Every obituary and remembrance will tell you about a resumé that was nearly unparalleled, especially in the baseball department. His tenures as president of the Orioles and president and CEO of the Padres were transformational, highlighted by the construction of Baltimore’s Camden Yards, and San Diego’s Petco Park.

Together with principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner, Lucchino ushered in a new golden age of Boston baseball: the Sox reversed the ‘Curse of the Bambino’ in 2004, one of seven postseason runs and the first of a trio of championships (2007, 2013). He then spearheaded the purchase of their Triple-A club, which he moved from Pawtucket, R.I., to a beautiful, award-winning new home in Worcester, breathing new life into the ‘Heart of the Commonwealth.’

As Commissioner Rob Manfred summed it up, he was “one of the most accomplished executives that our industry has ever had.”

You will read time and time again about this visionary, a champion of this game the likes of which it may never be blessed with again. Lucchino was passionate about putting MLB on the world stage, helping facilitate regular-season games in Mexico (‘96 Padres), Hawaii (‘97 Padres) and Japan (‘08 Sox). He had a keen eye for talent, including bringing Theo Epstein to Boston as the youngest general manager in MLB history.

In an era in which many teams sought to construct modern ballparks, Lucchino, a history major at Princeton, was a staunch proponent of retro designs. He took care to incorporate traditional ballpark elements into each new venue, and spearheaded the preservation of Fenway Park. When current ownership took over the Sox in 2002 and his longtime right-hand man, Dr. Charles Steinberg, asked if Boston was about to get a new ballpark, the new president replied, “You preserve the Mona Lisa!”

Between May 2003 and April 2013, the not-new, but improved Fenway set a Major League record with 820 consecutive home sellouts.

About a decade later, Lucchino proved once again how much he valued Fenway when the Red Sox moved into their new spring training complex in Fort Myers. He’d overseen the design of JetBlue Park, including its near-exact replicas of the Green Monster and manual scoreboard.

He’s the only person in history with a Super Bowl ring (Washington Redskins), a World Series ring – let alone five – and an NCAA Final Four watch (he played varsity basketball at Princeton). He was also the first person to refer to the Yankees as the “Evil Empire.”

He was a force, a titan, argumentative, exacting, stubborn, someone who strove for and demanded excellence. He was also kind, a father figure to many, and immensely generous, and philanthropic. He co-founded the Orioles Foundation, Padres Foundation and Red Sox Foundation, and served as the chairman of the Jimmy Fund from 2016 until his passing. While beating three different types of cancer between 1985 and 2019, he worked tirelessly in every way he could to make baseball better for fans, because at heart, he was one of them.

Somehow, this is all an understatement for a man who should’ve been enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame long ago.

So, I’d also like to share a little bit about the Larry Lucchino I had the honor of getting to know.

We met for the first time almost a decade ago, before I began working in sports. My family was attending a Fenway concert as guests of a friend, and when we arrived, we were surprised to find out that we’d be sitting in one of the suites. As we walked, I recall telling my father that we were probably getting to do this because no one important needed the space, since the team wasn’t playing.

Of course, it was Larry who opened the door.

To someone who’d grown up just down the street before and while he transformed the Red Sox, he was a rock star in his own right.

“It’s you,” I said. Then, realizing that I sounded very lame, I managed to add, “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Lucchino. I’m such a big fan.”

“Call me Larry,” he said with a smile. “So, you like baseball?”

Just like that, I found myself talking about baseball, music, and Mexican food with the great Larry Lucchino.

Two years later, we met again, under even more unexpected circumstances. A friend who worked for the team offered to give me a ride home from a dinner in Chestnut Hill, but said they had to make a quick stop to drop off a gift the Sox had for Derek Jeter, of all people. When we pulled into the driveway of this beautiful house, they insisted I be the one to ring the doorbell.

Once again, Larry opened the door.

“Hello,” he said, looking equal parts confused and amused by what was, unbeknownst to me, an ambush by our mutual friend.

“I’m so sorry to bother you so late,” I replied, utterly mortified to be showing up unannounced on what was clearly his doorstep. “We’re just here to drop off the Jeter gift.”

“You’ll probably appreciate my baseball room,” Larry said. He proceeded to give me a quick tour of a baseball fan’s equivalent to Disneyland. Then, he told me to open one of the doors near the foyer, and suddenly, I was standing in front of his 2004, 2007, and 2013 World Series trophies.

He got such a kick out of surprising baseball fans in such ways. In recent years, those trophies sat in his suite at Polar Park, and he delighted in watching fans gaze into the case.

Next week marks seven years since I wrote my first-ever story about the Red Sox. Someone forwarded it to Larry, and he responded with encouragement.

He was someone who still got newspapers delivered. More than once after I began reporting for the Herald, he called to discuss something I’d written, or texted to inform me that it had been too long since I’d been to a WooSox game. I hope I properly conveyed how much it all meant to me.

Larry Lucchino will live on in the historic details he thoughtfully included in his ballparks and in the countless lives he touched, including mine. Baseball won’t be the same without him, but it is infinitely better because of him.

Wakefield and his wife Stacy both recently passed away after battling cancer, and the club plans to pay tribute to the pair as part of the pregame festivities as well. Schilling, who drew the ire of teammates and club officials after disclosing the Wakefields’ cancer diagnoses without their permission, was invited to participate but declined the offer in order to avoid taking any attention away from the Wakefields.

When news initially broke that Schilling had been invited, there was speculation that his presence might invite backlash from former teammates. But at least one member of the 2004 Red Sox says there wasn’t any kind of player pushback, with former outfielder Trot Nixon saying Tuesday that the whole situation was a shame but that Schilling’s presence wouldn’t have been a distraction, at least not to him.

“Everything that happened with that was very unfortunate and could’ve been worded differently, but hopefully there was no ill-will towards that,” said Nixon, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Polar Park for the WooSox home opener on Tuesday. “I still can’t believe when I say Timmy’s name that he’s not here and his wife Stacy, I believe Stacy really wanted the team to be together and considering everything they went through with that and Schill not being here, that’s his decision, it wasn’t anything that we asked for or anything like that.”

Nixon will be in attendance at Fenway Park next Tuesday, and for the former Red Sox outfielder the 2004 World Series championship still feels like it was just yesterday. The idea that the historic season’s 20th anniversary is coming up had never occurred to him, he said, until former teammate Derek Lowe mentioned it recently.

“It’s amazing how fast time flies,” said Nixon, who spent 10 of his 12 big league seasons in Boston. “I can’t believe it’s 20 years. It’s a reminder of how old I’m getting.”

Now 49, Nixon has settled into family life since his big league career ended after the 2008 season. These days he spends much of his time watching his sons Chase and Luke play Division 1 baseball at North Carolina State, but says he maintains a deep connection with the Red Sox and their fans, many of whom still stop him to bring up the 2004 championship to this day.

“When fans can recognize me now when I’m up here now, deep down it’s a tremendous appreciation,” Nixon said. “Even if I’m in North Carolina and I run across someone who is from Massachusetts and they stop me and quietly talk to me, I’m like wow, that’s amazing.”

In addition to throwing out the first pitch in Worcester on Tuesday and taking part in the Red Sox home opener next week, Nixon will also be inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame later this spring alongside former teammates Dustin Pedroia and Jonathan Papelbon.

“It was a dream come true,” Nixon said of his time in Boston. “Not only to win a championship but to be able to play in an atmosphere like Fenway Park for the 10 years I did, it was the greatest thrill.”

And with him, so did an integral part of Red Sox history.

John Henry famously told the listeners of “Felger and Mazz” back in 2011 that “Larry Lucchino runs the Red Sox.”

During the time Lucchino “ran the Red Sox,” the team won the World Series three times. In 2004, 2007 and 2013. They also lost Game 7 of the ALCS twice  – on the road – by a combined score of 9-6.

They were “The Other Dynasty.”

Lucchino became Red Sox president and CEO on Nov. 15, 2001. In the 14 seasons that followed under his administration, the Red Sox finished over .500 11 times and made the postseason in 7 seasons.

The Red Sox were 1,247-1,021 (.549) on Lucchino’s watch. Lucchino’s Red Sox won 95 or more games six times. They also finished last three times. Swing big. Miss big. The current Red Sox have finished last in 3 of the past 4 seasons playing the smallest ball possible.

More importantly, Lucchino’s Red Sox tried to win every inning. Every game. Every series. Every season.

Lucchino saw the cash-cow potential in Fenway Park and realized how its milk and honey could be used to finance the most successful MLB franchise during the first two decades of the 21st century.

Not soccer teams. NASCAR teams. Hockey teams. Or the PGA Tour.

And fans rewarded that passion with five seasons of more than 3 million in attendance during Lucchino’s time with the Red Sox, in addition to monstrous ratings on NESN and WEEI. Lucchino was raised in Pittsburgh and attended Yale Law School. But he got it when it came to the Red Sox and the once-unbreakable emotional relationship the team shared with its fan base.

Now that passion, too, has died on both sides of the equation.

Lucchino more so than any other person in the front office changed the historic trajectory of the Red Sox. Dan Duquette came close. But he never got the chance to finish the job.

There was never any concern about salary limitations, luxury taxes, or balancing the books for the Fenway Sports Group.

Lucchino was an OG Jedi Master. He gave us the “Evil Empire” and then oversaw the Red Sox team that blew up the Death Star 20 years ago. Nothing in the Bronx has been the same since. It got so bad they tore the place down four years later.

“The evil empire extends its tentacles even into Latin America,” Lucchino quipped after the Yankees outbid the Red Sox and others for Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras in December 2002.

That non-deal, much like the non-deal that almost brought Alex Rodriguez to the Red Sox, turned out to be a blessing.

Still, the Red Sox never quit trying to get better under Lucchino.

Lucchino was a “killer” in the most non-violent sense of the word. His impact on baseball was clear before he arrived in Boston as part of John Henry’s ownership cabal. While the aloof Henry and his squishy Hollywood pal Tom Werner had the cash, Lucchino delivered the brains and guts of the operation.

Henry said as much in a statement issued by the team above his name Tuesday.

Lucchino “engineered the ideal conditions for championships wherever his path led him, and especially in Boston,” Henry said.

“Yet, perhaps his most enduring legacy lies in the remarkable people he helped assemble at the Red Sox, all of whom are a testament to his training, wisdom, and mentorship. Many of them continue to shape the organization today, carrying forward the same vigor, vitality, and cherished sayings that were hallmarks of Larry’s personality. Larry was a formidable opponent in any arena,” Henry added. “I was lucky enough to have had him in my corner for 14 years and to have called him a close friend for even longer. He was truly irreplaceable.”

Lucchino was president of the Baltimore Orioles when that team built Camden Yards, the first of its kind inner-city ballpark that has been the template of nearly every new MLB park since. He brought Theo Epstein with him to San Diego from Baltimore, and then to Boston.

Lucchino knew that spending and winning went hand-in-hand. And Lucchino knew enough to know what he didn’t know. It was Lucchino who saw enough potential in Epstein to make him Red Sox general manager at age 28.

Theo tried to warn the masses that 2010 was going to be a “bridge year.” Soon he felt enough heat from his boss and lifetime mentor to walk it back. The 2010 Red Sox fell short of the postseason and finished 89-73.

2011 was also a “bridge year” given how many Red Sox fans wanted to leap off the Tobin into an endless metaphorical bucket of chicken and beer after it was over.

The wreckage of baseball’s “Greatest Team Ever” in 2011 wrought the Bobby Valentine Error in 2012.

And just when it seemed the Red Sox franchise had ended its “Dynasty,” the 2013 season delivered a poignant triumph that no one who experienced it will ever forget.

The Red Sox begin their celebration of 2004 before Fenway Park Opening Day on Tuesday. Given the team’s solid start on the West Coast, the game should be sold out by the time fans will be asked to find their seats ahead of the pre-game ceremonies.

Raffy Devers and the Men of Mystery had baseball’s lowest team ERA (1.26) after their first five games. They only walked one opposing batter, granted the Oakland A’s are no longer an official MLB team. The Red Sox also opened 5-0 against the baseball run line (think point spread).

