After months of speculation as to whether he would be traded to Boston, Phillies ace Cole Hamels opens up the regular season with a start against the Red Sox as the teams begin play with an interleague set at 3:05 p.m. Monday in Philadelphia.
Hamels, who posted a career-best 2.46 ERA in 2014, will remain linked to trade rumors for much of the season, especially if the Phillies are unable to improve from consecutive 73-win seasons.
Many predict that Philadelphia will bottom out in 2015 with an aging roster, although it did part ways with longtime shortstop Jimmy Rollins this offseason.
The Red Sox are hoping their recent roller-coaster ride has another ascent to the top of the American League East after they bottomed out in the wake of their 2013 World Series crown, finishing 71-91 last season. A rebuilt offense bolstered by the additions of left fielder Hanley Ramirez and third baseman Pablo Sandoval should boost an offensive attack that ranked near the bottom of the AL in many categories.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (2014: 8-11, 5.34 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cole Hamels (2014: 9-9, 2.46).
Like his team, Buchholz has been incredibly up and down and saw his ERA rise nearly four runs a game from 2013 to 2014, but he has shown stretches of dominance in his career. The 30-year-old is coming off a spring in which he recorded 22 strikeouts against just four walks in 19 innings while allowing 27 hits. Buchholz, who has never faced Philadelphia, is 4-1 with a 5.32 ERA in nine career interleague starts.
Hamels has certainly given the Red Sox plenty to admire over the years, going 4-0 with a 1.97 ERA in five career starts in the all-time series. He also finished 2014 in phenomenal fashion by going 8-6 with a 1.91 ERA over the final four months. The three-time All-Star allowed 10 earned runs in 21 2/3 innings over the course of six Grapefruit League outings.
GAME NOTES: Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia is 5-for-15 with a home run and two doubles against Hamels. … Phillies 2B Chase Utley entered Saturday hitting .419 with four homers and nine RBIs in 12 spring training games. … Boston is 24-11 against Philadelphia since Sept. 1, 2003.
Sox end spring with win
The Red Sox ended spring training with a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, Florida.
The Sox used a three-run fourth, highlighted by Shane Victorino’s RBI triple, to edge the Twins. Pablo Sandoval added a run-producing single and finished with two hits. The other run came around on a Mike Napoli RBI groundout.
Quintin Berry added an RBI double for Boston in the fifth inning.
Boston right-hander Justin Masterson, who will start Thursday against the Phillies, had a solid final spring outing. He gave up two runs and seven hits over five innings while striking out one and walking one.
Wednesday’s game
The Sox and Phillies resume their series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday when Boston newcomer Rick Porcello gets the start against Philadelphia’s Aaron Harang.
The right-handed Porcello was 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA last season with the Detroit Tigers. He walked 41 and struck out 129. Harang, also a righty, was 12-12 with the Braves last season. He had a 3.57 ERA with 71 walks and 161 strikeouts.
The Red Sox will play Friday, Saturday and Sunday in New York against the Yankees before opening a seven-game homestand with a 3:05 p.m. Monday game against the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park.