Here’s Red Sox Lineup For Grapefruit League Opener Vs. Orioles

The Red Sox kick off official spring training action Saturday with a Grapefruit League matchup against the Baltimore Orioles.

Boston moved to 20-0 against Northeastern after it beat the Huskies, 7-2, in an exhibition matchup at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla.

Manager Alex Cora will roll out players who will compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster with Ceddanne Rafaela leading off and getting the nod at center field. The expectations are high for the 23-year-old, and he hopes to take advantage of his opportunity as Jarren Duran recovers from toe surgery.

Wilyer Abreu became a winner of the Alex Verdugo trade to the New York Yankees, and he’ll hope to prove supporters like Red Sox chairman Tom Werner right with a strong showing in spring training.

Bobby Dalbec spent most of the 2023 season at Triple-A Worcester, but he’ll get his opportunity to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster and display what he learned from last season.

Pablo Reyes gets the start at shortstop with the rest of the lineup comprised of minor leagues, including Mark Contreras, who hit a home run against Northeastern, and Nathan Hickey, who is ranked at No. 17 in Boston’s farm system, according to Sox Prospects.

Garrett Whitlock gets the nod on the bump as he hopes to earn a spot in the starting rotation.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. You can watch all of the action on NESN and NESN 360.

Here are the starting lineups for Red Sox vs. Orioles.

BOSTON RED SOX
Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
Wilyer Abreu, RF
Bobby Dalbec, 1B
Pablo Reyes, SS
Tyler Heineman, C
Romy Gonzalez, 2B
Jamie Westbrook, 3B
Mark Contreras, LF
Nathan Hickey, DH

Garrett Whitlock, RHP

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Cedric Mullins, CF
Adley Rutschman, C
Anthony Santander, DH
Ryan O’Hearn, 1B
Austin Hays, LF
Ramón Urías, 3B
Jackson Holliday, 2B
Jorge Mateo, SS
Ryan McKenna, RF

Corbin Burnes, RHP