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Red Sox's Isiah Kiner-Falefa: Part of platoon at 2B
Rotowire
Kiner-Falefa will be part of a three-man platoon at second base early in the season, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Marcelo Mayer will start against right-handers, with both Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio getting chances in the lineup against lefties. The manager indicated the player who will start against southpaws will be a "mix-and-match" situation, but Monasterio was more effective against lefties in 2025. The Red Sox are scheduled to face two Cincinnati left-handers out of the gate -- Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo (blister).
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Red Sox's Andruw Monasterio: Will platoon with Mayer
Rotowire
Monasterio will be part of a three-player platoon at second base early in the regular season, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Boston manager Alex Cora discussed his plans for second base, where Marcelo Mayer will start against right-handers. Against lefties, it will be either Monasterio or Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Monasterio was better than Kiner-Falefa against left-handers in 2025, but Cora indicated he would "mix-and-match" between the two. Fantasy managers will get an early look at how Cora handles the situation, as Boston is scheduled to face left-handers in its first two games of the regular season.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Will platoon early in season
Rotowire
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Mayer will be part of a platoon at second base early in the regular season, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Cora indicated that Mayer will sit against left-handers with either Isiah Kiner-Falefa or Andruw Monasterio sliding in at second base against righties. Back in February, before spring training started, Cora envisioned Mayer playing against all starters, but it appears that won't be the case to start the season. Mayer was just 4-for-26 (.154) in the majors and had a .630 OPS in the minors against southpaws last year.
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Red Sox's Johan Oviedo: Opening season in bullpen
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Oviedo will open the season in Boston's bullpen, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
The Red Sox are going with Connelly Early as their fifth starter, with Oviedo occupying a piggyback/long-relief role. Early is expected to receive at least a couple turns in the rotation before the club reassesses its options. Oviedo came into spring training as the favorite to round out Boston's rotation, but his Grapefruit League showing ended on a sour note Monday versus the Twins when he showed diminished velocity and yielded six runs over 3.1 frames.
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Red Sox's Connelly Early: Wins spot in Boston rotation
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Early will open the season in the Boston rotation, garnering his first start Sunday in Cincinnati, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Johan Oviedo also made the Opening Day roster but will open the season in the bullpen as a possible piggyback option. The Red Sox plan to give Early at least a couple turns in the rotation before reassessing their options. Early was stellar in Grapefruit League play, posting a 1.59 ERA and 16:5 K:BB over 17 innings, which came after he held a 2.33 ERA and 29:4 K:BB across 19.1 regular-season frames down the stretch last year. He will have to pitch well to retain a rotation spot over the long haul, but the news is a big boost to Early's fantasy prospects.
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Red Sox's Triston Casas: Staying in Florida
Rotowire
Casas (knee) will continue his progression in Fort Myers for the next couple weeks before getting into extended spring training games, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Per Cotillo, sliding is the next big hurdle for Casas, who has already been cleared to run. Casas has been working on his rehab in Florida all offseason and is noticeably carrying less weight this spring.
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Red Sox's Johan Oviedo: Expected to make Opening Day roster
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Oviedo is expected to open the 2026 season in the major leagues, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Oviedo and Connelly Early competed for the fifth rotation spot during camp, but it now looks as though Boston will name both pitchers to the Opening Day roster. Cotillo notes this may be due to the fact that Ranger Suarez and Brayan Bello aren't as stretched out as much as the club would like, so Oviedo and Early could be relied on to eat up innings in the early stages of the season. This is a creative approach by the Red Sox, so it's not yet clear whether it'll be Oviedo or Early who gets the first crack at starting, or if the duo could each draw opportunities to prove they belong in the rotation.
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Red Sox's Jovani Moran: Clinches spot on Opening Day roster
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Moran has secured a place on Boston's Opening Day roster, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.
Moran fared well in limited spring action, as he tossed 2.2 scoreless frames and struck out three in three appearances. The southpaw is out of minor-league options, which may have factored into Boston's decision to name him to the Opening Day roster. Moran pitched in two games a season ago for the Red Sox, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five over four innings of relief work.
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Red Sox's Connelly Early: Makes Opening Day roster
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Early has made the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Early entered spring training competing with Payton Tolle and Johan Oviedo for the fifth spot in the Red Sox's rotation. Per Cotillo, the Red Sox will carry both Early and Oviedo on the 26-man roster (with Tolle starting the season with Triple-A Worcester) in an effort to provide length early in the season as both Ranger Suarez and Brayan Bello continue to build up after pitching in the World Baseball Classic. Garrett Crochet will serve as Boston's Opening Day starter against Cincinnati while Sonny Gray takes the mound Saturday. With Suarez expected to pitch Monday against Houston and Bello to go Tuesday, there's a chance that Early gets his first start of the season as early as Sunday against the Reds. Early put together a strong spring training, appearing in five Grapefruit League games (four starts) and posting a 1.59 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB across 17 innings.
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Red Sox's Tommy Kahnle: Doesn't make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
The Red Sox reassigned Kahnle to minor-league camp Monday.
