. Exceptions will be made for diaper bags and bags containing essential medical equipment. To speed up the entry process, the Red Sox will continue to encourage the use of single-compartment clear bags for the 2023 season. Clear bags must also be no larger than 12”x12”x6”. Clear backpacks are not allowed.
The Red Sox and Fenway Park require all fans to follow the club’s code of conduct. Fans who need assistance during games can contact the security hotline at 617-226-6411 or text the word SECURITY and a brief message to 23215.
A new ADA compliant assisted listening device technology called the Listen EVERYWHERE app is a new feature at Fenway Park this season allowing fans to conveniently stream game audio directly to any compatible mobile phone or tablet in real time using Bluetooth technology while connected to Fenway Park Wifi. Directions to downloading the Listen EVERYWHERE app on a personal device are available in the Fan Services section of the MLB Ballpark app. Fans can also visit Fan Services booths at Gate B and E to pick up an assisted listening device for their use during the game.
The Red Sox Kid Nation program returns this season as a one tier program free for all families. Kid Nation offers our youngest fans the opportunity to experience baseball in a more meaningful way through exclusive ticket offers, prizes, and benefits. This year, the program will include an incentives program with “badges” that can be earned by participating in elevated Kid Nation events, online STEM worksheets, watching NESN Clubhouse, and more. Kid Nation will continue to include a free kid’s ticket to a Red Sox game with the purchase of an adult ticket. Fans can sign up their child by visiting redsox.com/kidnation.
The popular Student9s Program has returned this season, providing high school and college students the opportunity to purchase $9 tickets with a valid student ID at every home game. Young fans can register to receive student offers by visiting redsox.com/students.
Fans are encouraged to take public transportation to Fenway Park and should check the MBTA’s website for the latest service schedules.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2023 13:51:07 GMT -5
Lou Merloni @loumerloni · 2h Tomorrow looks like a beautiful sunny day for Opening Day. The only problem is apparently the sun won’t be working. Someone turn it on. 40? Wind chill 30? Ouch. Go get em
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 30, 2023 2:57:16 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · This is the hallway from the clubhouse to the steps that lead down to the field at Fenway. It used to be just bricks. (Photo: The Globe's John Tlumacki)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 30, 2023 2:58:06 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe ·
#RedSox Opening Day info:
* Gates open: 12:10 pm * Ceremonies start: 1:30 pm * Anthem: Michelle Brooks-Thompson. * Giant flag: yes. 🇺🇸 * Flyover: 2 F-15C’s from the 104th Fighter Wing and two F-35A’s from the 158th Fighter Wing. 🛩️ * First pitch: 2:10 pm ⚾️ * TV: @nesn
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 30, 2023 3:33:33 GMT -5
Orioles-Red Sox Opening Day starting pitchers: Gibson vs. Kluber
@jakedrill Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
When two American League East foes battle at Fenway Park on Opening Day, a pair of veteran right-handers will debut for their new teams.
In Corey Kluber, the Red Sox have a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner who is pitching for his fourth team in the past four seasons. While Kluber joins his third AL East team, Kyle Gibson enters this ultra-competitive division for the first time.
The Orioles, built around young stars like Adley Rutschman, went 83-79 last season, marking the first time they finished above .500 since 2016. The Red Sox, who added World Baseball Classic star Masataka Yoshida in addition to veterans Justin Turner and Adam Duvall, are trying to recover from a 78-84 season in ‘22.
RHP Kyle Gibson Previous Opening Day starts: 2021 2022 season: 10-8, 5.05 ERA in 31 starts
Rather than exercising Jordan Lyles’ $11 million club option for 2023, the Orioles opted to go to the free-agent market to find a new veteran leader for the rotation this past offseason. They were intrigued by the 35-year-old Gibson, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal, the largest contract given out by Mike Elias since he became Baltimore’s general manager in November 2018.
Gibson spent the 2022 season with the Phillies, pitching twice in the postseason during their run to a National League pennant and a World Series appearance. The 10-year MLB veteran’s lone previous Opening Day nod came in ‘21, when he took the mound for the Rangers and allowed five runs in one-third of an inning in a 14-10 loss to the Royals.
“Hopefully, [with] that first time that I’ve done it, you can get some of the extra nerves out,” Gibson said. “But I have a little bit of anxiety and nerves every start. So you figure out how to use that and you figure out how to use that adrenaline in the right way. Hopefully, that first experience will give me a little bit of a learning curve to do a little bit better this time.”
While Gibson has made only four starts at Fenway Park, he’s been terrific in limited action there, posting a 1.57 ERA and a 0.628 WHIP over 28 2/3 innings.
RHP Corey Kluber Previous Opening Day starts: 2015, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19 2022 season: 10-10, 4.34 ERA in 31 starts
Though Kluber hasn’t been among the elite pitchers in baseball for a few years, he is trying to get back to that level while coming off his first injury-free season in years. Most pitchers benefit from spending time with the Rays, the team Kluber was with last year. The Red Sox hope to reap the benefits of that this season, much like they did with Michael Wacha last year. While pitching Opening Day used to be a yearly thing for Kluber, this is the first time in four years he is getting that nod.
"It's definitely an honor," Kluber said. "There are plenty of guys in this clubhouse who could've taken the ball on Opening Day. The way I look at it is, regardless if you pitch the first day, the fifth day, it really only matters that first time through the order and then everything kind of gets messed up anyways. But it is an honor. I've done it before, and I try to make it as normal as possible." Get the latest from the Red Sox
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Red Sox manager Alex Cora has noted many times during Spring Training how impressed he is by Kluber’s pitching smarts and work ethic. Kluber has had no trouble fitting in with Boston and is enjoying sharing a clubhouse with Chris Sale, who is healthy again and will pitch the second game of the season. In seven career starts at Fenway, Kluber is 4-1 with a 3.53 ERA.
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