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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 26, 2024 5:33:59 GMT -5
Opening Day FAQ: Red Sox vs. Mariners
1:03 AM ADT
Ian Browne
Daniel Kramer
SEATTLE -- The Mariners and Red Sox each enter 2024 with heightened expectations, on the heels of an offseason where both were under the microscope for their transactional flurry -- or lack thereof.
Seattle shook its snowglobe to create a reimagined offense, parting with key run producers who were also their most strikeout prone -- Jarred Kelenic and Eugenio Suárez among others -- in hopes of creating more lineup consistency after falling short of the postseason by one game last year.
Boston had a similar situation, dealing away well-known players like Alex Verdugo and Chris Sale. Then the club’s top acquisition, Lucas Giolito, needed Tommy John surgery this spring. It led some within the clubhouse, notably Rafael Devers, to call for more urgency within the team’s roster construction.
For both teams, anything short of the postseason would be a huge disappointment -- and the path for each to October begins on Opening Day at T-Mobile Park.
When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. EDT / 7:10 p.m. PDT on Thursday on MLB.TV. NESN and ROOT Sports will broadcast the game in their local markets, while WEEI 93.7 FM (Boston) and 710 Seattle Sports will air the game on the radio.
What are the likely lineups?
MARINERS: With the Red Sox slated to roll with righty Brayan Bello, Mariners manager Scott Servais will likely deploy a starting nine capable of a straight right-left mix throughout.
1. J.P. Crawford, SS
2. Julio Rodríguez, CF
3. Jorge Polanco, 2B
4. Mitch Garver, DH
5. Cal Raleigh, C
6. Mitch Haniger, RF
7. Dominic Canzone, LF
8. Ty France, 1B
9. Josh Rojas, 3B
RED SOX: The Red Sox like the balance of their lineup, and a healthy Trevor Story and a rejuvenated Tyler O’Neill could make this offense more potent than people are expecting.
1. Jarren Duran, LF
2. Rafael Devers, 3B
3. Trevor Story, SS
4. Triston Casas, 1B
5. Masataka Yoshida, DH
6. Tyler O’Neill, RF
7. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
8. Enmanuel Valdez, 2B
9. Connor Wong, C
Who are the starting pitchers?
MARINERS: RHP Luis Castillo (14-9, 3.34 ERA in 2023) is making his fourth career Opening Day start and second in a row in Seattle. After finishing in fifth place for the American League Cy Young Award last season, the highest of his career, “La Piedra” has firmly established himself as one of the best right-handers in the game. His most recent history with Boston, however, featured an uncharacteristic start last May 16 at Fenway Park, when he surrendered a season-high three homers in an eventual loss.
RED SOX: RHP Brayan Bello (12-11, 4.24 ERA in 2023) will experience the thrill of starting Opening Day for the first time in his young career. The 24-year-old righty from the Dominican Republic recently signed a six-year contract extension that includes a club option for an additional year that would keep Bello in a Boston uniform through the 2030 season. Bello’s pitch mix is one the Red Sox are comparing to San Francisco’s Logan Webb. Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey played a big role in Webb’s development when he was with the Giants, and Boston hopes he can do similar things with Bello.
How might the bullpens line up after the starter?
MARINERS: This will be of intrigue beyond Thursday, given that the Mariners will be without leverage relievers Matt Brash and Gregory Santos (more below). That likely leaves Andrés Muñoz to handle the most important outs -- potentially before the ninth inning if the game calls for it -- and newcomer Ryne Stanek as the leading setup man, especially against lefties. Servais also values what he calls the “pivot guy” who can handle a mid-inning jam if Castillo is laboring, and Gabe Speier and Tayler Saucedo thrived in those spots last season. Expect to see newcomers Cody Bolton and Collin Snider -- who are expected to secure the lone roster spots up for grabs -- to chip in, too.
RED SOX: Boston’s trusted 1-2 combo of closer Kenley Jansen and ace setup man Chris Martin both had slow Spring Trainings in which they worked through nagging injuries. But the two righties turned a corner in the final week and should be good to go for manager Alex Cora. Josh Winckowski, who was in the battle for a rotation spot for much of the spring, is another key weapon in the late innings. Isaiah Campbell, a former Mariner, could also be counted on.
Any injuries of note?
MARINERS: Brash (right elbow inflammation) and Santos (right lat strain) leave a sizable void within a bullpen that has been one of the game’s best the past three seasons, ranking tied for third in FanGraphs’ wins above replacement from 2021-23. And beyond Opening Day, starting pitcher Bryan Woo will join them on the 15-day IL to begin the year, though his rotation spot doesn’t arise until Monday against Cleveland.
RED SOX: The Red Sox went into Spring Training planning on Vaughn Grissom being the starting second baseman. But he had hamstring issues and then a left groin strain and likely won’t play until late April. Righty Lucas Giolito might have started Opening Day for the Sox, but he had to undergo a UCL repair in his right elbow and is done for the season.
Who’s hot and who’s not?
MARINERS: Mitch Haniger looks well beyond midseason form, having crushed a team-high five homers over 35 Cactus League at-bats. Even with the outfield depth that will allow Servais to play righty/lefty matchups, Haniger is expected to start given his veteran status and much-anticipated return to Seattle. And Julio Rodríguez, who was delayed one week to start Spring Training due to left hand inflammation, finished camp on a high note. As for who’s not, new outfielder Luke Raley went 7-for-40 in Arizona but finished strong towards the end.
RED SOX: Devers, Boston’s most dangerous player, had a strong Spring Training and hopes to carry that into the early part of the season. Story is finally healthy again for the start of a season and it showed in Spring Training as he swung the bat well. Rookie Wilyer Abreu, the club’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, didn’t get the results he was looking for this spring, but his plate approach remains sound.
