The Boston Red Sox regular season begins on March 28. Before the trip west to face the Mariners on Opening Day, there's work to be done by the entire team to determine who will make the 26-man roster.
Some names are a near-guarantee on Opening Day, barring any injuries. Other players will need to work for their roster spots. Boston's current 40-man roster and the 24 non-roster invitees in Fort Myers will work together to improve the team but will compete against each other to earn a spot in the bigs.
The start of spring training brings nearer the conclusion of another disappointing offseason for Red Sox Nation. Boston's roster still lacks the dominant starting pitching fans were told was a priority this winter. Roster additions are still possible and trade rumors are flying around the Red Sox at the start of spring training, but the acquisition of new players seems less and less likely by the day.
Red Sox spring training roster cut tracker: Who will make Opening Day roster?
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An unclear starting rotation means Red Sox pitchers have their work cut out for them this spring. Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello are near-guarantees on the Opening Day roster, but the other three rotation slots are up in the air. Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford are probably the most likely starter options. However, Josh Winckowski and Cooper Criswell have also been instructed to prepare as starters.
Rafael Devers, Trevor Story and Triston Casas will all likely win back their spots in the infield. Connor Wong will also likely hold onto Boston's starting catcher position with Reese McGuire filling in as a decent backup.
The Sox's outfield is also in need of a bit of clarity. Manager Alex Cora recently conceded that Masataka Yoshida will be getting the majority of his at-bats as the team's designated hitter, which leaves room for a new left fielder in front of the Green Monster. The running belief is that Wilyer Abreu will take over in left and Tyler O'Neill will take Alex Verdugo's previous role in right field.
Center field is the most contested spot in Boston's outfield — Jarren Duran is reportedly on the trade block and rookie Ceddanne Rafaela has the potential to secure a starting role. Duran and Rafaela are essentially opposite players. Duran's defense is lacking while his offensive upside is high. Rafaela's defense is his strong point and his plate presence leaves much to be desired. However, both are speedy and could be valuable in the pastures and on the base paths.
Red Sox Nation knows all too well that Boston has a lot of work ahead of it to determine the 26-man roster. BoSox Injection will track roster changes and cuts and update this page throughout spring training, so stay tuned and keep with the site as the weeks progress.