The Boston Red Sox begin their 2023 regular season Thursday inside the friendly confines of Fenway Park against the Baltimore Orioles.
It’s a marquee day for Major League Baseball as teams throughout the league get set for the grind of a 162-game schedule.
And whether you plan to watch the Red Sox open the campaign from your living room couch or are lucky enough to have a ticket to the game, here is everything you need to know for Opening Day:
— First pitch between the Red Sox and Orioles is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET.
— Fenway Park will open the gates a little earlier than normal to get fans in for the Opening Day festivities. Gate will open two hours prior to first pitch, which is a half hour earlier than other regular-season games.
— The Red Sox plan to begin their pregame ceremony at 1:30 p.m.
— NESN will have comprehensive coverage of Opening Day starting with 90 minutes of pregame coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. That will carry viewers all the way up to game time as the contest can also be watched on NESN or with NESN 360. NESN will also have an hour of postgame coverage following the conclusion of the game.
— Corey Kluber, who signed a one-year deal with the Red Sox in the offseason, will earn the start on the mound for the home town team. It will be the sixth Opening Day start of Kluber’s career. The Orioles will counter with righty Kyle Gibson, who is 3-4 with a 3.38 ERA in eight career starts against the Red Sox.
— As of Wednesday night at 8 p.m., the Red Sox were -133 favorites against the Orioles. For the most up to date odds on all Opening Day games, check out the NESN Bets page.
— The Red Sox will enjoy a new clubhouse this season, with renovations including new player lockers and LED boards scattered throughout the locker room.
— For those going to the game, the Red Sox have a new bag policy in place. It is as follows: “Bags must be single-compartment and no larger than 12″x12″x6″. Backpacks, backpack-style purses, duffel bags, and other multi-compartment bags are not permitted. Exceptions will be made for diaper bags and bags containing essential medical equipment. To speed up the entry process, the Red Sox will continue to encourage the use of single-compartment clear bags for the 2023 season. Clear bags must also be no larger than 12″x12″x6″. Clear backpacks are not allowed.”