The team will honor the late Tim and Stacy Wakefield before Tuesday’s opener.

And now, Lucchino, sadly, will also be remembered posthumously for his success with the Red Sox.

The end of an era, indeed. In so many ways.

Bill Speros (@RealOBF and @BillSperos) can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com.

Yet when it came time to make the final roster cuts at the end of camp, Bernardino was shockingly demoted.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the decision to option Bernardino to Triple-A was largely roster driven — fellow lefty Joely Rodriguez had to be added to the big league roster or he’d become a free agent, and Bernardino had minor league options remaining. Yet even if it wasn’t a reflection of his performance, the move was a bitter disappointment for Bernardino, who was one of last season’s greatest success stories.

“It is what it is, I’m trying my best to be in the best form I can be in so whenever that phone does ring I can do my job,” Bernardino said prior to Tuesday’s WooSox home opener.

Chad Tracy, the WooSox manager, said Bernardino has handled the setback remarkably well. He called the lefty “an incredible human being” and expressed confidence that his stay in Worcester won’t be long.

“I’m sure he was disappointed like any of us would be, but we had him here before, he knows and we expressed to him when he got here we’re going to do everything we can to get you off on the right foot and get you back there,” Tracy said. “He wants to get back, so yes there’s disappointment with all of them when that happens, especially when you think you’re going to make the club. But then their instinct kicks in, I’ve got to get back to work because I want to get back, but he’s been incredible since he’s been back down here.”

The WooSox opened their season by taking two out of three against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and during that series Bernardino appeared in one game, throwing a scoreless inning in the club’s season-opening loss on Friday. Even if he’d prefer to be with the big league club, Bernardino said he’s excited for the new season and is striving to improve no matter where he is.

“I’m just trying to get my stuff as tight as I can, my breaking ball, my cutter, fastball, try to get ahead of counts, just be the best I can be,” Bernardino said. “So really nothing’s changed, I’m just trying to be the best I can be no matter where I’m at.”

Lucchino served as Red Sox president and CEO from 2002 to 2015, a period that coincided with one of the greatest stretches in franchise history. In addition to the club’s historic championships in 2004, 2007 and 2013, Lucchino also played an integral role in the modernization of Fenway Park and in his later years served as principal owner of the Worcester Red Sox.

“We are heartbroken to share that our beloved brother and uncle, Lawrence Lucchino, passed away on April 2 surrounded by his family,” his family said in a statement released by the Red Sox. “The Lucchino family wishes to thank his friends and caregivers who, over the past few months, have surrounded him with love, laughter, and happy memories.”

Prior to his time in Boston, Lucchino served as President of the Baltimore Orioles (1988-93) and President/CEO of the San Diego Padres (1995-2001). He was deeply involved in the creation of Camden Yards, the Orioles’ game-changing new ballpark that opened in 1993, and laid the groundwork for the eventual creation of the Padres new ballpark, Petco Park, which opened in 2004. He later helped bring together future Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner. The group purchased the franchise ahead of the 2002 season.

“Larry’s career unfolded like a playbook of triumphs, marked by transformative moments that reshaped ballpark design, enhanced the fan experience, and engineered the ideal conditions for championships wherever his path led him, and especially in Boston,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry.

“Yet, perhaps his most enduring legacy lies in the remarkable people he helped assemble at the Red Sox, all of whom are a testament to his training, wisdom, and mentorship,” Henry added. “Many of them continue to shape the organization today, carrying forward the same vigor, vitality, and cherished sayings that were hallmarks of Larry’s personality. Larry was a formidable opponent in any arena, and while he battled hard, he always maintained the utmost respect for a worthy adversary and found genuine joy in sparring with people. I was lucky enough to have had him in my corner for 14 years and to have called him a close friend for even longer. He was truly irreplaceable and will be missed by all of us at the Red Sox.”

Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner added: “When John and I joined forces with Larry in 2001, we dreamed not only of breaking an 86-year curse and winning multiple Championships, but also about how a baseball team could transform and uplift a region.

“Larry was more decorated in sports than any of us, coming to the group with a Super Bowl ring, a World Series ring, and even a Final Four watch from his days playing basketball at Princeton,” Werner said. “He added to that impressive collection with us in Boston because he was the kind of man who would find a path to success no matter the obstacles. He was bold and had the audacity to dare, challenge, and even taunt our rivals in ways that made the game of baseball better. In a sport defined by statistics and standings, he was accomplished in every way, and while his career is a masterclass in leadership and innovation, he will be equally remembered for his unwavering commitment to community engagement and his hands-on role with the Red Sox Foundation and The Jimmy Fund. We are devasted by the loss of a great man, a great leader, and a great friend.”

In addition to his accomplishments in the baseball world, Lucchino was also an active philanthropist. He created the Red Sox Foundation as well as its counterparts in Baltimore and San Diego, and also served as Chairman of the Jimmy Fund, helping establish the club’s highly successful WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon. His connection to Dana-Farber went beyond just fundraising: the institute helped save his life three times, first from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1985, second from prostate cancer in 2000, and third from cancer in the kidney area starting in 2019.

In 2015 Lucchino assembled a group that purchased the Pawtucket Red Sox, Boston’s longtime Triple-A affiliate, and several years later moved the team to Worcester after attempts to build a new ballpark in Rhode Island fell short. The club’s new Polar Park debuted in 2021 and the WooSox began their fourth season in Worcester this past week.

Lucchino sold the WooSox to Diamond Baseball Holdings this past offseason for a reported $70 million. Lucchino remained with the club as chairman, and the team’s existing front office staff remained in place as well.

Lucchino is survived by his brother the Honorable Frank J. Lucchino (Bobbie), a nephew F.J. Lucchino (Jane) and a niece Jennifer Lucchino (Freddie Croce), of Pittsburgh, as well as a younger nephew David L. Lucchino (Carrie Beth), who lives in Boston. He also is survived by seven grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

But bad as it often seemed, we never saw anything like the pathetic display put on by the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.

The hapless Athletics committed five errors within the first three innings to effectively hand the game to Boston on a silver platter. The Red Sox took full advantage, running out to a big early lead and cruising to a decisive 9-0 win in the series opener.

Whether it was sailing a throw on a stolen base attempt, botching a pickoff or a routine throw to the first base bag, airmailing a throw home or just flat out letting an easy fly ball fall in, the Athletics couldn’t get out of their own way. Starting pitcher Joe Boyle didn’t help his own case, issuing four walks with a wild pitch, and the Red Sox broke the dam in the top of the third, scoring five runs aided by two Oakland errors.

All told, the Athletics have committed 13 errors through their first five games, by far the most in MLB.

Jarren Duran set the tone early en route to one of the best games of his career, recording a hit and a stolen base in each of the game’s first three innings. He finished 3-5 with three steals, an RBI, and he also scored on Triston Casas’ RBI single to break the ice in the top of the first.

Though Duran forced Oakland’s first error with his initial stolen base attempt, nobody benefitted more from the Athletics’ ineptitude than Enmanuel Valdez. The 25-year-old second baseman reached on errors in consecutive at bats, first on a deep fly ball that center fielder JJ Bleday inexplicably failed to catch in the second, and then on an infield grounder that first baseman Ryan Noda threw away in the third, allowing a run to score.

Both of those errors were immediately followed by Ceddanne Rafaela sacrifice flies, one of which also led to another error allowing a second run to score. While the Red Sox failed to capitalize on a subsequent bases-loaded, one-out situation in the second inning, they had no such trouble in the third. Following the Valdez infield play and Rafaela’s second sac fly, Duran came through with an RBI single and then Trevor Story delivered the dagger with a two-run double to make it 8-0.

Masataka Yoshida added an RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth to round out the offense, and in addition to Duran’s big day, Casas also finished 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.

While the Red Sox lineup gave the Athletics’ defense fits, Tanner Houck continued the starting rotation’s early dominance. The 27-year-old tied his career-high with 10 strikeouts while holding the Athletics scoreless over six innings. He drew 16 whiffs in the process while allowing only three hits with no walks.

Through the first turn of the rotation Boston’s starters have now collectively posted 37 strikeouts against only one walk. They’ve allowed four earned runs over 28 innings, good for a 1.29 ERA.

“They definitely set the bar high but that’s what you want from your teammates,” Houck said of his fellow starters’ performances leading into Monday. “You want to go out there and compete against them and make each other better.”

Chase Anderson came out of the bullpen and wound up finishing the game for Boston, throwing three shutout innings to record a save in his Red Sox debut. With the win Boston improves to 3-2 on the season and will look to clinch the series with another win Tuesday night when Brayan Bello takes the mound against Oakland’s Alex Wood.

First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET.

Coming off a 50-112 season, the Oakland Athletics are in a dismal spot. The club has announced its intention to relocate to Las Vegas, and with a roster striped bare of talent there’s little reason for fans in Oakland to come to the ballpark. That’s been reflected in the club’s attendance, and after drawing only 13,522 fans on Opening Day, the Athletics drew fewer that total over the next three games combined, averaging just 4,460 over that stretch. Given how well the Red Sox typically draw on the west coast, it’s entirely possible there could be more Red Sox fans in the Oakland Coliseum than Athletics fans this week.

Oakland lost its first series 1-3 to the Cleveland Guardians, dropping the first three before winning 4-3 on a walkoff on Sunday. Surprisingly, the Athletics actually stand fourth in the AL West ahead of the Houston Astros, who were swept by the New York Yankees in their first series. The Red Sox are currently tied for third in the AL East at 2-2.

Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming three-game set.

Red Sox starting pitchers

Tanner Houck will make his first start of the season in Monday’s series opener. The 27-year-old is looking to build on a strong spring training showing in which he posted a 2.40 ERA over 15 innings, striking out 16 while giving up only three walks. Last season Houck had a roller coaster season, posting a 5.01 ERA over 21 starts while missing nearly two months after being hit in the face by a line drive in mid-June.

Brayan Bello is scheduled to make his second start of the year on Tuesday and Nick Pivetta is in line to pitch the finale on Thursday. Bello allowed two runs over five innings on Opening Day, and Pivetta allowed one run over six innings while striking out 10 in a tough-luck 1-0 loss on Friday.

Athletics starting pitchers

Joe Boyle is scheduled to start Monday’s opener for the Athletics. The 24-year-old right-hander is making his fourth career start in the big leagues, having made a three-start cameo last September before earning a spot in Oakland’s rotation out of spring training. So far Boyle has fared well in limited action, going 2-0 while allowing three runs over 16 innings (1.69 ERA).

Alex Wood (0-1, 16.20 ERA) and Ross Stripling (0-1, 7.20) are listed as Oakland’s probable starters for Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Red Sox lineup for Monday

Jarren Duran LF

Rafael Devers 3B

Trevor Story SS

Triston Casas 1B

Tyler O’Neill RF

Masataka Yoshida DH

Enmanuel Valdez 2B

Ceddanne Rafaela CF

Reese McGuire C

Tanner Houck P

What time is each game?

Monday: 9:40 p.m. ET

Tuesday: 9:40 p.m. ET

Wednesday: 3:37 p.m. ET

How to watch?

All three games against the Athletics will be broadcast on NESN, WEEI 93.7 FM and in Spanish on WCCM 1490 AM.

Who’s up next?

After finishing this week’s series in Oakland, the Red Sox will have an off day on Thursday before finishing their 10-game west coast swing with three games in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels.

This weekend we finally started getting some answers.

If you weren’t able to stay up late for the club’s season-opening series out in Seattle, you missed some good baseball. The Red Sox and Mariners split the four-game set, and all four games were competitive, well-pitched affairs that left both sides with a lot to be encouraged by. Here are five takeaways from the Red Sox side.

Starters go the distance

The biggest question coming into the season was how the starting rotation would fare once the rubber hit the road, and while one weekend is far too small a sample size to draw any firm conclusions, we can certainly say so far so good.