Anything else fans might want to know?
The Red Sox were Seattle’s first-ever Opening Day opponent at T-Mobile Park (then Safeco Field) in 2000, and Pedro Martinez was magnificent, leading Boston to a 2-0 win. The Mariners actually opened their new ballpark in the middle of the ‘99 season. The last time Boston was in Seattle on Opening Day, it didn’t go well for the Sox. That was in 2019, and Chris Sale got belted around in Seattle’s 12-4 victory.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 27, 2024 5:24:49 GMT -5
Red Sox vs Mariners lineups, starting pitchers, game times, and how to watch
By Gabrielle Starr | gstarr@bostonherald.com
March 27, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.
At long last, it’s the eve of the 2024 Red Sox season.
162 games of intrigue, possibility, frustration, and joy await. And this year, the Herald will preview each Red Sox series, bringing you everything from pitching matchups, to lineup notes, injury updates, and how to tune in.
Here’s how the Sox get things started in Seattle:
Red Sox starting pitchers vs Mariners
Brayan Bello gets the ball for Opening Day. The Sox are all-in on their 24-year-old homegrown righty, whom they signed to a 6-year, $55 million pre-arbitration extension with a club option for a seventh season during spring training. He’s the fourth-youngest Red Sox Opening Day starter in the last 85 years, and the club’s first Dominican-born Opening Day starter since his mentor, Pedro Martinez.
Nick Pivetta will be Boston’s No. 2 starter this season and make his debut on Friday night. He’s in his final year of club control and by far the most veteran member of the rotation; Bello is 24, and Kutter Crawford, Garrett Whitlock, and Tanner Houck are 27.
Crawford is in line to start Saturday evening, and Whitlock will finish the series on Sunday afternoon, which lines Houck up to pitch the series opener in Oakland on Monday.
Mariners starting pitchers
Luis Castillo will square off against Brayan Bello on Opening Day. The right-hander, 31, has been one of baseball’s most reliable starters since debuting in ’17; he owns a 3.54 ERA across 181 career regular-season starts, with 1156 strikeouts and just 360 walks in 1054 2/3 innings.
Castillo is coming off another strong season, in which he posted a 3.34 ERA across an AL-best 33 starts. He pitched a career-high 197 innings, struck out 219 batters, was an All-Star for the third time, and finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting.
George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Bryce Miller are listed for the subsequent three games.
Red Sox injury updates
As first reported by Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe, Vaughn Grissom is expected to remain in Fort Myers for extended spring training until Apr. 7. He’ll join the Red Sox at Fenway Park for the Apr. 9 home opener before being assigned to a minor-league team for a rehab assignment.
What time are the Red Sox vs Mariners games?
Thursday: 10:10 p.m. ET
Friday: 9:40 p.m. ET
Saturday: 9:40 p.m. ET
Sunday: 4:10 p.m. ET
How to watch Red Sox vs Mariners
The series will be broadcast on NESN and Root Sports Northwest. Blackout restrictions may apply.
Upcoming Red Sox games
After wrapping up the series in Seattle, the Red Sox will continue down the west coast. They have a three-game set in Oakland, followed by a weekend series with the Angels in Anaheim.
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Post by Kimmi on Mar 27, 2024 14:12:07 GMT -5
After a too long offseason, I am very excited for the start of the season. It stinks that we're starting on the west coast with so many games starting after 9:30 pm. I'll have to DVR them and watch the ends of the games the following day. Oh well, at least baseball is back. Let's go!
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 6:14:55 GMT -5
How this can actually work for the Red Sox
By Rob Bradford
WEEI 93.7
2 hours ago
SEATTLE - After exhibiting all the traits of an actual elite shortstop for the last six weeks, Trevor Story was asked before packing his bag for the regular season if he felt like the best version of himself.
“I do,” Story said with a smile.
And there you have it. The credo. The path to the Red Sox busting through all those low expectations and actually make a run at making this summer worthy of your attention.
Across the board, they have to be the best version of themselves.
The stars need to be stars. The young players need to become established. And the maybe need to become certainties. Spring training offered a glimpse into how those sort of evolutions might take place, starting with Story.
What was rolled out in Fort Myers was a player Red Sox fans simply hadn’t witnessed over the past two seasons. That was an always-injured complimentary piece of an uncomfortable puzzle, with the Sox’ big ticket item from two offseason ago having totaled just 137 games while totaling a .685 OPS.
Everything that could go wrong seemingly did, leading Story to a grand total of 36 games at the position the Red Sox desperately needed someone to anchor.
This was not the best-case scenario the Red Sox were banking on, with two last-place finishes helping magnify what happens when things turn the wrong way. Now, Story has the opportunity to represent the blueprint this 2024 is hanging its hat on.
He finished spring training with a .380 batting average, 1.088 OPS and three home runs, while having manager Alex Cora casually mentioning that Story was “one of the best if not the best” defensive shortstops in the game.
The 31-year-old is ready to become a star again, which is good because the Red Sox need more stars.
“Coming back last year was a big step for me, just being able to mentally prove to myself that I’m good, I’m healthy, I can do this,” Story told WEEI.com. “Building on that in the offseason and continuing the strengthening of the arm and the whole body, and really feeling the fruits of that labor now, I really feel like my old self in a lot of aspects, not just defensively. I’m really excited about that. I’m excited about being healthy and playing every single day. That’s what I have hung my hat on for a long time, and I’m eager to get back to that.
“I take a lot of pride in my defense. I’m very prideful in trying to become a complete player. I know that I have proven that I can do that. I haven’t necessarily done that in Boston, yet. But there is a bit of excitement in my eyes and my heart about going out there and being myself. It’s not like I’m going out there trying to do sonething I know I can’t do. That’s why I feel so confident about it.”
