ARLINGTON, Texas — The Red Sox appeared to set their roster on Wednesday when utility player Nick Sogard was optioned to Triple A Worcester.
That leaves Romy Gonzalez and David Hamilton as the infield backups with Rob Refsnyder the fourth outfielder.
Sogard led the Sox with 59 plate appearances in spring training. But once Gonzalez was cleared to play after missing time with a slight oblique strain, Sogard was squeezed out.
Barring something unexpected, the roster for Game 1 on Thursday against Texas would be:
Starters: Walker Buehler, Richard Fitts, Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Sean Newcomb.
Relievers: Brennan Bernardino, Aroldis Chapman, Liam Hendricks, Zack Kelly, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Wilson.
Catchers: Carlos Narvaéz, Connor Wong.
Infielders: Alex Bregman, Triston Casas, Kristian Campbell, Rafael Devers, Gonzalez, Hamilton, Trevor Story.
Outfielders: Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Refsnyder.
Campbell is the only player without major league experience. He also would join Bregman, Buehler, Chapman, Crochet, Hendriks, Narvaéz, Newcomb, and Wilson as being on the Red Sox roster for a major league game for the first time.
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Texas starter Nate Eovaldi will be making his fourth Opening Day start. The previous three — 2020, 2021, and ‘22 — came with the Red Sox.
Eovaldi is 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts for the Rangers since the Sox let him leave as a free agent after the ‘22 season.
The righthander has faced the Red Sox three times as a Ranger since and allowed 12 runs on 16 hits over 15⅓ innings.
Crochet faced Texas once last season and allowed two runs on four hits over four innings on July 23 at Globe Life Park. He struck out seven and walked two.
Thursday will be the fourth time the Sox will open the season against the Rangers. The previous three — 1996, 2006 and 2011 — also were in Texas. The Sox were 0-3 in those games and were outscored 26-11 … Alex Cora is 1-5 on Opening Day as manager of the Sox … Thursday marks the start of the Sox having 20 games scheduled over 21 days. Their only day off in that stretch is Tuesday in Baltimore … We’re definitely not in Boston Dept.: The Rangers announced that the wrestler MJF will throw out the first pitch. Jim Sundberg, Rusty Greer and Geno Petralli must have all been busy.