Through four games the Red Sox starters collectively allowed four runs over 22 innings (1.64 ERA) while tallying 27 strikeouts against only one walk. All four also made it through at least the fifth inning, with Nick Pivetta and Kutter Crawford each finishing six while Brayan Bello (84 pitches) and Garrett Whitlock (81 pitches) likely could have gone another frame if asked.

Boston’s four starters also deployed notably revamped pitching mixes, emphasizing their best pitches while sidelining their weaker offerings. That was a change promised by new pitching coach Andrew Bailey upon his arrival this past winter, and so far his program is getting tangible results.

Defense much improved

The starters aren’t the only one who have made clear progress, and there was a moment early on Opening Day that illustrated just how this year’s Red Sox team could separate itself from last year’s disappointing outfit. After Bello allowed a double and a single to put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the first, he drew a weak ground ball that Trevor Story and Enmanuel Valdez were able to turn into an impressive inning-ending double play.

Last year the Red Sox routinely botched plays like that, and instead of getting out of the inning unscathed the club frequently got burned by easily avoidable runs.

Those miscues had a compounding effect as well, because not only did they often lead to runs, but they also forced the pitchers to expend more effort getting out of the inning and often led to earlier exits overall. For example, Bello threw 17 pitches in the scoreless first, but had that double play attempt failed he might have wound up throwing closer to 25 or 30. Then maybe instead of allowing two runs over five innings, he gives up four over 3.2, putting the bullpen in a much tougher spot and significantly increasing the likelihood of a loss.

We saw plenty of other great defensive plays throughout the weekend too, and even after a handful of games it’s obvious what a difference having Story at shortstop and Ceddanne Rafaela in center field is going to make.

Devers the difference-maker

It goes without saying that Boston’s lineup is going to suffer when the guy who has a $300 million contract isn’t in it, but this weekend we saw just how big a difference Rafael Devers can make.

In the two games Devers was available, the third basemen went 3 for 10 with a home run and two RBI, helping the Red Sox to a pair of wins in which they collectively scored 11 runs. In the games he wasn’t available, the Red Sox offense collectively went 11 for 67 (.164) and at one point scored only one run over 18 innings before finally breaking through for two in the top of the 10th on Saturday night. The Red Sox lost both games.

A lot of that offensive futility can be attributed to Seattle’s excellent pitching staff, which should rank among the best in baseball again this season, but the best response to elite talent is elite talent of your own. Hopefully the shoulder issue that knocked Devers out of action for two days doesn’t prove to be a long-term hindrance, because the Red Sox can’t afford to be without him.

Mariners a measuring stick

This weekend offered the Red Sox an early opportunity to test themselves against a likely playoff contender. Few clubs can trot out a rotation featuring a trio as talented as Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert, and the Mariners project to battle with the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros all season long.

If the Red Sox hope to make the playoffs, this is the kind of team they’ll need to be able to beat.

All things considered the Red Sox acquitted themselves well. Their pitching overwhelmed Seattle’s lineup throughout the weekend, and despite its struggles the offense got timely hits from both its veterans and newcomers alike. Tyler O’Neill in particular demonstrated his value with two home runs and some excellent outfield defense, and Enmanuel Valdez stepped up with a big three-run homer to break the game open in Sunday’s win.

Could this weekend have gone better? Sure! But given the low expectations many fans had coming in, it’s hard to find much worth complaining about.

Road gets easier

Things should get a lot easier for the Red Sox over the next few weeks. Boston’s next opponent, the Oakland Athletics, are widely regarded as the worst team in the majors, and after that they’ll finish their west coast swing against a diminished Los Angeles Angels club that seems destined to finish a distant fourth in the AL West.

Their first series at home against the Baltimore Orioles will be a tough one, but all told 15 of Boston’s 26 games in April will come against teams projected to finish below .500 according to FanGraphs, and another seven will be against a Cleveland Guardians team projected to finish 82-80.

The Red Sox should have a good opportunity to start the season strong, so it will be interesting to see how well they’re able to take advantage in the days and weeks to come.

Seattle’s arms dominated over the four-game set, to be sure. But throughout the series, the Red Sox rotation also looked like a force to be reckoned with. Alex Cora wanted each starter to cross the five-inning threshold, and they went 4-for-4; Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, and Garrett Whitlock each pitched at least five innings without allowing more than two runs. According to the club’s media relations, this is the fourth time in franchise history the rotation has begun the season with four such performances. In the three prior instances – 1916, 1999, 2018 – they went to the postseason. Twice, they won the World Series.

Pitcher’s duels dominated the series, but less so in the finale. The first inning looked much like the previous two games, as both pitchers struck out three batters in the first, with Rafael Devers’ one-out single mixed in.

In the top of the second, Tyler O’Neill gave Boston a 1-0 lead with his second first-pitch home run of the series, but Whitlock got into a spot of trouble in the bottom of the frame. He allowed a leadoff double and single, and gave up the tying run on a two-out single.

But unlike Mariners starter Bryce Miller, who allowed four earned runs on six hits over five innings, Whitlock settled in as the game progressed. After needing 46 pitches to get through the first two frames, the Red Sox right-hander needed just 35 to complete the following three innings. He hit the leadoff man to begin the bottom of the third, then retired his remaining nine batters.

It required a mid-game change for the pitcher and his catcher, Reese McGuire. “Halfway through the game, we changed the script,” Cora said. “It seems like they were sitting on soft stuff and Whit was able to use his sinker. I think him and Reese did an outstanding job recognizing what was going on in front of them.”

“I think we just adjusted to what they were doing,” Whitlock explained. He also praised his catcher for guiding their tandem through the pivot. “I feel like they saw what my game plan was, they made their adjustment, so I started to see that and changed back. It was back and forth.”

Whitlock finished the afternoon charged with only one earned run on three hits, zero walks, and eight strikeouts over five. According to Sox media relations, Whitlock’s 5.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranks fourth in franchise history among pitchers with at least 200 innings, behind Koji Uehara (7.86), Chris Sale (6.06), and Pedro Martinez (5.45).

“Everybody has been throwing well so it was good to go out there and put up five good ones,” Whitlock said. “Wish I could have gone deeper but it was good.”

The Red Sox rotation departs Seattle with a 1.64 ERA and 0.68 WHIP through their first four games of the season. Since the Wild Card era began in 1995, only the ’99 and ’18 squad put up better numbers over that span. But according to MLB.com, their WHIP is the club’s best to open a season since at least 1906.

“It’s really big, we build off of each other,” Whitlock said of the energy and momentum they’re building. “We’re all there competing with each other and cheering each other on so it was huge to rally together. Again, same thing, we’ll be behind Tanner (Houck on Monday). Just keep it going.”

The Boston bullpen compiled four strong innings, highlighted by rookie Justin Slaten, who debuted in extra innings on Saturday night. Slaten pitched 2 1/3 innings without allowing a baserunner to earn his first career save.

Overall, the Red Sox pitching staff combined for 35 1/3 innings, 45 strikeouts, and only issued six walks throughout the series. To call that a far cry from how last season begin would be the understatement of the year.

After two virtually silent nights at the plate, the Boston bats reawakened on Sunday. They drew three walks and collected 10 hits, including O’Neill’s solo blast – one of his two hits in the contest – and a three-run go-ahead homer by Enmanuel Valdez in the fourth.

Though it was a quiet day at the plate for several of the team’s most electric hitters – Jarren Duran and Triston Casas were a combined 0-for-8 – Trevor Story snapped an 0-for-11 skid with a pair of singles, and McGuire contributed two hits and a run batted in.

“It was good, but not what we came here for,” Cora said of splitting the series. “We had them (Saturday) and it just didn’t happen, but it was a good series for us. (The Mariners) have a good team. We talked about this road trip the whole offseason and we played with energy, we played good baseball, we pitched well, and we put some good swings. We’ll take it.”

At least one of his players was a bit happier with the result.

“It feels great to be able to split this series against their pitching staff,” Valdez said. “I think we started on the right foot.”

The sheets aren’t baseball-related, rather, crossword puzzles and sudokus.

Several members of the team enjoy these brain teasers, the pitching staff, in particular. Tanner Houck is a sudoku man, filling out a sheet almost every day with handwriting he describes as “chicken-scratch.”

“I’m not a crossword kinda person, but I’ll grab (sudokus) and work on ‘em when I’ve got some downtime,” he said. “I try to stay off my phone as much as possible.”

The general consensus was that Isaiah Campbell, Garrett Whitlock, and Greg Weissert are among the biggest brainiacs on the pitching staff.

“Greg is a smart guy,” Chase Anderson said.

“Isaiah does ‘em both,” Houck said of the sudoku and crosswords.

“Garrett, he’s a deep thinker,” Chris Martin said. “Isaiah, he’s sneaky-smart, good numbers guy. Crossword puzzle, he’s okay at, he can do the easy ones.”

“Oh god, who told you that?” a smiling Campbell asked, when told that several of his teammates had called him the Einstein of the clubhouse. “I like it. I’ll wear it. I’ll be the guy who knows everything on the team.”

What he really likes, though, is trivia.

“I grew up in an airforce family, and my dad, we always joke that my dad knows everything, so I kind of get it from him,” the reliever explained. “I like doing trivia, I know just some weird facts that people are like, ‘Why do you know that? How do you know that?’ It’s a little quirk to me.”

“Weissert, he might play not-smart, but he’s got some brains in there, some good brain cells in there,” Campbell joked. “I haven’t seen many people do crosswords, Whitlock’s not great at ‘em.”

“Whitlock’s good at ‘em,” Bobby Dalbec countered. “(Jarren) Duran will do it every now and then, (Connor) Wong likes to do ‘em.”

“I can’t do sudoku,” Dalbec explained. “I do the crosswords, typically. I’m not good with numbers, but I play a lot of word association games. Me, (Daniel) Palka, a bunch of (Triple-A) guys last year would do them every day.”

Solving sudokus can improve memory and focus, among other benefits for the brain. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that doing crosswords could improve cognitive function. Both types of puzzles have been shown to help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Throughout the spring, players have competed in all manner of games. The Fort Myers clubhouse has a basketball hoop. Several players golf in their free time.

“I don’t mess with those,” Martin said, referring to the sudokus and crosswords. He’s an avid golfer, and “big YouTube guy.”.

Likewise for Anderson, who grew up doing a lot of yard work and landscaping, so he enjoys watching videos of that ilk. “I love chainsaws, I love lawn mowers, tree-trimming,” the newcomer said. “That’s just what I grew up doing with my dad.”

One game you probably won’t find anyone playing in the Sox clubhouse is Immaculate Grid. Houck chuckled when reminded that during one particularly lengthy rain delay last year, the game went up on Fenway’s centerfield video board.

“I’m terrible at it,” Campbell said. “It really shows me how much I don’t know about the history of baseball.”

To each their own.

Kyle Schwarber welcomed his former Red Sox teammate to the National League East with a leadoff home run. The Philadelphia Phillies slugger sent Sale’s second pitch of the contest 382 feet to right at 114.4 mph.

Schwarber and Sale overlapped briefly when the slugger arrived in Boston at the 2021 trade deadline, but their time as teammates included an unexpected Red Sox playoff run. Expected to finish in last place, the Sox instead clinched one of the AL Wild Cards and defeated the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays before falling to the Astros in Game 6 of the ALCS.

Otherwise, the 35-year-old (his birthday was Mar. 30) left-hander’s performance was strong. He departed after 5 1/3 innings, having allowed two earned runs on five hits, walked two, hit a batter, and struck out seven. He threw 83 pitches, 56 for strikes (67.4%).

It was Sale’s longest season debut since 2018. He pitched Opening Day ’19 in Seattle but the Mariners knocked him out after three frames, charged with seven earned runs. After missing the entire ’20 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and starting the subsequent two campaigns on the injured list (he pitched five innings in his eventual debuts), the southpaw lasted just three innings in his ’23 debut, when the Orioles tagged him for seven earned runs. He only threw 83 or more pitches in nine of his 20 starts for the Sox last season.