This is the heart of the issue facing these Red Sox. All prognosticators have to go by is what has been most recently rolled out.
Rafael Devers is one of the best offensive players in the American League, but has also been one of the worst defenders.
Can Triston Casas do what he did for the last three months for an entire six months?
Tyler O’Neill has looked like the 34-home run, .912 OPS guy from 2021 in spring training, but it’s spring training.
Ceddanne Rafaela could be American League Rookie of the Year, or might be relegated to defense-first, bottom-of-the-order platoon player.
There was a time last year when Jarren Duran was in the conversation for becoming an American League All-Star, and did finish with an .828 OPS and 24 stolen bases. But, again, not enough games. Not big enough of a sample size.
The list goes on. All of the starting rotation. All those new relief pitchers. And even the revamped approaches taken by Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. There were signs all of it could work, but until it is Hollywood Hills-level of neon during the regular season, all of it is just guesswork.
As the manager succinctly noted last week, “Hey man, the vibe is real. It’s not fake. If they give trophies for vibes, we’re up there." Note: There are no such trophies.
There are also no awards for carrying optimism that there will be more than just one All-Star this time around.
Go down the aforementioned participants: Devers has adjusted his hands to handle fastballs and it seems to have paid off. Casas certainly looks like the Matt Olson-level of player he exhibited from July and on. O'Neill is healthy and looks the part of a guy who finished eighth in MVP voting three seasons ago. Rafaela will be a difference-maker defensively and has exhibited improved plate discipline. Duran has played like a ball of fire for the past three weeks. Tanner Houck is a year off of back surgery. Garrett Whitlock appears to have unlocked a brand new arsenal of pitches. Nick Pivetta's stuff graded out at the top of all spring training pitchers. Isaiah Campbell. Justin Slaten. Greg Weissert. They offer the kind of intrigue complements the late-inning foundation that is Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen.
And then there is Story.
"I go back to Trevor. He's the guy that sets the tone," Cora told Mego & Jones on WEEI from the Seattle Aquarium Wednesday.
The Red Sox need tone-setters. The Red Sox need no-doubt-about-it-ers. Starting Thursday, the true test begins, for the shortstop and his band of unknowns.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 6:17:26 GMT -5
Refocused and comfortable, Alex Cora is excited to begin his sixth season as Red Sox manager
By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated March 28, 2024, 1 hour ago
FORT MYERS — Perhaps it was the first of the lasts.
As he prepared to leave Fort Myers, it’s entirely possible that Alex Cora had reached his final spring training as manager of the Red Sox. Those with a long history in an organization tend to be aware of such milestones.
Two springs ago, as Xander Bogaerts packed his locker at JetBlue Park, he did so with a sense of resignation that he might never be back. The notion of his potential terminus with the organization became real.
Did Alex Cora — while preparing for his sixth season as Red Sox manager, but his first without a contract beyond the season at hand — feel anything along those lines as he packed his spring condo?
The manager chuckled and shook his head.
“People might feel like I’m B.S.-ing, but I’m very comfortable where I’m at,” said Cora. “I love where we’re at as a team. I love where we are going into the season. So that’s my only thing right now as far as what I’m supposed to do.
“At the end of day, things will take care of themselves. That’s how I see it. The family’s happy. I’m happy. I’m comfortable with everything that is going on. It feels normal. It doesn’t feel normal — it is normal.”
Of course, part of “normal” is Cora accepting that his job status is and will be a source of curiosity. But as he prepared for the year, there was no point where he felt it was necessary to seek clarification about his future — or even open to discuss it entering the final season of the two-year deal (with 2 option years) that he signed in 2021. He’s tried to remain grounded, focused on the more immediate season at hand.
“Whenever we talk, we talk. As of right now, this is where we are,” said Cora. “We understand what are we trying to accomplish and what the focus should be. We’ve been doing an outstanding job as a group.”
Cora clearly doesn’t view himself as a lame duck whose ability to manage or set a tone within the organization is eroding. To the contrary, he expresses considerable satisfaction in how he’s approached the 2024 season — both personally and professionally.
The 2023 season was a distressing one for Cora. He felt drained and unhealthy by the end of a second straight last-place finish, with concerns that had little to do with his Red Sox future and instead reflected his role as a father (his twin boys, Xander and Isander, are now 6; and his daughter Camila is nearing the end of her junior year of college).
“I’ve gotta be there for my family,” said Cora. “My dad passed away when I was 56. I was 13 years old. I looked at the mirror and was like, ‘We’ve got to go. These kids are too young for me not to be part of their lives.’ I’ve gotta be there for them. That’s how it started.”
Cora became a runner in the offseason, joining his partner, Angelica Feliciano, and her brother Jesus as they started training for the Boston Marathon. He maintained his running program throughout the spring, with several members of the Sox organization accompanying him.
On top of that, however, Cora also took stock of the job he’d done in recent years. The Sox had enjoyed a magic carpet ride in 2021, making an unexpected charge to the ALCS in Cora’s return to the dugout from his suspension. He’d helped reset the team’s ambitions following a last-place finish in 2020 and the radical roster reshaping borne by the Mookie Betts trade.
“Coming into ‘21, talking to [former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom] in the offseason, he was telling me that there was a big gap between the Yankees, the Jays, and the Rays. I kept telling him that, No, it’s not that big,” said Cora. “At the end, he believed. That was fun to watch.”
In the last two years, however, with an organizational belief that the Sox were ready to take a step forward, the opposite occurred. In back-to-back years, the Sox were within arm’s reach of a wild card berth at the trade deadline. In both seasons, the team sputtered down the stretch — contributing to Bloom’s dismissal in September 2023, an event that forced introspection from the manager.
