Two teams that want to jump back to American League fight in a season-open series when Texas Rangers host Boston Red Sox. The first of four matches is set on Thursday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.
After three straight playoffs missed, Red Sox made an offseasone-based way by adding such as former all-star infielder Alex Bregman, starting Pitcher’s Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler and closer to Aroldis Chapman.
“These players win players. We have winning coaches here. I plan to win here,” said Bregman, who was twice the World Series champion with Houston Astros. “I can see that there is something special here.”
Bregman brings a right-handed Power Bat and joins three times all-star third basseman and now boring Hitter Rafael Devers for Red Sox, but everything starts at Haugen with an undeniable ace for the first time in year.
Crochet, which will start on the opening day before Tanner Huck and Buehler, is excited for a new beginning with a hopeful challenger after Pitching for the low Chicago White Sox last season. He went 6-12 with a 3.58 era and 209 strikes in 32 starts.
The 25-year-old left dominated this spring and knocked out 30 with a 0.57 era in 15 2/3 rounds. But he made an all -inclusive first impression.
“It’s special stuff,” Wong said. “When you were on the other hand you knew he just had very nasty (things), but he takes a lot of time to work with it and prepare and he has a really good idea of what he wants to do.”
Boston’s list will also contain high -ranking prospect Kristian Campbell, who climbed on three levels and met 20 home purchases on the way to earn Baseball America’s 2024 Minor League Player of the Year.
Campbell may be the everyday second bass man, but as teammate Ceddanne Rafaela he can play both Infield and Outfield.
“Very wild (rising). But he is a mature child and a physical child. He is a quick student, a student through observation,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “We just have to be patience. You know there will be some good things, some tough things and some ugly things, but we can live with it.”
Rangers were really never competitive one season after their 2023 World Series title. Jacob Degrom and Max Scherzer-Nu a Toronto Blue Jay-was limited to only 12 combined starts, while the Corey Seager-led crime fell significantly.
The addition of designated Hitter Joc Pederson gives some pop, but into the opening day there are still significant question marks due to health.
Seager was actively most of the spring after Sports Hernia operation in September last year but missed Monday’s exhibition game with “a little density” in his calf, according to Manager Bruce Bochy.
Keeping out the five-o’clock all-Star Shortstop was more of a precaution, but given his injury history, there may be concern.
“We will make sure we take care of him before we open here,” Bochy said.
Cody Bradford and Jon Gray are missing from the starting rotation to start the season, which has the former Red Sox Righty Nathan Eovaldi (12-8, 3.80) at the top to start Thursday.
“It is a huge honor to be able to take the ball (on the opening day), to mean that baseball is back,” Eovaldi said. “That’s what we work for throughout the season, spring training. … And for me it’s also about being healthy.”
Rangers need it. After Tyler Mahle on Friday, the rotation carries some uncertainty.
Former Vanderbilt -Stars Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker will fill the last two spots in the rotation. The duo has significant upside but only one combined nine large league starts on their resume.
“I love the talent we have. There will be some bumps in the way with young jugs, I get it. They have to go through it at a large league level,” Rangers President of Baseball Operations Chris Young said. “We have to balance the things with veteran players who know how to take the ball and go out and compete.”
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