Sale spent six seasons in Boston following a trade from the Chicago White Sox in December 2016. Before injuries derailed his career, he was an All-Star back-to-back in ’17 and ’18, finished second and fourth in AL Cy Young voting, respectively, and made a memorable ninth-inning performance to clinch the 2018 World Series.

The Red Sox traded Sale to the Braves just before the new year for infielder Vaughn Grissom. As a player with 10-and-5 rights, he had to agree to the trade.

But in Shohei Ohtani, baseball finally has a talent who can’t be ignored.

Baseball’s first true two-way superstar since Babe Ruth, Ohtani has achieved superhuman status in his native Japan and broken into the American cultural mainstream unlike any other player of this generation. The two-time MVP recently signed the largest contract in North American professional sports history, and by joining the powerhouse Dodgers, the expectation is he’ll finally have a chance to showcase his talents on the biggest stage in October.

But fame can be a double-edged sword, as MLB learned the hard way these past few weeks.

Right as Ohtani was set to begin his career with the Dodgers, he found himself at the center of a bizarre and unsettling gambling scandal that has taken the sports world by storm.

Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s longtime interpreter, was fired by the team after he allegedly stole millions of dollars from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts. The situation came to light after reporters inquired about $4.5 million in wire transfers sent from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaking operation that is under federal investigation.

Those questions led to a rapid series of events in which Mizuhara initially claimed Ohtani had paid off his debts, only to later recant that story after Ohtani reportedly began questioning that version of events following a clubhouse meeting in which Dodgers officials informed the team a negative story was coming.

Ohtani’s lawyers then told ESPN that “in the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.” MLB has since opened a formal investigation into the matter, and baseball fans across the country have been left to wonder just what’s going on.

Given baseball’s unpleasant history with gambling any scandal like this was bound to garner headlines, but Ohtani’s involvement has taken things to another level. Instead of talking about March Madness, NFL free agency or the usual go-to topics like the Lakers or Cowboys, all the national daytime sports talk shows focused on Ohtani, and much of the conversation revolved around the inconsistencies in the story and to what extent Ohtani might have been involved.

For as long as the investigation is ongoing, this situation is going to loom like a cloud over Ohtani and the Dodgers.

At this point Ohtani hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing and the investigation could prove he truly was the victim of Mizuhara’s crimes. It doesn’t seem to have affected his performance either, as Ohtani was batting .385 with an .862 OPS through his first three games with Los Angeles, but any perception that baseball’s biggest star could be a gambling cheat is a horrible place for the sport to be.

For better or worse Ohtani is going to be the story of this season once again, and hopefully by season’s end for on-field reasons and not because this story has developed in a way that could tar his legacy forever.

Primed for breakout?

In 2022, the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks finished fourth in their respective divisions with fewer than 75 wins and were more than 37 games out of first place.

A year later, the clubs faced off against one another in the World Series.

Things can change quickly in baseball, and six months from now there will probably be at least one team nobody is talking about who will emerge as a surprise contender. Who could that be? Trying to guess now is a recipe for looking foolish down the road, but there are a couple of clubs who fit the profile.

The most likely candidate for a turnaround has to be the St. Louis Cardinals, who have reliably been among the most steady franchises in baseball before the bottom inexplicably fell out last season. St. Louis finished 71-91, its worst season in 33 years, thanks to a perfect storm of underperformance, injuries and the complete collapse of its starting rotation. The Cardinals have since revamped their pitching staff, signing Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson in free agency, and boast a talented lineup led by Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado.

The NL Central isn’t a gauntlet either, so St. Louis should at minimum get back in the conversation this year.

As for the American League, the Red Sox might have the most potential for improvement. Despite a disappointing offseason in which the club barely brought in any meaningful reinforcements, Boston’s roster is well stocked with young talent and should benefit from a full season of Trevor Story at shortstop. Even if that is only good for a six or seven win improvement, that might be all it takes to climb back into the playoff conversation.

While they started from such a deep hole it’ll probably take a couple more years to climb out, the Kansas City Royals are interesting too. The Royals were arguably the most active player in free agency after the Dodgers, shoring up their roster with numerous proven veterans who will significantly raise the club’s floor, and they also boast high-end talent with MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. and potential Cy Young dark horse Cole Ragans.

With the AL Central in such a sorry state, it’s not hard to imagine the Royals making a significant jump. Going from 56-106 to division title contention will be a tall order, but Kansas City should at least be worth paying attention to.

Rangers reinforcements

It’s not often you see a team pick within the top five of the MLB Draft and then win the World Series a couple of months later, but that’s how things worked out the Texas Rangers last year.

It’s even less often you see that top five pick make the Opening Day roster the following season.

Wyatt Langford, who the Rangers selected No. 4 overall in last July’s draft, made Texas’ Opening Day roster and should provide an immediate boost to a Rangers club that already features All-Stars up and down the lineup. The 22-year-old outfielder, who this time last year was crushing SEC pitching for the Florida Gators, feasted on the Cactus League competition throughout spring training and batted fifth for the defending champions on Opening Day, going 1 for 3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly in Texas’ 4-3 extra-innings win over the Chicago Cubs.

The best part for Texas, he might not even be the club’s top contender for Rookie of the Year. That honor likely belongs to fellow outfielder Evan Carter.

Beyond the continued development of its elite position player core, Texas could potentially bring in some high-level pitching reinforcement as the season goes on. Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who will miss the start of the season after undergoing offseason back surgery, may not be out as long as feared and opened the season on the 15-day injured list instead of the 60-day IL.

Jacob deGrom, who underwent Tommy John surgery last season, is also targeting an August return and could give the Rangers rotation a massive boost.

Even with the talent they have available now, Texas should be more than capable of competing with the Houston Astros atop the AL West. But at full strength? The Rangers could be looking at another special October.

Watch out for Skubal

When discussing potential contenders for AL Cy Young, usually you’ll hear a familiar handful of names. Toronto’s Kevin Gausman, Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes, Seattle’s Luis Castillo, Houston’s Framber Valdez and, before his elbow injury, New York’s Gerrit Cole. But there’s also another name that’s garnered a lot of buzz, one less familiar to casual fans who has nonetheless emerged as a preseason favorite for the award.

Detroit’s Tarik Skubal.

The 27-year-old left-hander is entering his fifth season in the big leagues, and multiple projections suggest he’s about to pop off in a big way. Last season Skubal posted ace-like numbers, including 2.70 ERA with 102 strikeouts in only 80.1 innings, but he was limited to only 15 starts due to a flexor tendon injury. This year he enters 2024 projected by FanGraphs’ Steamer system to post a 3.33 ERA with 198 strikeouts over 171.1 innings, all of which are expected to rank among the best in baseball. The Athletic sees him similarly, projecting a 3.47 ERA with 180 strikeouts over 158 innings.

Skubal certainly lived up to those expectations on Opening Day, throwing six shutout innings in Detroit’s 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox.

D-Backs strike fast

The Arizona Diamondbacks have big ambitions after winning the National League pennant last October, and they certainly made a statement on Opening Day, jumping out to a 16-1 lead on Colorado by the third inning, including a historic 14-run bottom of the third.

The Diamondbacks batted around twice, sending 18 men to the plate while forcing the Rockies to use three different pitchers. The onslaught featured 10 singles, three doubles, two walks and a sacrifice fly, and it didn’t end until Rockies reliever Jalen Beeks came on and was finally able to get Alek Thomas to ground out to end the inning after 34 minutes of real time.

The 14 runs set a new Arizona franchise record for runs in an inning, and according to MLB researcher Sarah Langs was tied for the fourth most in an inning by any team since 1900. The Red Sox hold the record in that span, having scored 17 runs in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers on June 18, 1953.

Not a good look

Two months ago when players started reporting for spring training, they got their first look at MLB’s newly redesigned uniforms. The reception was not good.

Designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics, the new uniform’s perceived lack of quality became a flashpoint at camps across the sport, with players complaining about the jersey’s papery feel, the smaller names on the back, colors that weren’t quite right, and especially the pants, which players said were both see-through and poorly fitting.

The Red Sox clubhouse was no exception, with numerous players expressing disappointment about the uniforms and Nick Pivetta describing them as “not professional.”

MLB notes: New uniforms ruffling feathers in Red Sox clubhouse

This week the new uniforms took center stage for the first time on big league fields, and they didn't look any better under the bright lights. Beyond the usual complaints over the small names and cheap look, fans also noted other issues that hadn't previously been apparent, like the New York Yankees players being completely drenched in sweat during their opener in Houston.

Maybe it wasn't as glaring before because spring training jerseys aren't supposed to look that great anyway, but this week highlighted just how big a fiasco this redesign's proven to be. While these uniforms are likely here to stay for at least the rest of this season, hopefully common sense will prevail and Nike will either go back to the old template or make the necessary improvements to bring the new one up to major league standard.

Or perhaps it’s that, as feared throughout the offseason when the Sox let Justin Turner and Adam Duvall depart in free agency, there’s simply not enough power in this lineup.

Whatever it was, the Red Sox and Mariners needed 10 innings to complete Saturday evening’s contest, a pitcher’s duel that culminated in a 4-3 Seattle walk-off.

The Red Sox rotation has begun the season on historically strong footing. According to the club’s media relations department, the pitching staff’s 23 strikeouts over the first two games is their most ever over such span, surpassing their previous record of 22, first achieved in 1966 and repeated in 2003. This is also the first time the Sox have struck out at least 20 batters while issuing no more than three walks in their first two games.

Kutter Crawford only improved upon this in his season debut on Saturday night. After getting off to a shaky start, giving up leadoff singles to J.P. Crawford and Ty France in the first and second, respectively, the right-hander settled in for six innings. He set the Mariners down 1-2-3 in the third, fourth, and fifth frames. After the single to France, he retired the following 14 batters before issuing a two-out walk, the first free pass by a Sox starter this season.

The only blemish came early in the first, when Crawford singled to lead off the bottom of the first, and Pablo Reyes’ throwing error allowed the Mariners shortstop to advance to second. When Mitch Haniger singled two batters later, Crawford scored. The run was unearned, but still came back to bite the Sox when they went to extra innings tied 1-1 a couple of hours later.

Crawford lived up to the K in his first name, striking out seven batters over six innings. Never before has the Red Sox pitching staff combined for at least 30 strikeouts while allowing no more than six runs in their first three games of a season. It’s a far cry from the first three games of last season, and most of the year, when too-short starts absolutely exhausted the bullpen.

“It’s been great,” Cora lauded of the strike-throwing thus far. “We’ve been doing this for a while now, and I know it’s not, it’s too early, it’s only three games, but we’ve been feeling pretty comfortable in the way they’re approaching the games, the way they’re throwing the ball.”

Unfortunately, there’s significantly less power in the Boston bats than there was last year. Turner and Duvall combined for 44 home runs, but the team’s combined 182 homers ranked fifth-worst in the American League, well below AL-average (195).

Much like Friday night, when Nick Pivetta and George Kirby dueled, Crawford had a veritable opponent in Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, who punched out eight Boston batters over seven. When the Sox did make hard contact, the ball died on the warning track. When Ceddanne Rafaela doubled to lead off the top of the fifth, he owned both of Boston’s hits in the game to that point.

Entering the ninth, Boston and Seattle were tied 1-1 with four hits and a walk each. The Sox struck out swinging three times in the top of the frame, wasting a one-out walk by Triston Casas, and Greg Weissert faced four Mariners in the bottom of the frame, adding two strikeouts to the tally and sending the game into extras.

“That was fun to watch,” Cora said of Weissert’s outing. “Marty did an outstanding job, too,” he lauded of Chris Martin, who made his 22nd consecutive scoreless appearance for the club. Only Joe Kelly (23), Daniel Bard (25), Josh Taylor (26), and Koji Uehara (27) had longer streaks.

At long last, the Boston bats came alive in the top of the tenth. With Rafaela as the ghost-runner on second, Reyes made up for his first-inning error by singling to score the go-ahead run. He was caught stealing moments later, but Reese McGuire kept the inning alive with a pinch-hit double. After an intentional walk to Tyler O’Neill, who was pinch-hitting for Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida’s single plated an additional run.