“You never want somebody to get fired, right? That was hard,” said Cora. “People can say whatever they want about our relationship. I had a good relationship with Chaim. Professionally, we respected each other. [His firing] kind of hit me, in a sense. I had to challenge myself, because the one thing that I hate to do is lose. I hate it. I hate it. We finished last the last two years.
“Are you a difference-maker or not? That’s for people to form their own opinion. I know what I can do, but it was very hard to see the team fall apart towards the end. I challenged the coaching staff, I challenged myself to be better, and hopefully we’re in a better place.”
Cora spent the offseason trying to rally the organization. He conducted frequent Zooms with players and staff — he estimated that he’d had 40 or 50 in the offseason — talking of the need to re-establish standards.
In the face of doubt, he asked his players to think in bold terms — to talk about winning the World Series. In the face of widespread expectations that the Sox will again finish last, Cora has helped establish a different level of expectation.
“I told them, ‘Hey, I’ve done everything possible this offseason to get in a better place. Now, as a group, we have to go. We have to go. People are gonna doubt us and they’re not going to believe in you guys, but I do believe in you guys, and I think the front office does, too’,” said Cora. “We’ve just got to go.”
For that to happen, Cora must face a new managerial challenge. The Sox are a younger, more inexperienced team than any he’s overseen — and one whose success will be predicated on a different style of baseball than the team has played over his prior five seasons.
Late in the spring, Cora took stock of his defensive alignment: Connor Wong at catcher, Trevor Story at short, Ceddanne Rafaela at second, Jarren Duran in center — on a night when Story, Rafaela, and Duran all made standout defensive plays at those positions.
“It’s a different group, but it’s a good one. We’ve got a chance to mold this group at the big league level the way we want to,” said Cora. “One thing for sure, it’s gonna be a different brand of baseball. We’ll push the envelope because we’ve got some freak athletes out there. That’s the fun part.”
The team is where he’s comfortably focused as the 2024 season begins. He is at peace with his health, at peace with his job, at peace with the idea that there are unknowns in his future that can be answered later.
For now, regardless of whether he is nearing the end of his Red Sox tenure or not, he remains content with where he is.
“I hope it gives me peaceful nights and I keep doing the things that I’m doing right now,” Cora said of his perspective. “We’ll see what happens. From my end, I love it here. I love the fact that my family loves it. [The team’s owners] were great in 2017. They were better after the suspension [in 2020, when he was rehired for 2021]. I appreciate that and they know it. And I tell them every single day when I see them how appreciative I am of being the manager of the Boston Red Sox. But, at the same time, this is where we’re at.”
And just where is that? For Cora, it’s not the end of his tenure — or at least, that’s of little importance, compared to the possibility he sees as the first pitch of his sixth season as Red Sox manager gets thrown Thursday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 6:25:58 GMT -5
What we think we know about the 2024 Boston Red Sox on Opening Day
By Matt Geagan
March 28, 2024 / 5:00 AM EDT / CBS Boston
BOSTON -- If you want to watch the Red Sox open their 2024 season, you better sneak in a nap at some point on Thursday. The team begins the new season on the west coast, which will lead to some late night for Red Sox fans in Boston.
First up for the Red Sox this season is a four-game set against the Seattle Mariners, which gets underway Thursday night at T-Mobile Park. First pitch is set for 10:10 p.m. EST. The late start will have many fans wondering if it's even worth staying up to watch this Red Sox team.
Unfortunately, that question will not be reserved for only late games this season. We're set for another 162-game grind where fans will be constantly questioning if this team is worth the investment of time.
The Red Sox are looking to avoid the basement of the AL East for a third straight season, and after back-to-back 78-win campaigns, the bar has been set pretty low for this team. While fans were fed lines like "full throttle" over the winter, it feels like this team is going to be stuck in the mud for at least another season.
Most fans have a pretty realistic mindset heading into 2024 though, and are just hoping that the team can claw its way back into relevancy. And that is really where the Red Sox sit, on the cusp of becoming completely irrelevant. With the Celtics and the Bruins surging toward the playoffs with title hopes, and the Patriots in the early stages of a franchise rebuild, the Red Sox are merely an afterthought. Once the most popular team in town no matter the win-loss record, the Red Sox are at the bottom of the Boston sports landscape.
Usually that would be the kick in the rear that ownership needs to invest in their team again. But no boot to the backside was felt, and following an offseason that didn't include much addition, there isn't much hope that the Red Sox can avoid being cellar dwellers again.
Who are the stars of the 2024 Red Sox?
Rafael Devers is the biggest star on the team and will be paid like one, with this year the first of his 10-year, $313 million extension. He got off to a really slow start in 2023 before getting hot in July, and finished with 33 homers and 100 RBI -- his third 30/100 season over the last four full seasons. And he did that without much protection in the lineup.
He still won't have much protection in the lineup, but at least Trevor Story is starting the season on the diamond and not on the IL. (As of this writing at least. But a lot can happen in a short span of time with Story.) We'll see if he can play, say, 140 games this season or if he'll require another lengthy stint on the Injured List. Heck, we'd take 120 games in all honesty. When he's in the lineup, Story is a legit bat with plenty of pop to provide some protection for Devers.
Triston Casas is the other legit star on the Sox, though he's more of a star-in-the-making. After he crushed 24 homers and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting last season, it's not unreasonable to think that Casas can send 30 or more out of the yard this season.
Who could be a star for the 2024 Red Sox?
Masataka Yoshida also carries a good amount of star power given his global reach, but he struggled mightily to close out his rookie season last year. Now that he's got a year of MLB experience under his belt, and now that he won't have to worry about playing the field as Boston's DH, we'll see if Yoshida can really emerge in 2024.
Outfielder Jarren Duran has the makings of a star, from his eye-popping catches in the outfield to his blazing speed on the base paths. He's really opened up about his battles with mental health this spring, and it looks and sounds like he's much more comfortable with everything right now. As long as he can avoid the injury bug, Duran should have a big season for Boston.
