The Boston Red Sox near the end of their spring training slate, but before they open the 2025 season in Arlington, Texas, on March 27, they'll head south of the border.
The Red Sox will face off against the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican Pacific League for two exhibition games on March 24-25. They'll play the games at the Sultanes' home stadium, Estadio Mobil Super in Monterrey, Mexico, before returning to the States to play the Rangers on a tight turnaround.
The Sox haven't announced their final roster for the two games in Monterrey, but manager Alex Cora has mentioned that players who will begin the 2025 season in Triple-A will make the trip with the team. The Sox also announced that Rafael Devers and Trevor Story will not make the trip to play in the exhibition series.
Ian Browne of MLB.com later elaborated on Devers' reason for skipping the Mexico series. The lefty will remain in Fort Myers to "work on his swing" and join the team in Texas before Opening Day on March 27. This could be concerning news for Devers' recovery progress from the two shoulder injuries that affected him all last season, but the slugger is still expected to be a full-go by Opening Day. The Red Sox could be veering on the side of caution with their franchise player and keeping him out of games until absolutely necessary.
Cora said Devers and Story will not be going to Mexico
— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) March 17, 2025
Red Sox announce Rafael Devers and Trevor Story will not make the trip to Mexico for exhibition series against Sultanes
Browne did not offer a similar explanation for Story's absence. The Red Sox may also be exceptionally careful with Story as the season approaches, as he's spent so much of his tenure in Boston on the sidelines.
Story was scratched from the Sox's March 11 Grapefruit League game with mild upper back tightness, and he didn't appear in another game until March 15. The Red Sox may not want to risk playing him in an exhibition game due to his injury history and the team's desperate need for a capable shortstop and right-handed bats.
Story's stellar spring training gives Boston a look at the boost his bat can provide to its lineup when he's finally healthy. The shortstop is batting .406/.412/.750 with five doubles, two homers and eight RBI in 11 spring training games.
Hopefully, Devers and Story are healthy and their absences from the Mexico series are merely precautionary. Both players are critical to fielding Boston's best possible lineup on Opening Day, and the Red Sox are right to prioritize their health.