Follow along with live updates from Opening Day
It’s Opening Day, and spring is in the air!
Well, kind of.
The sky over Fenway Park will be clear, but the game-time temperature will be in the low 40s, with a wind-chill in the low 30s, so bundle up if you’re heading to the game.
Gates will open at 12:10 p.m., with the pregame ceremony set to begin at 1:30 p.m. There will be a flyover performed by the 104th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts National Guard, and the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont National Guard, consisting of two F-35As and two F-15Cs.
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Expectations are low for a Red Sox team that finished six games below .500 and in last place in the American League East in 2022, then let shortstop Xander Bogaerts walk in free agency.
For the Sox to defy expectations, remaining healthy will be a key, particularly when it comes to the rotation. Two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, 36, gets the start in his debut with the Red Sox.
You can read the Globe’s comprehensive preview for the 2023 season here. Included are staff predictions, features on manager Alex Cora and third baseman Rafael Devers, an examination of the roster, as well as a look at what the future may hold for chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and the organization.
Lineups
ORIOLES (0-0): Mullins CF, Rutschman C, Santander LF, Mountcastle 1B, Henderson DH, Urias 3B, Hays RF, Frazier 2B, Mateo SS.
Pitching: RHP Kyle Gibson (10-8, 5.05 ERA in 2022 with the Phillies)
RED SOX (0-0): Verdugo RF, Devers 3B, Turner DH, Yoshida LF, Duvall CF, Casas 1B, Arroyo 2B, McGuire C, Hernández SS.
Pitching: RHP Corey Kluber (10-10, 4.34 ERA in 2022 with the Rays)
Time: 2:10 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
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Orioles vs. Kluber: Austin Hays 4-17, Jorge Mateo 4-12, James McCann 1-18, Ryan McKenna 2-4, Ryan Mountcastle 5-22, Cedric Mullins 8-23, Adley Rutschman 2-11, Anthony Santander 7-17, Ramón Urías 6-13, Terrin Vavra 0-3
Red Sox vs. Gibson: Christian Arroyo 0-2, Rafael Devers 4-12, Adam Duvall 1-3, Kiké Hernández 0-3, Adalberto Mondesi 7-13, Raimel Tapia 0-6, Justin Turner 1-2, Alex Verdugo 1-2
Stat of the day: This is the 45th time that the Red Sox have opened the regular season at home (25-19), including the 42nd at Fenway Park (22-19).
Notes: Kluber is making his sixth Opening Day start. In his first five starts, all with Cleveland, he went 0-4 with a 4.01 ERA. In seven career starts at Fenway, Kluber is 4-1 with a 3.53 ERA … Gibson has a 1.57 ERA in 28⅔ career innings at Fenway … In the last 22 seasons (2001-22), teams that went on to win the World Series were 11-11 on Opening Day … In three of their last four World Series seasons, the Red Sox lost on Opening Day (2004, ‘07, ‘18). … The last two Red Sox to record a hit in the team’s first plate appearance of a season were Kiké Hernández in 2021 (single) and Dustin Pedroia in 2008 (single).
Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney.