FORT MYERS, Fla. — As the Red Sox open their exhibition schedule Friday with their annual matchup against Northeastern, they’ll do so with some familiar faces in the outfield.
Boston will start Masataka Yoshida in left field, Kristian Campbell in center field and Nate Eaton in right field against the Huskies with Eaton leading off, Yoshida hitting second and Campbell hitting third Friday. Those are the only three players in the lineup who suited up for the Red Sox in 2025. Yoshida, the biggest name who will play in the exhibition opener, is going to play two games (Friday and Saturday) for the Red Sox before heading to Arizona to join Team Japan ahead of the World Baseball Classic. Eaton will also have a short stint in camp before joining Great Britain.
Campbell, who won the Opening Day starting job at second base a year ago, is expected to see plenty of time in the outfield in spring training games with all of Boston’s other outfielders playing in the WBC. In 2025, Campbell logged 57 innings over seven starts in center.
Mikey Romero, the former first round pick who is ranked the No. 18 prospect in Boston’s system, will start at second base alongside recent waiver claim Tsung-Che Cheng, who is at shortstop. No. 26 prospect Allan Castro will be the designated hitter. The starter, righty Tyler Uberstine, was the No. 16-ranked prospect on Baseball America’s most recent list.
First pitch is at 1:05 p.m. ET and the game will air on NESN. It’s a seven-inning ballgame. The Sox will open their Grapefruit League schedule Saturday on the road against the Twins in Fort Myers.
RED SOX LINEUP:
1) RF Nate Eaton
2) LF Masataka Yoshida
3) CF Kristian Campbell
4) 1B Nathan Hickey
5) 2B Mikey Romero
6) 3B Vinny Capra
7) SS Tsung-Che Cheng
8) DH Allan Castro
9) C Ronald Rosario
RED SOX PITCHERS: RHP Tyler Uberstine, RHP Wyatt Olds, RHP Noah Song, LHP Jeremy Wu-Yelland