That extra bit of insurance proved to be nothing more than a hurdle waiting to be cleared, as Joely Rodríguez took the mound for the bottom of the tenth and immediately gave up an RBI single to put the Mariners within one. A single and fielding error by Wilyer Abreu moved the runners to second and third, and J.P. Crawford’s fielder’s choice tied the game.

With the game re-tied, Alex Cora sent Justin Slaten in to make his Major League debut against Julio Rodríguez. The Mariners wunderkind promptly singled to right, driving in the winning run.

“I mean, (it’s) Julio Rodriguez,” Cora said with a smile. “(Slaten) threw a good pitch, and his first big-league appearance, you know, so I told him, you’re a big-leaguer.”

Kenley Jansen wasn’t available, the Sox skipper explained postgame, as his back was tight. He also decided not to use Devers as a pinch-hitter, but was optimistic that the third baseman would be available for Sunday’s series finale.

“I tried to get ready,” Jansen explained. “I gotta be smart. I go out there and aggravate it, then it could be worse for a week or two, so I’d rather lose one day or two.”

It’s the “same thing” the veteran closer dealt with during spring training, but he said it’s not as bad.

“It’s frustrating,” Jansen admitted. “What can I do? You go to bed, you wake up in the morning and have a bad back. You try to ramp it up, and it’s not allowing you to.”

The Boston bats collected seven hits and three walks, but went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.

“They were the best pitching staff last year,” Cora said of their opponents. “They have some horses over there. We kept grinding with them.”

“We will hit,” he added. “Of course, we’re facing one of the best pitching staffs in the big leagues, but they have struggled against us, and they’re supposed to score runs, too.”

Ultimately, the Mariners scored enough.

“I wasn’t necessarily surprised,” he told the Herald before Saturday night’s game. “Yeah, I mean didn’t really know what to think, ‘cuz I hear it from both ends all the time, but I’m super-grateful to be here.”

Dalbec had a solid preseason, collecting 12 hits in 23 games, including a double and three homers, scoring seven and driving in nine. He stole two bases in three attempts, drew seven walks, and struck out 21 times, and claimed the infield bench spot on the Opening Day roster.

“Definitely feel like I earned the position just based off last year,” he assessed. “In spring, I had more quality at-bats as opposed to other springs, I wasn’t just feasting off guys who weren’t really polished yet or themselves on the mound.”

Dalbec didn’t make the Opening Day roster last season, and spent most of last year in Triple-A, where he showed off the enormous home-run power he’s struggled to maintain consistently in the Majors. He only played 21 big-league games sprinkled throughout the season, but there were strong stretches within the small sample size. When the Sox recalled him in mid-September, he began his fourth and final stint of the season on a tear, going 8-for-25 (.320) with a pair of doubles and a home run in his first seven games.

He went into the offseason not trying to deviate too much from the routine he used when he was hitting well.

“I just tried to repeat what I was doing last year, when I was on that hot streak, because it was sustainable for average and power,” he explained. “Obviously, I still strike out quite a bit, but there’s more contact and more quality contact, I would say. Just trying to repeat that, just be normal, just be me.”

Starting the season on the big-league roster means his dugout tradition with Rafael Devers will continue. Often during game broadcasts, Dalbec can be seen massaging Devers’ temples as the third baseman smiles serenely.

“I do temple massage, couple face slaps, lock him in,” Dalbec explained.

The face slaps are almost like a lighthearted version of Michael Corleone gripping his brother Fredo’s face with both hands in Godfather II. It’s a tradition unique to the duo, who are now among the longest-tenured members of the organization. (The Sox signed Devers ahead of the 2014 season, and selected Dalbec in the fourth round of the ’16 draft.)

“Just him, he’s the only one on the train,” said Dalbec. “I don’t know, maybe people think it’s weird, but Raffy and I have known each for so long.”

He doesn’t remember why or how the ritual began. “I have no idea, just giving him good vibes,” he chuckled. “He just likes it. Me and him have a different relationship. He’s one of my best friends, I would say. Just known each other, so we’re super comfortable.”

At this point, it’s so ingrained in their game-day practice that Dalbec knows when Devers is ready. “He’ll just kind of come up to me,” he said. “He doesn’t have to say it, he just kind of looks at me, and I’m like, okay I got you.”

Devers usually gets his back cracked, too, a specialty of Dalbec’s. “That’s kind of my claim to fame, is giving guys back cracks,” he said with a smile. My first big-league camp, J.D. (Martinez) was like, ‘Hey, who can pop a back in here?’ and I was like (raised his hand), went like this (he gestured) and did it.”

“Guys will just walk up to me and go like this,” he said, holding up his arms to form a T,  “and say what’s up, and just get one.”

Devers was a late scratch from Friday night’s contest with left-shoulder soreness, but didn’t rule out playing on Saturday.

“Most likely he’ll play tomorrow,” Alex Cora said before Saturday night’s game.

“We gotta be smart with him,” the Sox skipper added. “He felt better in the cage, he took a few swings, but it doesn’t make sense to start him.”

However, he didn’t rule out Devers pinch-hitting if the situation presented itself. The third baseman has tormented the Mariners throughout his career. He made his Major League debut in Seattle in July ’17, and hit his first big-league home run in the following game. He’s hit .336 with a 1.014 OPS and 10 home runs against the Mariners, and his performanc in Thursday night’s opener (home run, double) extended his T-Mobile Park on-base streak to 15 games.

Pablo Reyes will start at third base in Devers’ place, something he didn’t do for the Sox last year – he made four appearances at the hot corner – and only did once for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2022.

“He played well, especially towards the end,” Cora said of Reyes’ spring training work. “We kept him at second and short most of the time, and we gave him a lot of reps at first base, but he made some plays at third base, he can play the outfield.”

Indeed, Pivetta was nearly untouchable in his first start; over six innings, he held the Mariners to three hits, a solo home run, struck out 10, and didn’t issue a walk.

Unfortunately, the performance wasn’t enough to keep the Mariners from shutting the Sox out 1-0, for which he took the loss.

In spite of home-plate umpire David Rackley putting the squeeze on the bottom of the strike zone, Pivetta dominated. Armed with a four-pitch mix (sweeper, four-seam fastball, cutter, curveball), the 31-year-old righty held the Mariners to two hits through four frames. Even Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who homered off him twice in a July contest last year, had no answer for the Sox starter.

Unfortunately, the Red Sox lineup was without Seattle-killer Rafael Devers – a late scratch from the lineup due to left-shoulder soreness – and they had no answer to George Kirby. The Mariners starter looked unsteady in the top of the first, issuing a leadoff walk to Jarren Duran and a one-out walk to Masataka Yoshida. Duran quickly stole second, making him the first Red Sox player to swipe multiple bags within the first two games of the season since Xander Bogaerts in 2017, and only the third this century.

But when Boston stranded the pair, Kirby settled in, and the game became a good old-fashioned pitcher’s duel. Though the Sox drove the 26-year-old righty’s pitch count to 48 after three, his confidence built as he worked deeper into the game without incurring any damage. He set the visitors down 1-2-3 in the second, fourth, and fifth frames. Until the seventh, they only had Tyler O’Neill’s two-out single to their name.

Thanks to the pitch clock and the almost-complete lack of offense, the game was into the sixth inning after about 75 minutes and done after 2:24.

The blanking continued until the bottom of the sixth. After Pivetta struck out the leadoff batter, J.P. Crawford skied a cutter just inside the right-field foul pole for a solo home run.

“Just down and in, and it backed up a little bit,” Pivetta said of where he was trying to put that cutter. “He put a good swing on a pitch.”

He quickly recovered to strike out the following two batters, taking his punch-out count into double digits. He didn’t have a double-digit strikeout performance once in the first half last season, but one of his four such contests after the All-Star break was in Seattle. According to Stathead, he’s the fourth pitcher in franchise history to put up double-digit strikeouts without walking a batter within the team’s first six games of the season, joining Roger Clemens (1991), Dave Morehead (1965), and Dutch Leonard (1917). It was Pivetta’s sixth time starting a 1-0 Red Sox loss, tying Leonard and Cy Young for the franchise record.

“I think my curveball getting over for first-pitch strikes was really beneficial, and then I was able to use my sweeper later to induce a lot of weak contact,” he said.

“Nick was outstanding,” his manager said. “Good stuff throughout the game.”

After three consecutive 1-2-3 innings, Ceddanne Rafaela finally chased Kirby out of the game with a two-out single in the seventh.

“He’s one of the best pitchers in the league,” Cora said. “He doesn’t walk people, he walks two in the first inning and we had a shot, we didn’t cash in, and after that he found his rhythm… He’s a tough customer.”

Seattle’s bullpen gave Boston chances to take the game. Pinch-hitting for Enmanuel Valdez, Pablo Reyes greeted Mariners reliever Gabe Speier with a single. Unfortunately, it was first-inning deja vu all over again, as Bobby Dalbec struck out to strand two. Ryne Stanek was all over the place when he took over in the top of the eighth, issuing a leadoff walk to Reese McGuire and giving up a two-out single to Yoshida before Mariners manager Scott Servais called for Andrés Muñoz, who promptly got Trevor Story to ground out to end the penultimate frame.

Josh Winckowski pitched the last two innings for Boston. He dominated, striking out four of his first five batters, but after beginning the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back Ks, he gave up a single to No. 9 hitter Luke Raley and loaded the bases with a pair of walks. A lineout to first maintained the 1-0 score, but it didn’t matter.

Through eight, the Sox were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, having stranded seven. The 1-0 deficit looked more mountain than molehill.

“We had our chances,” Cora said. “We moved the line enough, but we didn’t score.”

Muñoz returned to the mound for the top of the ninth, looking for his first four-out save since 2022. He was helped along by Rackley, who called Triston Casas out on strikes, all of which were outside the zone. “We didn’t agree with two pitches there,” Cora said diplomatically, but admitted, “We didn’t do much.”

The Red Sox struck out 1-2-3 to complete the shutout loss.

Postgame, Cora explained that Devers was “just sore.”

However, Devers then admitted that he began feeling some shoulder soreness late in spring training, and that it had been getting “worse and worse.”

Neither he nor Cora ruled out him playing on Saturday, though.

The former reliever is now president of baseball operations for the team whose uniform he wore more than any other during his 12-year pitching career. So after the Sox kicked off the season with a 6-4 win over the Mariners, they doused their new boss in beer in the clubhouse.

It was also Alex Cora’s first Opening Day win – the Sox were 0-5 in his previous seasons – and potentially his last, as his contract is up after this season. But despite joking pregame about wanting to finally win a season opener, Cora said that Thursday night belonged to Tyler O’Neill, who made MLB history by homering in his fifth consecutive Opening Day game, starting pitcher Brayan Bello, and Breslow.

“It’s good man, that’s what it’s all about,” Cora said.

Breslow’s first winter was tumultuous from his first day on the job, when team chairman Tom Werner promised a “full throttle” offseason, only to walk back the soundbite in January. The Sox didn’t sign any of the top free-agent starting pitchers, several of whom were still on the board late in spring training.

“(Breslow) got here, and it’s been an interesting offseason from the get-go,” Cora acknowledged.

Nevertheless, he continues to maintain that he’s pleased with the state of things.

“His vision and his structure, and the way we’re doing things, I think it’s the right thing,” Cora said. “We’re doing things different from Dave (Dombrowski) and from Chaim (Bloom).”

The biggest change has undoubtedly been the overhauling of pitching development, headlined by Andrew Bailey returning to the Red Sox as pitching coach. The internal restructuring could have a far greater impact than a blockbuster pitching addition, and finally turn the Red Sox into an organization capable of consistent pitching development, the area in which they’ve struggled most for decades.

“We talk about versatility, athleticism, and that’s where we’re at,” Cora explained. “The pitching structure, the pitching philosophy, is totally different, and we’ve done an outstanding job collecting arms, making adjustments with our pitching staff.”

