Oddanier Mosqueda will start for the Red Sox in spring training opener against Northeastern
The Red Sox will play their first baseball game of the spring this Friday against Northeastern.
On Tuesday afternoon, manager Alex Cora announced that left-hander Oddanier Mosqueda will get the start in that game followed by other young pitchers.
The exhibition versus Northeastern will be a seven-inning game.
Mosqueda re-signed with the Red Sox during the offseason and received an invite to spring training. He has been with the organization since 2015 when he signed as an international free agent.
The 23-year-old played with Double-A Portland last season. He posted a 4.30 ERA and 4.05 FIP with 76 strikeouts to 20 walks over 45 relief appearances over 58 2/3 innings.
The Venezuelan native was identified as a potential dark-horse candidate to earn a spot with the big league club by The Athletics Chad Jennings.
He wrote that Mosqueda “has been singled out by one Red Sox evaluator as a legitimate big league possibility this season.”
Boston currently has two left-handed options for the bullpen in Joely Rodriguez and Richard Bleier. The team had three lefties on the Opening Day roster, Matt Strahm, Jake Diekman and Austin Davis, all three are with other clubs for 2023.
The one aspect that works against Mosqueda is the southpaw has yet to work about the Double-A level. Red Sox chief baseball officer puts high value on players earning Triple-A experience before making the jump to the majors.
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisHenrique
For additional Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, MLB and NFL content follow Beyond the Monster on Twitter @BeyondtheMnstr.
