Alex Cora Reveals Red Sox’s Opening Rotation For 2025 Season

The Boston Red Sox officially named their Opening Day starter.

Manager Alex Cora told reporters Saturday that Garrett Crochet will get the ball against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on March 27, per The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham. Tanner Houck and Walker Buehler will follow the southpaw pitcher.

The Red Sox made a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox to acquire Crochet. The 25-year-old is expected to anchor the rotation and take the next step after an All-Star campaign. Crochet will be the fourth Opening Day starter in the last four seasons.

Houck benefitted the most from pitching coach Andrew Bailey and his new gameplan for Boston’s pitchers. It led to his first MLB All-Star appearance. The right-hander gave a simple response when he spoke to Cora about his placement in the rotation.

“Give me the ball whenever,” Houck told Cora, per The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey.

Buehler was another major addition in the offseason along with Crochet. The two-time World Series champion played hero for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, and he hopes to do the same for the Red Sox, especially coming off a year in which he was recovering from an injury.

Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford will start the season on the injured list, and the Red Sox will use the final two weeks of spring training to decide who rounds out the rotation.