TAMPA, Fla. — The Red Sox’ Opening Day roster is nearing completion, with significant player cuts expected on Wednesday to finalize the 26-man lineup.
As of Tuesday, the Red Sox had 51 players at camp, including 14 non-roster invitees. Wednesday morning will see a significant reduction in this number as the team prepares to release many players from major league camp, providing clear indications about ongoing roster competition.
Currently, top prospect Kristian Campbell is still a strong contender for the second base position, despite his struggles at the plate this spring, and appears to have an edge over David Hamilton, Vaughn Grissom, and others, according to the team’s leadership.
While the closer role remains unassigned, Aroldis Chapman appears to have emerged as the leading candidate for the position as the season begins. Liam Hendriks has improved his command issues, but Chapman’s performance has been impressive. Justin Slaten, in his second year, is viewed as suitable for a high-leverage role. The backup catcher competition is narrowed down to 40-man players Carlos Narváez and Blake Sabol, with Narváez likely favored to back up Connor Wong.
On Tuesday, Cora mentioned that the team’s roster doesn’t need to be finalized by Sunday, as the Red Sox head to Monterrey, Mexico for exhibition games. However, a decision is required before next Thursday’s season opener in Arlington, Texas. The team seems to have a clear direction as they have only six games left in Florida.
“We have a lot of talented players, but we can’t just pick 26 players without a cohesive plan,” Cora said at Steinbrenner Field. “As a manager, it’s my responsibility to assemble a functional roster.” He emphasized the importance of focusing on what the team needs in April, highlighting the significance of making thoughtful roster decisions for meaningful games.
Starting Rotation
The Red Sox have two spots available in their Opening Day rotation, with Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and Lucas Giolito expected to start the season on the injured list. Behind the top trio of Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, and Walker Buehler, right-hander Richard Fitts, who is slated to start against the Tigers on Wednesday, seems to be a strong candidate for the No. 4 starter role.
