But manager Alex Cora picked top offseason acquisition Garrett Crochet to be the 2025 Opening Day starter. Houck, who will start the second game of the season, made the decision easy for Cora. “Talked to Tanner. He was our best starter last year. He was an All-Star,” Cora said Saturday. “He just said, ‘Give me the ball whenever.’”

For the Boston Red Sox, they currently have three of the top prospects in all of baseball. Outfielder Roman Anthony is the consensus No. 2 prospect, and shortstop Marcelo Mayer ranks in the top 25 among many different publications.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Alex Cora often selects his Opening Day starter before spring training begins. But this year, the Red Sox manager wanted to get a sense of his team first, Garrett Crochet in particular.