The Red Sox and Orioles square off for the final time this preseason in Boston’s first night game of March at 6:05 p.m. in Fort Myers. NESN has the broadcast for this one.
Nathan Eovaldi will get the start for the Sox after getting smacked around by the Twins last time out in the fourth inning, but hey, it happens. Better now than later, I suppose. If the Sox continue their hot-hitting ways, crushing the ball better than any team in the Grapefruit League, it won’t matter, but let’s assume they won’t, and it will.
If the offense does keep it up, it stands to reason Xander Bogaerts will be part of the fun. He’s back at shortstop today, and if he starts the season there—which looks like a given—it will mark his eighth consecutive Opening Day there, tying the team record held by Everett Scott. Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, also playing today, would also be starting on the left side of the infield together for the fourth consecutive year.
Depending on how long they stick around today, they’ll see Eovaldi followed by Hirozaku Sawamura, Adam Ottavino and Josh Taylor. The Orioles will also field a team, I’m told, the names of the players involved being...
Orioles lineup
1. Yolmer Sánchez (S) 2B
2. Chance Sisco (L) C
3. Ryan Mountcastle (R) LF
4. Rio Ruiz (L) 3B
5. Pat Valaika (R) 1B
6. Ramón Urías (R) DH
7. Yusniel Díaz (R) RF
8. Stevie Wilkerson (S) CF
9. Richie Martin (R) SS
SP: Dean Kramer, RHP
Red Sox lineup
1. Kiké Hernández (R) 2B
2. Alex Verdugo (L) CF
3. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF
4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
5. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
6. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 1B
7. Franchy Cordero (L) LF
8. Michael Chavis (R) DH
9. Kevin Plawecki (R) C
SP: Nathan Eovaldi, RHP