And Red Sox fans are going to quickly fall in love with Tyler O'Neill and his defense in the outfield. He's also built like a tank, so keep an eye out for some flexing competitions between O'Neill and Duran in the Boston outfield.
Who is going to lead the 2024 Red Sox pitching staff?
You've probably noticed that no Red Sox pitchers have been mentioned thus far. Mostly because the Red Sox don't have many pitchers.
Lucas Giolito was brought in over the offseason to eat innings and pretend to be an ace, but he got hurt and is already done for the year. So the leader of the staff is going to be Brayan Bello until his arm falls off. And hopefully his arm never falls off, because the Red Sox are really banking on him to be the ace of the franchise for the next six years.
It's a lot to ask out of a 24-year-old, but Bello at least looks like he has the makings to fill the role. He had an incredible run through the summer months last season before he ran out of gas in September. He's still working through some things and is far from a finished product, but Bello starts will be appointment viewing -- starting with Opening Day.
After Bello, the Red Sox will be relying on a lot from Nick Pivetta, who should be able to eat a ton of innings. And they have to hope that Kutter Crawford continues his development and emerges as a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy (he had a great spring), and Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck can hold things down at the backend of the rotation. There really isn't a margin of error for the rotation, which really could have used another veteran arm.
Hopefully the Red Sox aren't ravaged by injuries on their pitching staff and fans don't have to survive through a summer that has Alex Cora turning to two "openers" for a large stretch of time. But don't be shocked by a handful of bullpen days throughout the season.
Which young players will Red Sox fans fall in love with in 2024?
Ceddanne Rafaela has everyone's attention heading into the new season, and is making quite the case to be on the Opening Day roster. He can cover a crazy amount of ground in the outfield, and though he doesn't have a ton of experience in the minors, he enjoyed success at the plate at every level. He's one to keep an eye on throughout the season no matter where he's playing ball.
Second baseman Vaughn Grissom is a young player to watch when he returns from injury. Acquired from the Braves in the Chris Sale trade, Grissom should be the team's everyday second baseman for years to come. He has 66 games of Major League experience from his time with the Braves, batting .287 with five homers over two stints.
You can also add Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke, and Roman Anthony, as all three could make an appearance in Boston at some point. Potentially even a permanent appearance.
One name to really keep an eye on though is Kyle Teel, who is just a few months removed from being the 14th overall pick in the 2023 Draft. He played in 26 games in the Red Sox system after being drafted and reached the Double-A level, where the lefty backstop hit .323 and three of his 10 hits went for extra bases over nine games.
We should see a much bigger sample of Teel at Double-A this season, but he probably won't be there for very long.
Most of the aforementioned players should be ready to rock by 2025. It's a big reason why the Red Sox are treating 2024 as a bridge season, though they're having a real tough time admitting it.
Is the Red Sox defense going to be better in 2024?
It can't be worse, can it? We don't think so, but if that's the way the Red Sox want to take this challenge, that should be entertaining too.
The 2023 Red Sox were a historically bad defensive team. And many of the main players will be back, minus the team's lone Gold Glove finalist in Alex Verdugo, which is worrisome. Devers has led the American League in errors in each of the last six seasons, and that probably isn't going to change this year.
With Story sidelined for most of last season, the Red Sox had a revolving door at both shortstop and second base. Shortstop will have some stability this year if Story stays healthy, and second base should have some stability when Grissom gets healthy. While Story's arm strength is an issue, he's a savvy defensive player with solid range and quickness. Boston's defense up the middle should be much improved.
And the outfield shouldn't be that bad either, with Duran and O'Neill plus defenders, Rafaela showing loads of potential in center, and Wilyer Abreu possessing an absolute cannon of an arm. Just getting Yoshida out of the outfield is a big win for the Boston defense.
So, yes, the defense should better this year. But being better than last year's team won't be very difficult.
Is Alex Cora on the hot seat in 2024?
The Red Sox manager doesn't seem like a very happy camper, and rightfully so. He hasn't been given a very good team to work with, and following two straight last-place finishes, his job is pretty much on the line this season.
It certainly doesn't help that Cora is currently a lame duck manager, sitting without a contract after this season. It's extremely rare that a skipper goes into a new season without years on his deal; teams either extend their manager or fire them before it reaches this point.
So here we are with Cora, who isn't happy about his roster and likely isn't happy that he isn't signed beyond this season. Having a manager that wants to win and a front office that hasn't set him up to succeed -- or committed to him past this season -- could be a ticking timebomb for the Red Sox.
Remember when Cora left Kyle Barraclough in to give up 10 runs last season? We could get a few more spite nights like that out of the manager this season. If Cora gets to his breaking point, perhaps we'll see him pull a Costanza and drive around the streets of Boston with one of the World Series trophies tied to the back of his car.
What are realistic expectations for the 2024 Boston Red Sox?
The expectation is that the Red Sox should be better than what they've been the last two seasons. They are, after all, the Boston Red Sox.
Last year's team was "in the wild card race" for most of the summer, before the front office waived the white flag at the deadline and everyone just kinda quit on the season. Hopefully this year's team can get off to a good start and be flirting with the playoffs at the deadline again, but this time around the front office actually goes out and adds some help at the deadline. That's when we'll see if Craig Breslow is different than the old regime, or if he's just another Chaim Bloom clone.
But Breslow didn't really invest in this team over the winter, barely adding an arm to the rotation. And when that arm (Giolito) was lost for the season, he didn't even bother to replace it.
The messaging early in the winter was that ownership and the front office was going to do everything they could to get the Red Sox back to being the Red Sox. But the transaction wire says otherwise. Their lack of anything this offseason tells us this is going to be a bridge year with the focus on 2025 and beyond.
