Opening Day FAQ: Red Sox vs. Mariners

SEATTLE -- The Mariners and Red Sox each enter 2024 with heightened expectations, on the heels of an offseason where both were under the microscope for their transactional flurry -- or lack thereof.

Seattle shook its snowglobe to create a reimagined offense, parting with key run producers who were also their most strikeout prone -- Jarred Kelenic and Eugenio Suárez among others -- in hopes of creating more lineup consistency after falling short of the postseason by one game last year.

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Boston had a similar situation, dealing away well-known players like Alex Verdugo and Chris Sale. Then the club’s top acquisition, Lucas Giolito, needed Tommy John surgery this spring. It led some within the clubhouse, notably Rafael Devers, to call for more urgency within the team’s roster construction.

For both teams, anything short of the postseason would be a huge disappointment -- and the path for each to October begins on Opening Day at T-Mobile Park.

When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. EDT / 7:10 p.m. PDT on Thursday on MLB.TV. NESN and ROOT Sports will broadcast the game in their local markets, while WEEI 93.7 FM (Boston) and 710 Seattle Sports will air the game on the radio.

What are the lineups?
MARINERS: With the Red Sox slated to roll with righty Brayan Bello, Mariners manager Scott Servais will deploy a starting nine capable of a straight right-left mix throughout.

1. J.P. Crawford, SS
2. Julio Rodríguez, CF
3. Jorge Polanco, 2B
4. Mitch Garver, DH
5. Cal Raleigh, C
6. Mitch Haniger, RF
7. Dominic Canzone, LF
8. Ty France, 1B
9. Josh Rojas, 3B

RED SOX: The Red Sox like the balance of their lineup, and a healthy Trevor Story and a rejuvenated Tyler O’Neill could make this offense more potent than people are expecting.

1. Jarren Duran, LF
2. Rafael Devers, 3B
3. Trevor Story, SS
4. Triston Casas, 1B
5. Tyler O’Neill, RF
6. Masataka Yoshida, DH
7. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
8. Enmanuel Valdez, 2B
9. Connor Wong, C

Who are the starting pitchers?
MARINERS: RHP Luis Castillo (14-9, 3.34 ERA in 2023) is making his fourth career Opening Day start and second in a row in Seattle. After finishing in fifth place for the American League Cy Young Award last season, the highest of his career, “La Piedra” has firmly established himself as one of the best right-handers in the game. His most recent history with Boston, however, featured an uncharacteristic start last May 16 at Fenway Park, when he surrendered a season-high three homers in an eventual loss.

RED SOX: RHP Brayan Bello (12-11, 4.24 ERA in 2023) will experience the thrill of starting Opening Day for the first time in his young career. The 24-year-old righty from the Dominican Republic recently signed a six-year contract extension that includes a club option for an additional year that would keep Bello in a Boston uniform through the 2030 season. Bello’s pitch mix is one the Red Sox are comparing to San Francisco’s Logan Webb. Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey played a big role in Webb’s development when he was with the Giants, and Boston hopes he can do similar things with Bello.

How might the bullpens line up after the starter?
MARINERS: This will be of intrigue beyond Thursday, given that the Mariners will be without leverage relievers Matt Brash and Gregory Santos (more below). That likely leaves Andrés Muñoz to handle the most important outs -- potentially before the ninth inning if the game calls for it -- and newcomer Ryne Stanek as the leading setup man, especially against lefties. Servais also values what he calls the “pivot guy” who can handle a mid-inning jam if Castillo is laboring, and Gabe Speier and Tayler Saucedo thrived in those spots last season. Expect to see newcomers Cody Bolton and Collin Snider -- who secured the lone roster spots up for grabs -- to chip in, too.

RED SOX: Boston’s trusted 1-2 combo of closer Kenley Jansen and ace setup man Chris Martin both had slow Spring Trainings in which they worked through nagging injuries. But the two righties turned a corner in the final week and should be good to go for manager Alex Cora. Josh Winckowski, who was in the battle for a rotation spot for much of the spring, is another key weapon in the late innings. Isaiah Campbell, a former Mariner, could also be counted on.

Any injuries of note?
MARINERS: Brash (right elbow inflammation) and Santos (right lat strain) leave a sizable void within a bullpen that has been one of the game’s best the past three seasons, ranking tied for third in FanGraphs’ wins above replacement from 2021-23. And beyond Opening Day, starting pitcher Bryan Woo will join them on the 15-day IL to begin the year, though his rotation spot doesn’t arise until Monday against Cleveland.

RED SOX: The Red Sox went into Spring Training planning on Vaughn Grissom being the starting second baseman. But he had hamstring issues and then a left groin strain and likely won’t play until late April. Righty Lucas Giolito might have started Opening Day for the Sox, but he had to undergo a UCL repair in his right elbow and is done for the season.

Who’s hot and who’s not?
MARINERS: Mitch Haniger looks well beyond midseason form, having crushed a team-high five homers over 35 Cactus League at-bats. Even with the outfield depth that will allow Servais to play righty/lefty matchups, Haniger is expected to start given his veteran status and much-anticipated return to Seattle. And Julio Rodríguez, who was delayed one week to start Spring Training due to left hand inflammation, finished camp on a high note. As for who’s not, new outfielder Luke Raley went 7-for-40 in Arizona but finished strong towards the end.

RED SOX: Devers, Boston’s most dangerous player, had a strong Spring Training and hopes to carry that into the early part of the season. Story is finally healthy again for the start of a season and it showed in Spring Training as he swung the bat well. Rookie Wilyer Abreu, the club’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, didn’t get the results he was looking for this spring, but his plate approach remains sound.

Anything else fans might want to know?

MARINERS: They're looking to win their fourth straight on Opening Day, but their historical success goes even further. They're 14-3 since 2007 and 29-18 overall in the first game of the season, for a .617 winning percentage that is the best in the American League and second-best in MLB to only the Mets' .661. Seattle is even better at home, with a .655 win percentage between T-Mobile Park and the Kingdome, which trails only the Mets (.719) and Yankees (.679) among active franchises.

RED SOX: They were Seattle’s first-ever Opening Day opponent at T-Mobile Park (then Safeco Field) in 2000, and Pedro Martinez was magnificent, leading Boston to a 2-0 win. The Mariners actually opened their new ballpark in the middle of the ‘99 season. The last time Boston was in Seattle on Opening Day, it didn’t go well for the Sox. That was in 2019, and Chris Sale got belted around in Seattle’s 12-4 victory.