Boston Red Sox Opening Day 2024: How To Watch; World Series Odds

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Red Sox are finally back in action on Thursday, March 28, with an Opening Day game against the Seattle Mariners.

All 30 MLB teams will play on Opening Day for the second straight year, though the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres technically kicked off the regular season with a two-game series in Seoul, South Korea, last week. Each team walked away with one win.

Fans will have to wait a while longer to see Red Sox at Fenway Park with the home opener not until April 9.

Here's what you need to know about the Red Sox first game.

How To Watch

The first pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. on Thursday, with Brayan Bello expected to take the mound for the Red Sox against Luis Castillo, according to MLB.com.

The game will air live on NESN and be broadcast on WEEI-FM (93.7 FM). Out-of-market games will also air on MLB.TV

Projected season record, according to ESPN: 79-83

The Red Sox are considered an afterthought by many, if not most, in the American League East this year after back-to-back last-place finishes and a relatively quiet offseason.

Boston's major free-agent acquisition, starting pitcher Luis Giolito, is expected to miss the entire season with an arm injury and the team traded away starting outfielder Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees and longtime ace pitcher Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves over the winter.

The Red Sox will be going with a heavy dose of youth once again this year with Bello, fresh off a long-term contract extension, leading a staff that includes veteran Nick Pivetta and younger arms Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock, all of whom the team is hoping will take the next step in development this summer.

All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers and former All-Star Trevor Story lead a lineup that includes another youth movement in first baseman Triston Casas and outfielders Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela.

World Series Odds

Oddsmakers are not bullish about the Red Sox chances to win the World Series this year, giving them 3 percent odds to win it.

The Dodgers and Atlanta Braves enter the 2024 season with the best chance to win the World Series, according to the odds-aggregating website Oddschecker.com.

Oddsmakers gave the Dodgers about a 22 percent chance to win it all this year, and the Braves a 15 percent chance.

The Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles rounded out the top five at roughly 11 percent, 10 percent and 8 percent odds, respectively, with the Phillies and Orioles tying for fifth.

2024 Storylines

Among the top storylines for this year: What will happen with new Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who found himself embroiled in a gambling scandal last week when his interpreter wired at least $4.5 million from the star’s bank account to a bookmaker that is under federal investigation.

Meanwhile, the A’s — in the midst of moving to Las Vegas —face an uncertain future about where they’ll play.

The Athletics' community benefits deal with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority was unanimously approved last week. But they’ll still need three more agreements before the team can begin building a $1.5 billion planned stadium. The next planned stadium authority meeting is expected on May 16.

The year will feature some big names vying for MVP, including Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Julio Rodriguez, Corey Seager and Yordan Alvarez in the American League. Oddsmakers give Soto and Judge the best odds at 14 percent and 12 percent, respectively, with the others coming in at 9 percent, 7.5 percent, and 7.5 percent.

In the National League, oddsmakers give Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mookie Betts the best chance to win the MVP award at 16 percent and 12 percent, respectively. Ohtani, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Freddie Freeman have the next highest odds at 9.5 percent, 9 percent and 7.5 percent.