That doesn't make the 2024 Red Sox all that exciting, and it means the season could really go south in a hurry. That could make things interesting, especially if Cora makes it clear that he doesn't want to stick around anymore. But things could get real ugly too. Real ugly.
Maybe things will be better for the Red Sox this season. But even if everything goes right, chances are it will only be a little bit better. They are in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, and the Orioles, Rays, Blue Jays, and Yankees all want to win now. If only the Red Sox had that same mindset.
It'd be nice to believe that the team will remain relevant -- both in the playoff picture and in the Boston sports scene -- throughout the summer and into the early days of next fall. But it's more likely that the Red Sox will be merely an afterthought for yet another season. When they're not losing eyeballs to the Celtics and the Bruins in the playoffs, chances are the Red Sox will be losing out to binge-worthy shows, spending time with family, and watching fireflies.
Simply put, there will be much more entertaining things to do this summer than watching another irrelevant Red Sox team.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 11:31:40 GMT -5
Red Sox Select Joely Rodriguez, Naoyuki Uwasawa
By Steve Adams | March 28, 2024 at 11:28am CDT
The Red Sox announced Thursday that they’ve selected the contracts of left-hander Joely Rodriguez and right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa — the latter of whom was just acquired from the Rays yesterday. Rodriguez will head straight to the MLB roster, while Uwasawa has been optioned to extended spring training. Righty Liam Hendriks (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and southpaw Chris Murphy (UCL sprain) have been placed on the 60-day IL to create 40-man roster space. Boston also placed righty Bryan Mata (hamstring strain) on the 15-day IL and placed infielder Vaughn Grissom (hamstring strain) and utilityman Rob Refsnyder (broken toe) on the 10-day IL.
More to come.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 11:33:35 GMT -5
Red Sox 2024 opener vs. Mariners: How to watch, stream, starting pitchers
Updated: Mar. 28, 2024, 10:36 a.m.|Published: Mar. 28, 2024, 8:03 a.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
SEATTLE — Brayan Bello, who signed a $55 million extension during spring training, will start the Red Sox’ 2024 opener Thursday against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. eastern. The game will air on NESN.
The 24-year-old righty will start opposite fellow Dominican Republic native Luis Castillo who posted a 3.34 ERA in 33 starts last year.
Bello, whose new contract has the chance to max out at $75 million, had a 4.24 ERA in 28 starts in 2023.
Boston enters the 2024 season with an Opening Day roster expected to include 21 players who were on the team last year. The Red Sox’ payroll starts the season at approximately $217 million, including $10 million for in-season moves and bonuses.
Boston Red Sox vs. Seattle Mariners (Opening Day 2024), March 28
Start time: 10:10 p.m. EST
Pitching probables: RHP Brayan Bello vs. RHP Luis Castillo
TV channel: NESN, MLB Network out of market (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling)
Live stream: NESN 360; fuboTV (free trial); or Sling; or DirecTV Stream
Radio: WEEI 93.7 FM
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 11:37:38 GMT -5
Red Sox set 2024 Opening Day roster
6 minutes ago
BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today set their 2024 Opening Day 26-man roster by making the following moves:
Selected left-handed pitcher Joely Rodriguez to the active Major League roster.
Selected right-handed pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa to the Major League roster and optioned him to the club’s Spring Training Complex.
Placed right-handed pitcher Liam Hendriks on the 60-Day Injured List due to recovery from right UCL surgery.
Placed left-handed pitcher Chris Murphy on the 60-Day Injured List with a left UCL sprain.
Placed right-handed pitcher Bryan Mata on the 15-Day Injured List (retroactive to March 25) with a right hamstring strain.
Placed infielder Vaughn Grissom on the 10-Day Injured List (retroactive to March 25) with a left hamstring strain.
Placed outfielder Rob Refsnyder on the 10-Day Injured List (retroactive to March 25) with a left toe fracture.
The Red Sox’ 2024 Opening Day Roster is attached and below.
BOSTON RED SOX ACTIVE ROSTER (26)
Pitchers (13): Chase Anderson, Brayan Bello, Isaiah Campbell, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin, Nick Pivetta, Joely Rodriguez, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Josh Winckowski
Catchers (2): Reese McGuire, Connor Wong
Infielders (4): Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, Trevor Story, Enmanuel Valdez
Outfielders (4): Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Tyler O’Neill, Masataka Yoshida
Infielder/Outfielders (3): Bobby Dalbec, Ceddanne Rafaela, Pablo Reyes
10-DAY INJURED LIST (2)
Infielders (1): Vaughn Grissom
Outfielders (1): Rob Refsnyder
15-DAY INJURED LIST (1)
Pitchers (1): Bryan Mata
60-DAY INJURED LIST (3)
Pitchers (3): Lucas Giolito, Liam Hendriks, Chris Murphy
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 11:39:18 GMT -5
Five Red Sox Opening Day thoughts: Weak links, bright spots and more
A lot is riding on Boston's 10-game West Coast swing to start the season.
By John Tomase, Red Sox Insider • Published 28 mins ago • Updated 23 mins ago
Five Red Sox thoughts ahead of Thursday's opening night in Seattle ...
Tone-setting trip
The season-opening West Coast trip can really set the tone for a season. The 2018 title defense opened in Seattle with three losses in four games, and by the time the 2019 Red Sox staggered home to face the Blue Jays, they were 3-8 and not exactly feeling celebratory. They never recovered.
In 2008, they took three of four from the A's, though the first two were played in Tokyo as part of Daisuke Matsuzaka's homecoming. That season ended in Game 7 of the ALCS.
The 2000 Red Sox returned from a six-game swing through Seattle and Anaheim with a 2-4 record and major questions about the non-Pedro Martinez portions of the starting rotation that they never answered en route to 85 wins.
