The Boston Red Sox’s Opening Day roster appears set, barring an injury or some other unforeseen issue before Thursday’s season opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
The Red Sox optioned reliever Brandon Workman to Triple-A Pawtucket before Monday’s Grapefruit League game against the Chicago Cubs. They also placed pitchers Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright on the 10-day disabled list.
These moves, which offer additional clarity on Boston’s pitching staff to begin the season, come on the heels of the Red Sox sending left-handers Robby Scott and Roenis Elias to Pawtucket on Saturday. It’s likely Bobby Poyner will open the season as Boston’s lone lefty reliever, while right-hander Marcus Walden — who, like Poyner, was a non-roster invitee to spring training — also will make the big club in a rather surprising development.
The Red Sox’s bench situation came into focus over the weekend when the club traded infielder Deven Marrero to the Arizona Diamondbacks and optioned Tzu-Wei Lin to Pawtucket, all but guaranteeing Brock Holt and Blake Swihart will crack Boston’s Opening Day roster as bench options.
Got all that?
Here’s a more aesthetically simple breakdown of the Red Sox’s likely Opening Day roster:
Catchers
Christian Vazquez
Sandy Leon
Infielders
Hanley Ramirez
Mitch Moreland
Eduardo Nunez
Xander Bogaerts
Rafael Devers
Brock Holt
Blake Swihart
Outfielders
J.D. Martinez
Andrew Benintendi
Jackie Bradley Jr.
Mookie Betts
Rotation
Chris Sale
David Price
Rick Porcello
Hector Velazquez
Brian Johnson
Bullpen
Craig Kimbrel
Carson Smith
Joe Kelly
Matt Barnes
Heath Hembree
Bobby Poyner
Marcus Walden
Keep in mind that second baseman Dustin Pedroia is recovering from offseason knee surgery, hence his omission from the above roster projection. He could be back at some point in May, although there’s no exact timetable for his return.
Pomeranz and Rodriguez almost certainly will rejoin the Red Sox’s rotation when they’re healthy. That means Johnson (out of minor league options) and Wright (out of options plus facing a 15-game suspension) could be destined for the bullpen, which obviously would have a trickle-down effect across the major league roster.
