The Boston Red Sox start their 2024 season with Opening Day on March 28 in Seattle against the Mariners.
Boston will need several players to find a hot start out of the gate to give the Red Sox an early boost to begin the year. Several impact players showed signs of solid trends on Saturday as spring training winds down.
From starting pitchers to impact bats, here are five Red Sox who built momentum on Saturday in the final days of spring training contests.
Jarren Duran
Fresh off of making the Opening Day roster, Boston’s likely leadoff hitter showed that he can pick up where he left off last season as a dynamic start to the Red Sox order.
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Duran tallied three more hits and drove in a run against the Twins.
Trevor Story
Story absolutely had to have a great spring to get back on track after injuries derailed his first two seasons in Boston. The Red Sox shortstop has done just that.
Story entered play Saturday hitting .324 with a .999 OPS for spring training. The 31-year-old drove in three more runs in a productive night at the plate.
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Nick Pivetta
Pivetta took the ball at JetBlue Park, striking out nine batters in six innings against the Twins while surrendering just two runs. He enters the season as the No. 2 starter for the Red Sox.
The right-hander has momentum after a strong run as a bulk reliever in 2023 in addition to the impact that a new sweeper has had on his pitch arsenal.
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Brayan Bello
Boston’s Opening Day starter made his final appearance of the spring before his outing in Seattle. Against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bello allowed just one earned run in 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. Bello’s arsenal showed promise on Saturday with good movement on his slider and changeup.
Reese McGuire
McGuire had previously hit just .213 through spring training. Saturday offered a boost as Boston’s backup catcher blasted a go-ahead grand slam in the nightcap against the Twins.
After injuries rattled his 2023 season, McGuire looks to return to the above-average bat he produced when the Red Sox acquired him in 2022.
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Featured image via Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports Images
