The 2018 Boston Red Sox are ready to roll. Well, most of them.
The Red Sox made a series of personnel moves Thursday morning to finalize their 25-man roster ahead of their Opening Day matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
The club placed four players on the disabled list, including starting second baseman Dustin Pedroia, while activating pitchers Bobby Poyner and Marcus Walden to the active roster. Poyner and Walden will wear No. 66 and No. 64, respectively.
Relief pitchers Tyler Thornburg and Austin Maddox join Pedroia on the 10-day DL, while infielder Marco Hernandez heads to the 60-day DL as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
There was some optimism that Pedroia might be ready for Opening Day after undergoing left knee surgery in October, but the Red Sox aren’t taking any chances with the 34-year-old, especially with Eduardo Nunez available to start at second base in his stead. Pedroia’s initial timetable to return to game action was seven months, so even if he’s ahead of schedule, Boston likely won’t have him back until late April or early May.
Here’s a look at the Red Sox’s official Opening Day roster:
