Opening Day has been rather kind to the Boston Red Sox of late.
Boston has won three of its last four season openers, with the lone defeat coming last year in a game the Red Sox themselves couldn’t help but laugh at. The reigning World Series champions will look to make it four of five Thursday night in Seattle, and ESPN believes they’ll do exactly that.
Chris Sale is set to toe the rubber for the Sox in the first of a four-game set against the Mariners at the newly named T-Mobile Park. ESPN is expecting Sale, who recently inked a five-year extension, to dominate in a low-scoring affair.
“Red Sox 3, Mariners 1. Sale spoils the home opener with 12 strikeouts and the bullpen holds on to open the title defense with a victory,” the column reads.
It’s worth noting ESPN projects a strong showing from the Red Sox’s bullpen. Manager Alex Cora elected not to name a closer heading into the new season, indicating the ninth-inning decision largely will be based on matchups. Cora seems confident in his collection of relievers, though, and stress could be taken off the unit if Boston’s starting rotation collectively lives up to expectations.
We probably shouldn’t expect a ton of slim run totals from Boston this year either, as Cora’s club is poised to make a whole lot of noise at the dish for a second straight season.