Results will come in time, but the Breslow era is off to a strong start.

Devers went 2-for-5 on Opening Night with a double, home run, two batted in and a strikeout.

It’s a significant break for Seattle, as the third baseman has crushed the Mariners since Day 1 of his big-league career. He made his Major League debut at T-Mobile Park in July 2017, and hit his first home run in the following game. Dating back to June 2018, he’s reached base in each of his last 15 games in Seattle. As of Thursday night, he’s hit .336 with a 1.014 OPS and 10 home runs in 37 career games against the Mariners.

Bobby Dalbec will sub in for Devers. The former top prospect only appeared in 21 big-league games last season, with one start and one complete game at third.

That was Alex Cora’s humorous pregame explanation for putting right-handed hitting Tyler O’Neill in Thursday evening’s lineup against Mariners starter Luis Castillo.

Those analytics paid off in the top of the eighth, when O’Neill led off with a first-pitch home run to center, making him the first player in MLB history to homer on five consecutive Opening Days, and cementing his new manager’s first-ever Game 1 win, a 6-4 victory.

“It’s amazing,” Cora said. “Five straight Opening Days hitting a home run, it’s impressive.”

Postgame, O’Neill stood in front of his locker, the home-run ball on a shelf. What is it about Opening Day that gets him fired up enough to make MLB history?

“I don’t know man, it’s gotta be something to do with the pregame ceremony or something,” he said with a smile. “It’s fun. You always want to kick the season off with a bang. Fortunately, I’ve been able to do it a couple times in a row now, so just having a lot of fun out there.”

For O’Neill, who grew up about three hours away in Vancouver, being able to make history in Seattle was especially meaningful.

“Baseball’s a funny game,” he said. “It brings everything home like that. It’s really special to have the family in town to see me be out there and compete and play hard.”

Acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals during the offseason, O’Neill is one of the newest members of the team. Already though, he’s forged a strong bond with his teammates, and that was on display during the win, when the Sox looked like a squad capable of firing on all cylinders.

“I love wearing this uniform,” he raved. “I’m having a blast out there, the boys here are awesome.

“Bunch of guys in the dugout, they were giving me big-time props when I came in,” he added of the historic home run. “I was pretty fired up myself, going around first base… such a whirlwind honestly. It’s cool to see the guys, they’re just bringing me up, they’re pumping me up out here. It’s a team effort out here.”

Thursday was supposed to be Brayan Bello’s big night, and in many ways, it was. His manager called his performance “excellent,” but Bello did need a little help from his friends to get by, though. His five innings – in which he allowed five hits, two earned runs, zero walks, two strikeouts, and hit a batter – were a group effort. Only once last season did Bello fail to strike out at least three batters in an outing of at least five innings. He fell behind in too many counts, and left too many balls over the heart of the plate. At times, he could be seen looking relieved, smiling at his teammates when their defense helped him out of a jam.

“He can be better, we know that,” Cora said. “Command was off, but he was able to make pitches… he did enough.”

Trevor Story’s glove and Rafael Devers’ bat helped Bello remain in the game long enough to be in line for the win, and indicated how much this team has strengthened other facets of their game. Story’s presence in the middle infield proved an immediate game-changer in the bottom of the first, when Bello gave up back-to-back hits to put runners on the corners. The shortstop ignited an inning-ending double play, ensuring the Sox starter could at least escape the first frame unscathed.

Devers looked ready for the last two weeks of spring training, and he proved that was no Sunshine State mirage in top of the third, when he whalloped a two-run homer to give the Sox a 2-0 lead. Buoyed by the blast, Bello set the Mariners down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame.

The Boston bats rewarded their starter by tacking on another run in one of the most chaotic ways possible. With Masataka Yoshida on second and Tyler O’Neill on third, Ceddanne Rafaela reached on a fielder’s choice by Mariners third baseman Josh Rojas. But as O’Neill raced home, Rojas’ throw to the plate ricocheted off his batting helmet, away from the catcher, allowing him to score.

By game’s end, the Sox had collected 11 hits, two walks, and struck out seven times. Their successful challenge in the top of the ninth turned Story’s out into a single, meaning each member of the starting nine had contributed at least one knock.

It was a night of extra bases in more ways than one. Devers and Masataka Yoshida contributed doubles, Rafaela tripled. O’Neill, Jarren Duran, and Story each stole a base. According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, that tied 1967 for their second-most in Opening Day history; they swiped four in 1977. They came close to a fourth; Duran was halfway down the third-base line when Triston Casas struck out to end the top of the ninth.

“He was thinking about it,” Cora said.

The home team was far quieter. Until Kenley Jansen took over for the ninth and walked the leadoff man, Seattle hadn’t received a single free pass. They collected eight hits, the lone walk, struck out nine times, and were 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position, stranding five.

Seattle’s four runs came on a pair of homers. When Bello’s sinker didn’t sink in the bottom of the fourth, Mitch Haniger sent the ball soaring into the right-field seats to cut Boston’s lead to 3-2. The same thing happened to Joely Rodriguez in the bottom of the seventh, when pinch-hitter Dylan Moore sent one of the southpaw’s sinkers deep to center, bringing the Mariners within one once again.

It’s Game 1 of 162. One game shouldn’t matter. But for a team that began each of the last five years 0-1 and finished last in three of the past four, starting off with a win certainly matters.

And how did it feel for their manager, who’s in the final year of his contract and had never won on Day 1?

“(Expletive) better than 0-1,” Cora said with a smile.

The Sox see newcomer Chase Anderson as someone who can provide long relief.

“Probably multiple innings,” Cora said. “I think it’s achievable (to keep him stretched out) with the guys that we have.”

“He has a good changeup, he’s using the cutter, too, so he fits the program,” the Sox skipper explained. “We’ll use him as a long guy.”

Anderson signed a 1.25 million Major League contract with up to $500K in performance bonuses on Mar. 23, hours after the Pirates released him from his minor-league deal. Since the start of 2020, he owns a 6.19 ERA over 192 innings, and pitched in the Majors for five teams during that span. But he’s affordable depth, which makes him a fit for Boston’s current spending parameters.

Then there’s Naoyuki Uwasawa, whom the Sox acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this week.

“Good split,” Cora assessed. “I think we faced him twice in spring training. Early on, he was struggling with the velo and command. There’s other stuff that came into play, but we feel pretty comfortable with him. Obviously, we’re trying to add as many big-league pitchers on our 40-man roster, and we do believe he’s one. It just happens that he’s not here with us”

(Uwasawa is currently working in extended spring training at the club’s Fort Myers complex.)

The Sox also plan to stick with a five-man rotation, at least for this 10-game trip on the west coast, but Cora left the door open for a potential sixth starter in the future.

“Not on this trip, no,” he said.

Red Sox Opening Day starting pitcher: Brayan Bello

Brayan Bello is making his first career Opening Day start. The 24-year-old right-hander will face off against a fellow Dominican, 31-year-old Mariners starter Luis Castillo.

Red Sox lineup notes

Jarren Duran LF / Rafael Devers 3B / Trevor Story SS / Triston Casas 1B / Tyler O’Neill RF / Masataka Yoshida DH / Ceddanne Rafaela CF / Enmanuel Valdez 2B / Connor Wong C

O’Neill has homered in each of his last four Opening Day games. Can he make it five?

This is one of the youngest Opening Day lineups in recent Per Sox history, with Bello and Casas (both 24) and Rafaela (23). According to the club’s media relations, the Sox have reached the postseason in each of the last five seasons in which they had at least three players younger than 25 starting on Opening Day: 2017, ’16, ’13, ’08, and ’88.

Mariners lineup

J.P. Crawford SS / Julio Rodríguez CF / Jorge Polanco 2B / Mitch Garver DH / Cal Raleigh C / Mitch Haniger RF / Dominic Canzone LF / Ty France 1B / Josh Rojas 3B

Raleigh was a thorn in Boston’s side last season. He hit two home runs in their May 15 contest at Fenway (off Tanner Houck and Brennan Bernardino), then homered twice off Nick Pivetta at Fenway on July 31 and took John Schreiber on Aug. 2.

Red Sox injury updates

Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen are “full go,” Alex Cora said before the game.

How to watch Red Sox vs Mariners

The Red Sox broadcast is available on NESN, and the Mariners broadcast can be found on Root Sports. (Blackout restrictions may apply.)

Upcoming Red Sox games

The Red Sox and Mariners series continues with 9:40 p.m. ET games on Friday and Saturday, followed by a 4:10 p.m. ET series finale on Sunday.

Several of the moves were mere formalities. The Sox placed right-hander Liam Hendriks (UCL surgery) and left-hander Chris Murphy (UCL sprain) on the 60-day injured list, and right-hander Bryan Mata went on the 15-day IL with a right hamstring strain.

Infield newcomer Vaughn Grissom (left hamstring strain) and veteran outfielder Rob Refsnyder (left toe fracture) are on the 10-day IL. Both are retroactive to Mar. 25, as is Mata’s.

Grissom is completing extended spring training in Fort Myers, but will join the team for the Apr. 9 home opener before beginning a minor league rehab assignment. The Sox expect him to make his season debut before the end of the month.

The Sox also selected Naoyuki Uwasawa to the Major League roster. They acquired the right-hander from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, and optioned him to their spring training complex.

The more surprising news this week is southpaw Joely Rodriguez making the Major League roster over 2023 standout Brennan Bernardino. Bernardino, 31, was one of Boston’s most reliable and versatile arms last year, posting a 3.20 ERA across 55 outings for the Sox, including six starts and eight games finished. He also just completed spring training without allowing a single earned run in seven outings.

Rodriguez was Boston’s first free-agent signing during the previous offseason, but missed almost the entire season due to injuries. He re-signed with the Sox on a minor-league deal early in spring training, and allowed three earned runs on 11 hits over seven preseason games (8 innings). He triggered the opt-out in his contract last Friday, which forced the Sox to either add him to the Major League roster or release him into free agency. Bernardino, however has remaining minor league options which allowed the Sox to send him to Triple-A late Monday night in order to keep Rodriguez.

Bobby Dalbec had a strong spring, but making the Opening Day roster was still somewhat unexpected. He can provide both infield and outfield depth as well as another right-handed bat option. However, the 28-year-old struggled to hit at the big-league level over the last two years, and only appeared in 21 Major League games last season, as Triston Casas took ownership of first base and emerged as a Rookie of the Year finalist.

With that, the roster is set. The Sox have several first-timers in this year’s group: Wilyer Abreu, Opening Day starter Brayan Bello, Isaiah Campbell, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Justin Slaten, Enmanuel Valdez, and Greg Weissert.

First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET Thursday.

But Boston remains in a sour mood when it comes to its pro sports teams.

The UConn bandwagon just doesn’t cut it. Connecticut might as well be in Kansas.

The Huskies are the betting favorite to repeat as the last team standing at The Big Dance. More joy in store in Storrs?

Meanwhile, Boston remains dogged by pessimism, cynicism and defeatism.

Sure, it’s embedded in the region’s DNA. But Boston hasn’t felt this sort of vibe in 30 years. The 1990s have returned to Fenway, Foxboro and TD Garden.

Woof.

The heady days of counting parades in your child’s lifespan now sit alongside Paul Revere in the Bay State history books.

These Patriots have their own rallying cry: “One if by land. Two if by sea. Fourth in the AFC East.”

Kraft created “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC – hoping it would be his Pro Football Hall of Fame Infomercial. It’s become the NFL’s version of “New Coke.”

Kraft was outraged, outraged, over the hit job “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC – pulled on Bill Belichick. Kraft miraculously turned Belichick into a sympathetic character.

“I feel so privileged that we had Bill here. We hope when he’s finished that we’re going to have a chance to honor him the way we will do with Tom Brady this year,” Kraft said at the NFL’s owner meeting in Orlando on Tuesday. “I look forward to the privilege of putting Bill into the Patriots Hall of Fame one day in the future.”

Kraft apologized the negative tilt toward his team but added that he had no say in what appeared on screen. Kraft said he enjoyed the first three episodes of “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC.

