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.’”

Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet looks ready for Opening Day. Boston's big lefty was locked in once again Sunday afternoon as he mowed down the Minnesota Twins over four-plus innings of work in his penultimate start of the spring.

The Red Sox acquired Garrett Crochet in a blockbuster trade with the White Sox back in December with the idea he would swiftly emerge as the ace of their staff. That became a reality on Saturday morning,