The Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox will kick off their 2023 seasons on Thursday, March 30 at Fenway Park. The AL East foes figure to be in a competitive race for a playoff spot throughout the year, meaning that every head-to-head contest could help make the difference.
MLB is installing a more balanced schedule this year. Division rivals will play one another 14 times a year instead of 19, with every team in the league playing each other at least once. In other words, enjoy these divisional matchups, because they're not going to happen as frequently as they did.
Other information on the Orioles vs. Red Sox, including live stream details, is below.
Orioles vs. Red Sox
Date: Thursday, March 30 | Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Location: Fenway Park - Boston, Mass.
Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free) | TV: MASN 2 (BAL), NESN (BOS)
Probable pitchers: RHP Kyle Gibson (BAL) vs. RHP Corey Kluber (BOS)
Odds: BAL +105; BOS -125; O/U: 9 runs (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Orioles: The Orioles were one of the biggest surprises of last season, competing for a playoff spot after entering the spring with modest expectations. Baltimore was led by young talent, including catcher Adley Rutschman, and the team has more kids on the way, including infielder Gunnar Henderson (the top prospect in the minors, per our estimate). That's a good thing, because they didn't add much this offseason. Veteran starters Kyle Gibson and Cole Irvin served as the main additions to the rotation, while infielder Adam Frazier was the biggest signing Baltimore made to bolster its lineup. As a result, most projection systems have the Orioles missing out on the playoffs, again.
Red Sox: The Red Sox are looking to rebound after finishing in last place for the second time in three years. Xander Bogaerts, long a franchise mainstay, is now a member of the Padres. The Red Sox did attempt to replace Bogaerts' star power and offensive potency by signing outfielder Masataka Yoshida and veteran infielder Justin Turner. It's to be seen if that'll work. This will be the first game for third baseman Rafael Devers since he signed a long-term extension with the Red Sox. It'll also be Kluber's first start with the Red Sox, having joined the team over the offseason.