Wonder why?

No one bothered to ask the team owner why “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC – omitted Kraft’s dalliance with Hartford before Gillette Stadium was built. That was the first of many glairing omissions we noted here last month after episodes 1 and 2.

Kraft’s charm offensive Tuesday packed all the punch of the Mac Jones-led offense. He went full “Joliet” Jake Blues blaming everything and everyone but himself for his team’s woes.

The Old Kraft Magic has since gone the way of AFC East Division champion T-shirts and 35-point home playoff victories. He’s now just plain old. A NFLPA survey ranked the Patriots 29th of 32 NFL teams. The Patriots scored an F- when it came to “Treatment of Families.”

“I was unaware of how bad that was,” Kraft said. He said the team is “committing” to a modern facility “in excess of $50 million.”

“Players are the heart and soul of the business. I’d be very surprised if that didn’t improve,” he said.

Yet the mastermind of “The Dynasty” had no idea how poorly those players and their families were treated. Kraft cited Calvin Ridley’s “girlfriend” as the chief reason in the team’s failure in signing the top wideout in free agency. Ridley may or may not have married Dominque Fitchard in 2020. They have two children together.

You see, it’s never the money. Except when Kraft & Son are cutting the checks. And mixing wives and girlfriends never helps when it comes to the NFLPA player assessment of “Treatment of Families.”

The good news for Kraft is that in a few years he’ll be old enough to run for the White House.

On another depressing note, it’s Opening Day for the Boston Red Sox. John Henry remains MIA when it comes to his baseball team. He was last seen in public at The Players Championship.

Raffy Devers and the Men of Mystery begin their 2024 MLB season Thursday night in Seattle. Defense of the AL East last-place crown commences at 10:10 p.m. on NESN. The Red Sox are being choked by a pandemic of apathy.

“Ennui and Tedium” have replaced “Aura and Destiny” as the Red Sox nemesis of choice.
Opening Day at Fenway is April 9. Plenty of good rows remain available.

The “buzzz” – emphasis on “zzz” – is that this team will somehow overperform and break the .500 barrier. An improvement in fielding and hitting will make games more palatable for viewers, allegedly. The pitching? Check back on Memorial Day.

The Red Sox were unable to pull the trigger on Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. One or both could have shored up their rotation post-Lucas Giolito injury. That’s all the tell you need the Red Sox are in race to meet Fenway Sports Group’s bottom line. Even if it lands them in the bottom of the standings for the fourth time in five years.

It’s not just the last-place Patriots and Red Sox that have left fans feeling sour despite the arrival of the Sweet 16 in Boston.

The regular-season success of the Celtics and Bruins has done little to ease the playoff dread set to return next month.

The Celtics remain “vulnerable.” Kendrick Perkins’ description, not mine. It’s easy to see why. They lack the will and ability to finish off opponents – while continuing to fizzle at crunch time. The Celtics have shown nothing to counter the fear that they will get star-struck in May or June and allow themselves to get pushed around right out of the postseason.

Bruins fans have been reduced to praying their team does not win the Presidents Trophy and the all-but-certain playoff doom that it carries. The team’s shortcomings have been stuck in a time capsule. Unbalanced scoring. Lack of size and depth on defense.

Concerns that the coach will choke under the playoff spotlight. Little has changed little since last year’s first-round exit against Florida. Both the Celtics and Bruins could have home court/ice throughout the postseason.

Making that inevitable Game 7 calamity all the more painful.

And there’s nothing sweet about that.

Bill Speros (@RealOBF and @BillSperos on X) can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com.

Are you excited? Likely not. It’s been a tough stretch (by Boston sports standards in this century, anyway). There are valid complaints to be made about the state of the Sox.

But if you think you know how this is going to end, you don’t.

In this day and age, the last team standing is rarely the one people expect.

ESPN thought the 2004 Red Sox would win 102 games and the AL East, but cautioned that the team “may not respond well to new manager Terry Francona.”

Meanwhile, Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood graced the cover of Sports Illustrated’s “2004 Baseball Preview” issue alongside the words, “Hell Freezes Over / The Cubs Will Win the World Series.”

They were right about hell freezing over, they just got the cursed team wrong.

In 2013, Bleacher Report predicted that the Sox would go 77-85 for their second consecutive last-place finish. They went 97-65, won the division, and the World Series.

Most evaluators thought that the Yankees would be better than the Sox in ’18, including MLB.com. Boston ‘did damage’ to those projections, winning 108 regular-season games and bulldozing their so-called postseason competition en route to championship No. 9.

Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projections had the ’21 Sox finishing fourth in the division with an 80-82 record. Instead, Boston went from a last-place finish the year before, to a near-upset of the Astros in the ALCS.

All this to say, anything can happen in 162 games. And seeing as the Sox are about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of that historic ’04 run, Bostonians should remember that they know better than anyone how quickly the impossible can become possible. As evidenced by the predictions listed above, the Red Sox are at their best and most memorable when they come out of nowhere.

Besides, in Boston sports, being the best is almost boring at this point (I recognize the Title-Town privilege in that). It’s far more fun to be underdogs, shocking the world, as Kevin Millar so presciently said twenty years ago this October.

I’m not saying the 2024 Red Sox are a postseason team. I’m just not going to decide they aren’t one on Opening Day morning, either, because I don’t know one way or the other, and neither do you.

And I’m certainly not saying you should give ownership a free pass for setting their own meager-by-their-own-standards budget. They ran out of excuses a long time ago.

What I’m suggesting is that you keep an open mind, because why not? What do you gain by ruling the Red Sox out before they’ve played a single regular-season game?

Of course, if you expect nothing, you can’t be disappointed. However, I think many members of Red Sox Nation still have hope, because what I see on social media and hear from you in my inbox is not apathy. You’re angry and frustrated, which means you still care.

Remember that the players aren’t the ones trying to pinch pennies that don’t need pinching. In fact, several players have been quite vocal over the last two years, publicly calling for reinforcements. This is also an intensely competitive, hungry group with strong team chemistry and good energy. They want to win and they’re eager to prove the doubters wrong. Why not give them a chance to do so?

What do you have to lose?

The Sox replaced Chaim Bloom with Craig Breslow as chief baseball officer and seemingly had loads of money to spend. Expectations grew after chairman Tom Werner declared their intention to go “full throttle.”

But before long it became clear the Red Sox were headed in a much different direction. The highly-anticipated moves never materialized, and each addition the club made was paired with a subtraction elsewhere. Eventually the Red Sox changed their tune, fessing up that payroll would be down and that the main focus this season would be getting the most out of the players they already have.

Now as Opening Day arrives, the Red Sox enter the season with as little buzz as we’ve seen in decades.

Cerullo: Time has come for Red Sox to put money where their mouth is

The general consensus around the baseball community is that the Red Sox are likely headed for another last place finish, which would be their third straight and fourth in five years. They aren't considered 'bad,' per se, but more or less average and a step below their AL East peers.

Instead of bolstering their roster from the outside, Boston is counting on young players to take a step forward. Four of the club's starters are homegrown or nearly homegrown, with Brayan Bello looking to establish himself as an ace and Kutter Crawford, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck as viable big-league workhorses. The lineup also skews young, with Rafael Devers, Triston Casas, Jarren Duran, Connor Wong and Wilyer Abreu all 27 or under, and newcomer Vaughn Grissom and rookie Ceddanne Rafaela both still just 23.

Trevor Story, one of the club's biggest recent free agent additions, is fully healthy and coming off his first normal spring training since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Masataka Yoshida, last offseason's biggest addition, is also settled in after a grind of a first season in the majors. The club expects both to be bigger contributors in 2024.

Though the Red Sox largely sat silent on the free-agent marketplace, they aggressively overhauled their pitching development program and significantly bolstered their minor league depth. The hope in the short-term is to help the current big league arms level up, and over the long haul to unblock a minor league pipeline that has been woefully inadequate for the better part of two decades.

State of the Sox: Give these kids a chance

Could it work? Sure! If everything pans out and enough of the Red Sox young players take the next step, this club could be good enough to surprise people and possibly even contend for a postseason berth.

But let's be clear, Red Sox ownership has taken an incredible risk. Rather than put their money where their mouth is, they've made a gamble they can't afford to lose.

Ever since the Mookie Betts trade Red Sox fans have grown increasingly disillusioned, and now that disillusionment risks morphing into outright apathy. Over the coming months the Celtics and Bruins will likely dominate the conversation in Boston, and in the meantime the New England Patriots are set to embark on one of the most important drafts in franchise history.

The Red Sox will be an afterthought, and to the extent the club gets any attention at all, the discourse will revolve around whether Alex Cora manages the team beyond this season, or the usual grievances related to owner John Henry's perceived stinginess and his commitment to the franchise.

The only way any of that changes is if the Red Sox start winning.

On paper, this year's club is much improved defensively, should score plenty of runs and boasts one of the better bullpens in the game. The Red Sox are a young, athletic and talented group worthy of fan interest, but ownership has squandered all good will and cost itself the benefit of the doubt.

If this group comes together, jumps out to a hot start and proves itself to be more than just another 78-84 outfit, then maybe the Red Sox organization might finally move past the cynical narratives that have festered in recent years. But if we get more of the same — more injuries, more underperformance, more embarrassment — then by next winter, the Red Sox will be lucky if anyone still cares enough to even complain.

The deal was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The Boston Red Sox are acquiring right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa in a trade with Tampa Bay, sources tell ESPN. Uwasawa, 30, had signed a minor league deal with the Rays and wasn’t going to make the team. Boston, looking for pitching, adds the veteran who pitched nine years in Japan.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 27, 2024

The 30-year-old Uwasawa recently made the jump to the United States, signing a minor league deal with the Rays, but was informed recently that he did not make the team. Uwasawa will presumably provide additional starting pitching depth for the Red Sox, who don’t have much waiting in the wings beyond Cooper Criswell in Triple-A.

A veteran of nine seasons with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Uwasawa has posted a 3.42 ERA over 1,367.1 professional innings. Last season he went 9-9 with a 2.96 ERA over 170 innings, but since coming stateside he has struggled, allowing 14 earned runs over 9.2 innings (translating to a 13.03 ERA) in four Grapefruit League appearances with Tampa Bay.

Uwasawa’s deal with Tampa Bay is structured to pay him $2.5 million if he’s on the MLB roster and $225,000 if he’s in the minors. As of this writing it’s not clear whether or not the Red Sox plan to add Uwasawa to the 40-man roster.

Noah Song, a former top pitching prospect who recently resumed his career after spending four years away from baseball serving in the U.S. Navy, needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2024 season.

News of Song’s injury was first reported by Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com and was confirmed by a Red Sox source.

Song, a 26-year-old right-hander, was once viewed as a first-round talent after a stellar college career at Navy but fell to the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft due to uncertainty surrounding his military obligations. He wound up appearing in seven games with the Lowell Spinners towards the end of the 2019 season but spent the next four years completing flight school, and it wasn’t until 2023 that he had a waiver approved that would allow him to resume his baseball career.

Before that waiver even cleared, Song’s journey took an unexpected turn when he was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft. That meant the Phillies had to keep him on their major league roster for the entire season or he’d have to be offered back to Boston, so when his waiver was approved in February of 2023 he suddenly found himself on the fast track to the big leagues despite having not thrown a pitch in four years.

Song wound up tweaking his back amid that rapid ramp-up and once healthy was understandably rusty. He was eventually returned to the Red Sox after the Phillies couldn’t justify giving him a big league roster spot, and towards the end of last season he was given a more developmentally-appropriate assignment at High-A Greenville and finished with a 4.15 ERA over 21.2 innings.

The expectation coming into this season was Song would have an opportunity to earn a spot in the upper minors, likely at Double-A Portland first, but now he’ll be sidelined for at least another year, a devastating setback for a pitcher who has already missed out on so much time.

Worcester Red Sox broadcaster Tyler Murray — who has also been heard for years calling college hockey games on NESN, along with college basketball and football games — has been added to the WEEI roster, the radio station announced ahead of Opening Day.