Kahnle agreed to a minor-league contract with the Red Sox on Tuesday. It looked like the veteran right-hander had a decent shot at making the team's Opening Day roster as a member of bullpen, but that won't be the case after being reassigned Monday. Kahnle has no minor-league options left, so it's unclear whether he'll stay with Boston or request a release and try his luck elsewhere.
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Red Sox's Tyler Uberstine: Optioned to minor-league camp
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The Red Sox optioned Uberstine to minor-league camp Monday.
Uberstine appeared in four Grapefruit League for the Red Sox, allowing eight runs (five earned) on six hits and five walks while striking out 11 across 7.1 innings. He'll likely start the 2026 season with Triple-A Worcester but could make his major-league debut later this year. Uberstine has operated mostly as a starter in his minor-league career but could be deployed out of the bullpen if he's called up by the Red Sox.
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Red Sox's Zack Kelly: Sent to minor-league camp
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The Red Sox optioned Kelly to minor-league camp Monday.
Kelly was gunning for a spot on Boston's Opening Day roster after appearing in 28 major-league games for the club in 2025, finishing with a 4.58 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, three holds and a 35:12 K:BB across 35.1 innings. The 31-year-old right-hander will likely start out in Triple-A Worcester but would be in line for a call-up to the majors when the Red Sox need more depth out of the bullpen.
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Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Opening 2026 in minors
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The Red Sox optioned Tolle to minor-league camp Monday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Tolle entered spring training battling with Connelly Early and Johan Oviedo for the fifth spot in the Red Sox's rotation. Tolle showed promise in four Grapefruit League outings, posting a 2.53 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 13:1 K:BB across 10.2 innings. He will likely open the 2026 season with Triple-A Worcester, and while he didn't crack the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, Tolle should see some time in the majors this season when Boston needs an extra arm in the rotation.
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Red Sox's Aroldis Chapman: Ready to close
Rotowire
Chapman has allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out eight over 5.2 spring innings.
Chapman is ready to resume his role as Boston's closer in 2026. The 38-year-old is coming off a stellar 2025, when he converted 32 of 34 save opportunities, lowered a consistently pesky walk rate to a career-low 2.2 BB/9 and was named the AL Reliever of the Year.
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Red Sox's Ryan Watson: Emerges from camp with roster spot
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The Red Sox informed Watson on Monday that he will be included on the Opening Day roster, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
The 28-year-old righty won a spot in the Boston bullpen after submitting a 5.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 7:3 K:BB over 11.1 innings during the Grapefruit League. A Rule 5 Draft selection over the winter, Watson will need to be stashed on the major-league roster throughout the 2026 season, or else the Red Sox will have to offer him back to the Giants.
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Red Sox's Tyler Samaniego: Optioned to Triple-A
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The Red Sox optioned Samaniego to Triple-A Worcester on Monday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Samaniego spun 5.1 scoreless innings in Grapefruit League play, collecting a 6:2 K:BB with just one hit allowed. It wasn't enough to capture a spot on the Opening Day roster, but Samaniego is poised to make his major-league debut at some point this season.
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Red Sox's Matt Thaiss: Misses out on Opening Day roster
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The Red Sox reassigned Thaiss to minor-league camp Monday.
Thaiss attending spring training as a non-roster invitee but didn't make much of a push for a backup catcher spot on the Red Sox's Opening Day roster after posting a .560 OPS over 27 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League. With Boston also optioning Mickey Gasper to Triple-A Worcester on Monday, the Red Sox will head into Opening Day with Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong as their two catchers. Thaiss' minor-league deal contains an upward mobility clause that would allow him to pursue opportunities elsewhere, but he intends to remain in the organization and report to Worcester to begin the season, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.
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Red Sox's Mickey Gasper: Part of Monday's roster cuts
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The Red Sox optioned Gasper to Triple-A Worcester on Monday.
Boston also reassigned Matt Thaiss to minor-league camp as part of Monday's roster cuts, solidifying Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong as the big club's two catchers heading into Opening Day. Gasper is kicking off his second stint with the Red Sox after previously spending his 2024 rookie campaign in Boston before he was traded to the Twins last offseason. He saw limited action at the big-league level for Minnesota in 2025, slashing .158/.257/.232 with two home runs, two stolen bases, 11 RBI and 15 runs in 45 games.
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Red Sox's Danny Coulombe: Set to pitch Monday
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Coulombe (illness) is scheduled to make a relief appearance in Monday's exhibition against the Twins, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
The Red Sox sent Coulombe home from camp Saturday after he fell ill, but the veteran reliever has apparently made a full recovery following a couple days of rest. After signing with Boston just under two weeks ago, Coulombe made just one Grapefruit League appearance, but he should still be on track to make the Red Sox's Opening Day bullpen if he checks out fine following Monday's outing.
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Red Sox's Sonny Gray: Final spring start his best
Rotowire
Gray allowed two runs on four hits while striking out nine over six innings in Sunday's spring start against the Pirates.
Gray needed a quality effort after a rough stretch to start the Grapefruit League. The right-hander entered his final spring outing having allowed six runs (6.23 ERA) on 10 hits and seven walks over 8.2 innings. Gray responded with his best performance of the spring, which should allay concerns as he prepares to start the second game of the regular season, Saturday on the road against Cincinnati.
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