Red Sox played like World Series champs today

If today’s Red Sox game did not have fans excited to watch baseball this season, then nothing probably will.

The game may have been pushed back, but it ended up being worth the wait for fans who watched. They topped the Cleveland Indians, 6-2.

With the Red Sox pouring $217 million into David Price’s lucrative seven-year contract in the offseason, saying his debut was much anticipated would be an understatement. And he gave the Red Sox what they paid for by giving them six strong innings. He allowed two runs and struck out ten. As a unit, the Red Sox pitching staff struck out 15 men today (Koji Uehara and Craig Kimbrel had a pair while Junichi Tazawa had one).

Price threw 103 pitches, 71 for strikes.

Pitching may have won the Sox their Opener, but big-time hitting certainly helped them out. Mookie Betts, who many are already calling for as a potential MVP candidate (prematurely, but he played well last season) and David Ortiz both went yard. With Ortiz in his last season, it already has to make Red Sox fans feel how much they will miss Ortiz in the lineup when he is gone. Odds are, they will not be able to replace that power directly.

Former Red Sox skipper Terry Francona paid his respects to Ortiz as the longtime DH was intentionally walked late in the game. Wouldn’t want the monster truck doing some more damage.

Travis Shaw collected two hits in five at-bats in his first Opening Day start. And, of course, Brock Holt did the same.

Meanwhile, the Ferrari, Pablo Sandoval, was locked up and kept safe in the garage. But it’s OK because he made $108,641.98 to do it. That’s lawyer money right there.

And Hanley Ramirez did not have any issues at first base. That’s about all you can ask for.