(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- The Red Sox had one of baseball's best bullpens last year. The group ranked second in the majors with a 3-15 ERA. Boston didn't blow a lead of two or more runs even once.
This year's started differently.
The Sox squandered a 4-nothing advantage in a 6-4 Opening Day loss in Tampa when Joe Kelly and Carson Smith combined to allow all those runs in the eighth after Chris Sale's gem.
"It happens, you know, it's part of the game," said Mookie Betts. "Nobody's going to have their stuff every day. There's a countless number of games where they bailed us out. It's just game one."
Fair enough. We'll see how the 'pen fares tonight after David Price takes his first turn of the year opposite Blake Snell in the 7:10 p.m. start.
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Price spent the first seven years of his career with the Rays and he's since faced them nine times with a 3-and-3 record and 3-91 ERA.
This will mark his first start since July 22nd. The southpaw only made 16 appearances in last year's injury-shorted season--five in relief.
How's he feeling?
"Good, ready to go," Price said. "I feel great."
Snell went winless in his first 15 starts last year, but finished 5-and-7 with an ERA just north of 4. He has a 5-95 career ERA against the Sox.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports