J.D. Martinez. (Harry How/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Chris Sale and the Red Sox will get their new season underway this afternoon in Tampa. First pitch is at 4 o'clock, with Sale set to square off with Chris Archer.
Both pitchers actually left their final exhibition starts early with injuries, but claim they're good to go.
The Sox are coming off back-to-back division-winning 93-win seasons, but also first-round playoff exits, which is why Sale believes he hasn't truly experienced what it feels like to win in Boston.
Chris Sale Honored To Make His First Red Sox Opening Day Start
Sale's 3-0 in career Opening Day starts--and he makes his first Thursday as a member of the Red Sox.
New slugger J.D. Martinez certainly hasn't either. He belted 45 homers in 119 games last year, but the D-H said 2017 doesn't matter anymore.
"New stretch, new slab, new season," he said. "Everything's just fresh, I think that's the biggest thing. Last year doesn't matter--whatever happened last year, whatever you did last year, that's last year's stuff. Now it's a new year, new start."
So how long does Sale expect to pitch today?
"If it were up to me, I'd start the game and finish it," he said. "Obviously that's probably a little unrealistic, but that's not for me to worry about. I go out there and I give everything I've got until they tell me I'm done."
Hear more from Sale below.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports