Real baseball is coming soon, Boston Red Sox fans.
Okay, so spring training games don't count for the team's record or official stats. But beginning on Friday, we'll see the Red Sox playing games against teams in other uniforms, even if the first of them is against the Northeastern University Huskies. Manager Alex Cora announced Wednesday that righty Tyler Uberstine would start that game.
On Thursday, we also learned which pitchers will get the starting assignments for the first six games of Grapefruit League action, as Boston will get a look at most of the hurlers competing for the various spots in their rotation. Here are those assignments, as Alex Cora told MassLive's Christopher Smith:
- Friday vs. Northeastern: RHP Tyler Uberstine
- Saturday at Minnesota Twins: LHP Payton Tolle
- Sunday vs. Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Brayan Bello
- Monday at Tampa Bay Rays: LHP Connelly Early
- Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: LHP Ranger Suárez
- Wednesday at Minnesota Twins: RHP Johan Oviedo
- Thursday vs. Tampa Bay Rays: LHP Garrett Crochet
Also of note, the Red Sox will deploy a trio of pre-scheduled relievers on both Friday and Saturday. Against Northeastern, it will be Wyatt Olds, Noah Song, and Jeremy Wu-Yelland. On Saturday against Minnesota, it will be new 26-man roster candidates Ryan Watson, Tyler Samaniego, plus setup man Garrett Whitlock.
Friday's game against the Huskies begins at 1:05 p.m. ET at JetBlue Park.