The 1997 and 1998 teams each started out west and neither posted a winning record, though the former came close. Ricky Trlicek's walk-off walk lost the finale to the A's and dropped the Sox to 4-4. They won 78 games that year, though a young shortstop named Nomar Garciaparra burst onto the scene and a year later the Sox were a playoff team.
If history is any guide, the Red Sox will be sub-.500 when they play the home opener in a couple of weeks. That's a rough way to start the season.
Setting expectations for the Red Sox in 2024
Felger and Mazz debate what a reasonable goal for this Red Sox team should be in 2024, and what contention would look like into September.
The one weak link
That said, I don't expect the Red Sox to go wire to wire in last place. There's enough offense to keep them afloat, and the young rotation could surprise us -- for a time. Tanner Houck added more velocity than any pitcher this spring and Garrett Whitlock remade his physique. Fellow righty Kutter Crawford finished strong and could improve. There is some upside.
But the team needed Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell to kick one of the young guys to the bullpen. They have zero depth and basically nowhere to turn when injuries inevitably strike.
They talked up Cooper Criswell in spring training, but he'll open the season in Worcester. Late veteran addition Chase Anderson has an ERA over 6.00 over the last four seasons. They just acquired Naoyuki Uwasawa from the Rays after he got lit up in spring training.
It all fell apart last year when the Red Sox couldn't patch holes in their rotation. The bullpen held things together for a time, but August is the month of attrition, and it's easy to envision a similar scenario unfolding this year.
Trade deadline turning point?
The Vegas over/under win total ranges from 75.5 to 79.5, which is a pretty big swing. It's easy to envision a scenario where the Red Sox go waaaaay under, however, and that will be determined on July 31.
Last year, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom lost the confidence of ownership when he failed to trade veterans like James Paxton or Justin Turner who weren't pieces of the future. Replacement Craig Breslow arrived promising to be more aggressive, and I suspect we'll finally see it at the trade deadline.
If the Red Sox aren't realistic contenders, look for Breslow to deal any veteran on a short-term deal. Closer Kenley Jansen and setup man Chris Martin are two obvious candidates, and starter Nick Pivetta and outfielder Tyler O'Neill could easily end up on the block, too.
Stripping the roster for parts might be the wise move in the long-term, but it could crater the team in the second half.
On the upswing?
A couple of players I expect to take major steps forward are first baseman Triston Casas and shortstop Trevor Story.
The former was a top-10 hitter in baseball in the second half last year and has the potential to dominate the middle of a lineup. The latter is fully healed from injury and ready to show the full extent of his skills as a Gold Glove-caliber fielder, smart, athletic baserunner, and decent power hitter. He also has stepped forward as a leader.
Meet the new guys
On the other end of the spectrum, I like his bat, but we'll see how rookie Vaughn Grissom handles everyday reps at second base, where his defense remains a work in progress.
I'm also concerned about O'Neill's ability to hit right-handed pitching, although Thursday marks a rare opportunity for the former Cardinal. Courtesy the incomparable Sarah Langs of MLB.com, O'Neill is trying to surpass Todd Hundley, Gary Carter, and Yogi Berra as the only player to homer on five straight opening days.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 13:53:46 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
·
1h
#RedSox roster moves:
RHP Liam Hendriks: 60-day IL.
LHP Chris Murphy: 60-day IL.
RHP Bryan Mata: 15-day IL (retroactive to 3-25).
INF Vaughn Grissom: 10-day IL (retroactive to 3-25).
OF Rob Refsnyder: 10-day IL (retroactive to 3-25).
Selected LHP Joely Rodriguez to MLB roster.
Also:
Selected RHP Naoyuki Uwasawa to the MLB roster and optioned him to the spring training complex.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 13:55:02 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
Red Sox last opened the season in Seattle on March 28, 2019 with a 12-4 loss.
Of the 28 players who appeared in the game that day, only Rafael Devers (Sox) and Mitch Haniger (Mariners) and Dylan Moore (Mariners) will be on the rosters today.
3:06 PM · Mar 28, 2024
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2024 14:15:25 GMT -5
RED SOX AT MARINERS | 10:10 P.M. (NESN)
Game 1: It’s Opening Day! Here are your Red Sox and Mariners lineups and notes.By Katie McInerney Globe Staff,Updated March 28, 2024, 9:24 a.m. Baseball is back. Yes, it’s raining in Boston. The Red Sox don’t play until 10 p.m. There are questions about the starting rotation, about Alex Cora’s future, about the fearsome AL East and if Boston can contend sometime soon. But let’s put that aside for a moment and appreciate that Opening Day is here once again — and so are your Red Sox preview stories. Here’s a look at what to expect for Game 1. Lineups RED SOX (0-0): Jarren Duran (L) LF Rafael Devers (L) 3B Trevor Story (R) SS Triston Casas (L) 1B Tyler O'Neill (R) RF Masataka Yoshida (L) DH Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF Enmanuel Valdez (L) 2B Connor Wong (R) C Pitching: RHP Brayan Bello MARINERS (0-0): J.P. Crawford (L) SS Julio Rodríguez (R) CF Jorge Polanco (S) 2B Mitch Garver (R) DH Cal Raleigh (S) C Mitch Haniger (R) RF Dominic Canzone (L) LF Ty France (R) 1B Josh Rojas (L) 3B Pitching: RHP Luis Castillo Time: 10:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Castillo: Triston Casas 1-2, Rafael Devers 1-6, Jarren Duran 1-3, Reese McGuire 0-2, Tyler O’Neill 7-32, Pablo Reyes 0-3, Trevor Story 0-5, Enmanuel Valdez 0-1, Masataka Yoshida 2-3 Mariners vs. Bello: Dominic Canzone 1-3, J.P. Crawford 0-4, Ty France 2-6, Mitch Garver 2-4, Cal Raleigh 1-3, Luke Raley 1-7, Julio Rodríguez 1-6, Josh Rojas 0-3, Taylor Trammell 0-2, Luis Urías 0-2, Seby Zavala 1-2 Stat of the day: This is Luis Castillo’s fourth Opening Day start and his second with the Mariners. Notes: The Mariners finished 88-74 last season, a game back of Toronto for the American League’s third and final wild-card berth. ... Strikeout-prone sluggers Eugenio Suarez and Teoscar Hernandez are gone, via a trade and free agency, respectively. Suarez netted right-hander Carlos Vargas and backup catcher Seby Zavala from Arizona. ... The Mariners sent injured left-hander Robbie Ray to San Francisco for outfielder Mitch Haniger and right-hander Anthony DeSclafani. Then they flipped DeSclafani, right-handed reliever Justin Topa and a pair of minor-leaguers to Minnesota for second baseman Jorge Polanco. ... The Mariners also sent right-handed reliever Isaiah Campbell to Boston for third baseman Luis Urias, and ditched the contracts of pitcher Marco Gonzales, first baseman Evan White and outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Atlanta for a pair of pitchers who won’t be available this season because of injuries. ... Castillo is 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA in two previous starts against Boston. ... Today is Bello’s first Opening Day start. Bello is 2-0 with a 4.09 ERA in two previous starts against Seattle.
