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Spring Training Starts for Future WooSox Stars

March 5, 2024 - International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


The Boston Red Sox began Grapefruit League play this week with 11 games in nine days. Throughout the first week of play, Red Sox fans had the opportunity to see their favorite players make their first appearances at Spring Training as they prepare for the 2024 season.

As the roster started making its way down to Fort Myers, Sox manager Alex Cora and his staff began to map out lineups with ballplayers that could be a part of the Opening Day roster. Meanwhile, some of the non-roster invitees got their first taste of what it's like to be managed by Cora and rub shoulders with well-established superstars and veterans like Rafael Devers and Kenley Jansen.

During the exhibitions, several past and present members of the Worcester Red Sox were penciled in the starting lineups or saw time as in-game substitutions. In this weekly roundup, we will highlight the performances of WooSox players to keep track of how their spring performances progress leading up to Opening Day at Polar Park on Tuesday, April 2, at 3:05 p.m. against the Buffalo Bisons.

Friday, February 23

Red Sox @ Northeastern University, W 7-2

On Friday, February 23, the Red Sox played their first game of 2024 against Northeastern University, where the club earned a 7-2 victory in a game that has become a tradition between both organizations.

Saturday, February 24

Red Sox @ Orioles, L 4-3

The first official game of the 2024 Grapefruit League season for Boston was against the division rival Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, February 24. Garrett Whitlock pitched two innings, allowing an Adley Rutchsman solo homerun, while the newest Oriole, Corbin Burnes, pitched one inning and struck out two hitters. Future WooSox outfielder Mark Contreras started his season on a good note with a solo homer in the 3rd. Bobby Dalbec went 2-2 and drove in a run while David Hamilton added an RBI himself. The Orioles defeated the Red Sox, 4-3.

Sunday, February 25

Red Sox @ Braves, W 5-4

Red Sox vs. Twins, W 8-6

On Sunday, the Red Sox played two split squad matchups against the Twins and the Braves. In Game 1 against Minnesota, the Red Sox offense scored eight runs, capped by homers from Nick Sogard and Devers. Sogard would finish the day 2-3 with two RBIs. In Game 2 against the Braves, Ceddanne Rafaela had a hit and two walks, while Jamie Westbrook finished the day 2-2 with a run scored. On the pitching side, Brayan Bello struck out three in two scoreless innings, while Luis Guerrero allowed just one base runner in an inning of work. The Red Sox won both games, defeating the Twins, 8-6, and the Braves, 5-4.

Monday, February 26

Red Sox vs. Phillies, W 7-6

The action continued Monday with a walk-off victory against the Philadelphia Phillies, where former WooSox player Rob Refsnyder was the star of the show with a couple of RBIs. WooSox pitchers Brian Van Belle, AJ Politi, Chase Shugart, and Lucas Luetge followed up Tanner Houck's perfect start; he threw 21 pitches for 15 strikes in two scoreless innings. Nick Yorke scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 9th to give the Red Sox the win.

Tuesday, February 27

Red Sox @ Cardinals, T 3-3

The Red Sox faced the Cardinals on Tuesday where Sogard and Contreras homered and pitching prospects Helcris Olivares and Justin Hagenman took the mound for one inning of work each. Brandon Walter saw two innings of action on the mound where he didn't allow a hit. Rafaela and Westbrook also had a knock each, but the game ended in a tie, 3-3.

Wednesday, February 28

Red Sox @ Nationals, L 4-3

On Wednesday afternoon, the team traveled to West Palm Beach for a matchup against the Nationals. Guerrero logged another inning of work on the mound, allowing zero runs on two hits and striking out two. Catcher Mark Kolozsvary started the game behind the plate, picking up a couple of hits and plating two. Yorke, Contreras, Rafaela, and Tyler McDonough also had hits, but the Red Sox fell to the Nationals, 4-3.

Thursday, February 29

Red Sox vs. Tigers, W 5-2

The following day, the Red Sox hosted the Tigers at JetBlue Park where Shugart and Politi each fired a perfect inning and logged one strikeout. Roman Anthony led the Sox with two hits, while McDonough picked up a knock himself. Niko Kavadas added an RBI single in the 4th that plated Anthony, giving the Red Sox a 4-1 lead. Both teams would score just once more as the Sox beat the Tigers, 5-2.

Friday, March 1

Red Sox @ Twins, L 5-3

On Friday, the Red Sox saw some stellar pitching from their farm hands, with Chris Murphy firing two perfect innings and Hagenman adding three strikeouts in a scoreless frame of his own. Rafaela, Corey Rosier, and Hamilton all had a hit in the contest, but the Twins would outlast the Sox, 5-3.

Saturday, March 2

Red Sox @ Rays, W 3-2

Red Sox vs. Nationals, W 4-2

With another split squad day on Saturday, the Red Sox returned to winning form with victories over Tampa Bay and Washington. The biggest takeaway of the day was the return of former WooSox star and Red Sox first baseman, Triston Casas. The lefty made his Spring Training debut after battling the flu in the first series of games. In the game against the Rays, Dalbec had a pair of hits, Sogard and Westbrook had a knock each, and Guerrero, Olivarez, Jorge Benitez, and Cam Booser all saw action on the mound. Bello started the game against the Nationals with the biggest story of the day being the scary injury to Washington's prospect, Daylen Lile, who lost his footing and went over the fence while fielding a fly ball. Lile was carted off the field in a stretcher and was later released from the hospital with a lower back contusion.

Sunday, March 3: Red Sox vs. Blue Jays, W 3-1

The Red Sox closed out the week with another win against the division rival Blue Jays. Kutter Crawford got the start, followed by relief outings from WooSox pitchers Walter, Luetge, Shugart, and Jason Alexander. On the offense, newest WooSox catcher Westbrook continued his productive Spring Training with a knock, and Masataka Yoshida registered his first RBI of the year.

The Sox wrapped up the first week of Spring Training, 7-5-1. As Opening Day approaches, Red Sox Nation continues to hold its breath as we wait to see how the rosters will shake out.

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