Today is opening day at Fenway Park: Corey Kluber (Cy Young twice) will be on the mound with McGuire catching, Verdugo in right field, Devers at third, Turner has come back after taking a pitch in the face and will be today’s designated hitter, Yoshida is out in left field, Duvall in center field, Casas at first base, Arroyo at second, and Kiké Hernández is short stop.
The big story is the new rules : Pitch Clock, Defensive Shift Limits, Bigger Bases! I have watched several spring training games and it is so much better! Give it a try.
The Boston Globe has everything you need to know.
Watch on NESN or MASN2. The game streams free on MLB.TV.
Opening Day, 2:10pm, Thursday, March 30, Fenway Park
*****************************************
The broadcast booth will feature returning primary play-by-play announcer Dave O’Brien with Massachusetts native Mike Monaco contributing to play-by-play duties. Color analysts in the booth will include returning personalities and Red Sox alumni Kevin Millar and Kevin Youkilis plus newcomer and Boston media veteran Lou Merloni. Familiar NESN faces and former Red Sox players making their broadcast booth debut in 2023 include Will Middlebrooks and Tim Wakefield. Jahmai Webster will serve as sideline reporter. (NESN)
Observations from spring training: Middlebrooks needs to stay on topic. I don’t mind chitchat but he went on and on about the different flavors of popcorn the other day and it was neither entertaining nor edifying. Millar was even worse. He would not shut up about what a great place Texas is (I strongly disagree) and someone finally got shut him up when he started describing how his nine-year-old daughter helps him shave his back (ugh). OB, Youk, and Monaco are fine, but . . .
I miss Eckersley.