Song of the Day: Aerosmith "Rats in the Cellarwww.youtube.com/watch?v=-_fK0u7uobE
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Mar 28, 2024 16:23:29 GMT -5
After a too long offseason, I am very excited for the start of the season. It stinks that we're starting on the west coast with so many games starting after 9:30 pm. I'll have to DVR them and watch the ends of the games the following day. Oh well, at least baseball is back. Let's go! It's time. I usually like to go out for OD, but the weather is kind of bleak, so Imma going to take a nap and wake up in a couple of hours. |
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 29, 2024 5:24:00 GMT -5
O'Neill's record-setting homer opens season 'with a bang'
4:02 AM ADT
Ian Browne
Ian Browne
@ianmbrowne
SEATTLE -- If you want a home run on Opening Day, Tyler O'Neill is your guy.
And on Thursday night at T-Mobile Park, the outfielder made history in his debut for the Red Sox, helping his new club to a 6-4 victory in the process.
The right-handed hitter mashed a solo homer to right-center for a big insurance run in the top of the eighth, becoming the first AL/NL player to go deep in five straight Opening Days.
Per the Elias Sports Bureau, O’Neill entered the day tied with Todd Hundley (1994-97) and a pair of Hall of Famers in Gary Carter (1977-80) and Yogi Berra (1955-58).
By the time the game was over, O’Neill had the milestone baseball on the shelf of his locker.
“I knew what was going on, for sure,” O’Neill said. “I just wanted to be patient up there. Get something over the plate that I could handle.”
It seems that nobody handles Opening Day quite like O’Neill. How is he always able to come out of the gate firing?
“I don’t know, it has to be something to do with the pregame ceremony or something,” quipped O’Neill. “It’s fun. You always want to kick the season off with a bang. Fortunately, I have been able to do it [five] times in a row now. Just having a lot of fun out there.”
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Roughly three hours before the game started, Red Sox manager Alex Cora had the line of the day when asked why he decided to start O’Neill against a righty ace in Luis Castillo.
“I’ve got a five-game losing streak on Opening Day and he has a four-game home run streak on Opening Day, so analytics,” joked Cora, who won the season opener for the first time in six tries as a manager.
The homer came off a different righty in Cody Bolton, and O’Neill smashed his first-pitch sweeper at an exit velocity of 104.3 mph and a projected distance of 394 feet, per Statcast.
In this day and age, history-making feats don’t take long to spread through the dugout.
“A bunch of guys in the dugout, they were giving me big-time props when I came in,” O’Neill said. “I was pretty fired up myself going around first base. It was such a whirlwind, honestly.”
Making it even sweeter for O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, British Columbia, is that Seattle is the closest Major League city to where he grew up, giving him a chance to have 20 of his family members and friends come to the game.
“I have my parents in town,” O’Neill said. “I have my in-laws in town. I have some extended family. Some friends. Some high school friends. Friends I played baseball with coming up.”
Trips to T-Mobile Park are always nostalgic for O’Neill, who was selected 85th overall by the Mariners in the third round of the 2013 MLB Draft.
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“I would come out here once or twice a year,” O’Neill said. “When I started playing baseball at 10 or 11 years old, my parents would make a trip, bring me and my sister down here to watch a ballgame. It was only three hours from our house, so it feels like a hometown kid a little bit in this area. I love playing in Seattle. I like the city a lot. I like the weather.”
For O’Neill, making this type of home run history in Seattle felt like a backyard dream from his youth.
“Baseball is a funny game,” O’Neil said. “It brings everything home like that. It’s really special to have the family in town, see me be out there and compete and play hard. I’m having a blast.”
The addition of O’Neill will be key for the Red Sox if he can stay healthy for the first time since 2021, when he finished eighth in the race for the National League Most Valuable Player Award. O’Neill plays with the type of passion that should make him a perfect fit in Boston.
“It’s been amazing,” said O’Neill. “I love wearing this uniform. I’m having a blast. The boys are awesome. The communication here has been great. Everybody is rooting for each other here, and it’s easy to pull for everyone.”
Rafael Devers, Boston’s star slugger, helped set the tone by launching a two-run homer to left-center to open the scoring in the top of the third.
O’Neill did what he could to make sure that early rocket from Devers stood up and made a winner out of Brayan Bello in his first Opening Day start.
“Yeah, what a day,” said O’Neill.
And surely one he will never forget.
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