Just last weekend, Murray was calling the Hockey East Championship on NESN.

“On the heels of calling the Hockey East Tourney this weekend & adding to his excellent @WooSox work, happy to announce that Tyler Murray (@LT__Murray) will be helping to build our @soxbooth bench this year!” WEEI posted.

Murray’s first Boston Red Sox series with WEEI will be April 5 to 7, on the road against the Los Angeles Angels. He’ll be in the booth with Will Flemming.

During the offseason when WEEI put up a job posting for a “Red Sox Play by Play/Analyst Announcer,” speculation swirled about Flemming’s future role with the broadcast team. Audacy Boston’s WEEI said the station was “simply building a bench.” Meanwhile, Flemming was a finalist for the Chicago White Sox TV job, but that Windy City broadcast role went to ESPN’s John Schriffen.

“Very excited to work with the great @WillFlemming, who I’ve learned so much from over the years, for about 20 games this season,” Murray posted on Wednesday.

“Coming up on 13 seasons in @MiLB, it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am to have this opportunity,” Murray wrote. “Thank you to @KenLairdWEEI, @mikethomasmt8, and to everyone who has reached out. Your support has honestly been overwhelming and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

In addition to calling games for the Worcester Red Sox, Murray has also called Toronto Blue Jays Spring Training games on the Sportsnet Radio Network.

Murray, who studied Broadcast Journalism at Boston University, is the lead broadcaster for the Hockey East Game of the Week on NESN. He also calls UMass basketball and football games on the UMass Sports Network.

Coming up on 13 seasons in @MiLB, it's not lost on me how fortunate I am to have this opportunity.

Thank you to @KenLairdWEEI, @mikethomasmt8, and to everyone who has reached out. Your support has honestly been overwhelming and I couldn't be more grateful. https://t.co/10rOyOQaCE

— Tyler Murray (@LT__Murray) March 27, 2024

Gabrielle Starr: Honestly, I feel like this is a very exciting group. We all know the narratives, projections, and quiet offseason stuff isn’t ideal, but I hope people can give them a chance to show what they can do on the field this year.

MC: The vibes around the fanbase definitely aren’t great, but this is definitely going to be sink or swim for the club’s young core. Either they’ll figure it out, take the next step and thrive, or we could be in for a long summer. The competition isn’t getting any easier either, so why don’t we start this off by looking at the AL East.

How will AL East shake out?

GS: For starters, I can’t get over the Yankees being picked to win the East pretty much every year. Sure, it happens a fair amount, but they’re simply not the same franchise they were 20 years ago, and they haven’t proven much of anything in over a decade! I think the Orioles can take it again this year, but beyond that, I feel like it’s something of a toss-up, and may not be as hotly contested as last year. There are already significant pitching injuries around the division: Gerrit Cole will be out for at least two months of the regular-season, Lucas Giolito is missing the entire year, the Blue Jays won’t have Kevin Gausman to start the season, and the Rays have Jeffrey Springs and Shane McClanahan recovering from elbow surgeries last year. If the Red Sox can stay healthy and their young core – especially the pitchers – can take the necessary steps forward, I could see them being the third-place team. And, as we all know, the Red Sox love to outperform expectations after last-place finishes. Boston’s September schedule is almost entirely against their division foes, too, so this race could really come down to the wire. What do you think?

MC: I think the Yankees have plenty of reason for concern, but they’ve done enough this offseason that they should be in the playoffs when all is said and done. I do think the Orioles will repeat as AL East champions and frankly I don’t think it will be close. Their young stars will be a year older and a year better, they have reinforcements like top prospect Jackson Holliday knocking on the door, and now they’ve got a bona fide ace in Corbin Burnes. They’re going to be trouble. What I’m less sure about is everyone else. Tampa Bay has the injury issues on top of Wander Franco’s whole situation, and even if the Rays always seem to find a way, that’ll be a lot to overcome. As for the Blue Jays, they had a pretty disappointing offseason and a lot of their better players are on the wrong side of 30. I don’t know who it will be, but I feel like someone in the AL East is going to slip this season.

GS: The one thing I’ll say about Burnes is that he’s used to having an elite bullpen backing him up. When I was covering the ‘21 Phillies, he and Zack Wheeler were vying for the NL Cy Young, and Wheeler led the Majors with 213 ⅓ innings pitched over 32 starts – including a league-leading three complete games – in large part because the Phillies didn’t have a reliable bullpen (they led MLB in blown saves for almost the entire season). Burnes, meanwhile, won the Cy Young despite throwing just 167 innings over 28 starts. His 2.43 ERA was significantly better than Wheeler’s (2.78), but he was also well-protected and could exit games earlier because the Brewers bullpen always got the job done. This isn’t a knock against Burnes, by any means, but it will be interesting to see how the Baltimore bullpen fares this year, especially with our old friend, Craig Kimbrel, assuming the closer role. Regarding the Yankees, it’s usually the same question: will Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton stay healthy and be productive? I definitely agree that at least one team is going to slip this year, and I’d guess it’s the Jays or the Rays. It’s kind of crazy that there hasn’t been a Wander Franco update in about a month, too.

MC: It’s very strange. As far as the Red Sox go, I do think this is going to be a better season than a lot of people think, but realistically we’re probably still looking at a fourth- or fifth-place finish. Put me down for 83-79 and fourth place. I do think they’ll stay in the playoff hunt into September but I don’t think they’ll have enough to snag the third Wild Card spot.

GS: I think the trade deadline will factor heavily into the Red Sox’s outcome. They were still somewhat in the Wild Card race last July, and players were publicly begging the front office for reinforcements. That’s actually been the case in each of the past two seasons, and the front office didn’t really do much. When that happened, the clubhouse energy changed. It seemed like the players deflated a little bit, and Rafael Devers essentially confirmed that earlier this spring. If they’re playing well and somewhat in the playoff hunt in July, the response from Craig Breslow and Co. could make or break the latter half of the season. Everyone knows the Sox have the financial flexibility and farm system to make trades this summer, so it could be a significant test for team leadership.

Who will win major awards?

MC: Let’s look at the players. Who do you think should be in the conversation for MVP, the Cy Young Award, Rookie of the Year, etc.?

GS: Bold prediction: Brayan Bello will receive Cy Young votes. Thoughts?

MC: Ooh, I like that. It could definitely happen. Bello was one of the best pitchers in baseball age 24 or under last season, and if he puts it all together it’s totally within the realm of possibility he could make that kind of leap. It’s funny too, the AL Cy Young race is totally wide open now with Gerrit Cole’s injury. Personally I think Seattle’s George Kirby will win, but Bello’s chances are as good as anyone’s.

GS: What a Cinderella story that would be, right? Pedro Martinez’s protégé winning the Cy Young the same year he’s the first Dominican-born Sox Opening Day starter since Pedro. I also have this funny feeling that Rafael Devers and Triston Casas could be AL MVP candidates, and though it’s unlikely that he keeps hitting the way he’s been raking in spring training, if Ceddanne Rafaela can carry that success into the season, he could get some Rookie of the Year votes. He could definitely be a Gold Glove finalist, at the very least.

MC: Here’s where I’m at on the Red Sox guys. I think Devers, Casas and Trevor Story will all be All-Stars, and while I think Jackson Holliday is a heavy favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year — he’s starting in Triple-A but he’ll be up soon — I could see Rafaela getting considered. I think Story and Rafaela could also win Gold Gloves, but I don’t see anyone vying for AL MVP. I think Aaron Judge will dominate that conversation, and if not him maybe Juan Soto, Adley Rutschman, Julio Rodriguez or Corey Seager.

GS: I keep forgetting that Soto is in the American League, let alone the division. J-Rod is always a great bet. He’s such an incredible talent and I think he’s well on his way to being one of the faces of the game for the next decade at least. Do you have NL picks for these awards?

MC: I’ve got Mookie Betts edging out Ronald Acuña Jr. for NL MVP, Spencer Strider taking the Cy Young and Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio winning Rookie of the Year. You?

GS: While I’d never doubt Betts, it’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts to playing shortstop. It’s a long shot, but I’d love to see Chris Sale at least get some Cy Young votes this year, or at least be able to have a complete comeback season after so many waylaid attempts. I’m also going with Chourio for NL Rookie of the Year. I wonder if there’s ever been a year in which both ROYs had the same first name!

Who will win the World Series?

MC: Ok let’s talk playoffs. As I said above, I think the Orioles are winning the AL East and I bet the Yankees and Rays will get in as Wild Cards. I also think the Rangers will win the AL West and the Astros will make the field as a close second, and the Twins will win the AL Central. Think I’m on the right path?

GS: I agree, this is the Orioles’ division to lose, but I’m not so sure about those Wild Cards. The Rays are always pesky opponents, to say the least, but it feels like they’re about to have a weird year. A lot of AL West projections have the Rangers finishing second to the Astros, and I think that battle will be close, what with both teams losing important pitchers to free agency or injuries. I’d love to see the Mariners make a legit playoff run this year, too. Unlike last season, when the Twins easily won the AL Central with a record that would’ve been fourth-best in the AL East, I think their division is about to get somewhat competitive. The Tigers and Royals are both poised to finally emerge from their respective rebuilds, and even if they’re not contenders this season, I think one, if not both will be harder to shut down. What about the NL divisions? Maybe I’m just being a contrarian, but I feel like the ‘obvious’ outcomes could end up being totally wrong.

MC: That’s baseball, isn’t it? I think the NL is stacked and the NL West in particular is going to be a monster. The Dodgers, Giants, Padres and Diamondbacks all have reason for optimism and are going to beat each other up all season long. The Braves and Phillies are both great as well and something tells me the Cubs are going to be the class of the NL Central. I’ll say the Dodgers, Braves and Cubs win their respective divisions and the Giants, Phillies and Diamondbacks take the Wild Cards.

GS: It doesn’t just feel like the AL East and NL West are always the most ferocious division battles, it’s basically been the case for most of the century thus far. The pressure is obviously on the Dodgers, because if they can’t figure it out with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, then lord only knows. Of course, I always remind people that spending zillions to build a so-called super-team is no guarantee of anything; we saw that with the Padres and Mets last year, and the Yankees on and off for most of the last 20. It takes talent, obviously, but also good health, strong team chemistry, and a bit of luck to get to the finish line. Regarding the rest of the West, I think the Giants or Padres get a Wild Card, but not both. The Diamondbacks are sneaky-good, but the Eduardo Rodriguez injury isn’t an ideal way to start the season. The Cubs feel like a great pick for the Central. I feel that division has been something of an afterthought recently. I’d love to see the Phillies topple the Braves for their first division title since 2011, but I think Atlanta is too strong and well-balanced for that to happen. Honestly, I just want Bryce Harper to be in the postseason as long as possible, because he’s such an electric player. Speaking of, I just realized that neither of us even mentioned the Angels or Mike Trout.

MC: Yeah, and for good reason unfortunately. There should be a lot of great teams in MLB this season, but the Angels won’t be one of them. That being said, who do you have reaching the ALCS and NLCS, and who do you see reaching and winning the World Series?

GS: The Angels are a crying shame. Despite what I just said, it would be crazy not to pick the Dodgers. I’m not sold on them, but I could definitely see it happening. I think the pennant round comes down to them and either the Braves or Phillies. I think the American League comes down to whether the Orioles can topple either the Rangers or Astros. An Orioles-Dodgers World Series would be very interesting, a real ‘David and Goliath’ matchup. What do you see in your crystal (base)ball?

MC: I see the Orioles avenging their playoff loss to the Rangers to reach the World Series for the first time in 41 years, and I see the Dodgers overcoming the Braves in an epic NLCS showdown. As much as I’d love to say the Orioles will upset the Dodgers and win the World Series, Los Angeles is just a juggernaut. The 2024 World Series is the Dodgers’ to lose, and I see no reason why we shouldn’t expect them to get the job done.

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 lineup notes

Check back later for lineups and notes

Mariners lineup notes

Check back later for lineups and notes

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.