FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It won't be official until Thursday morning, when the Red Sox have to submit their 28-man Opening Day roster to the MLB office.
But barring some last-minute changes or external acquisitions, here's how they look:
CATCHERS (2): Christian Vazquez, Kevin Plawecki.
INFIELDERS: (7): Bobby Dalbec, Trevor Story, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Travis Shaw, Christian Arroyo, and Jonathan Arauz.
OUTFIELDERS (4): Alex Verdugo, Kike Hernandez, Jackie Bradley Jr., J.D. Martinez.
STARTING PITCHERS (5): Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, Tanner Houck, Michael Wacha, Rich Hill
RELIEVERS (10): Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Garrett Whitlock, Kutter Crawford, Hirokazu Sawamura, Austin Davis, Jake Diekman, Matt Strahm, Phillips Valdez, Tyler Danish.
Danish hasn't made the Red Sox just yet, But he's a step closer.
Danish, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2018 and spent part of 2019 and 2020 pitching in independent ball, was added to the major league roster Monday.
It would appear he's in a battle with***premium*** Hansel Robles for the final spot on the 28-man Opening Day roster. But whether he's with the Red Sox in New York Thursday or not, Danish has made quite the journey.
"That's why I came here (to camp) -- to try to get back to the big leagues,'' Danish said. "It's not for sure yet. I'm taking it day by day. But to be back on a (40-man) roster, in Boston, this is exactly what I wanted. I came in with my head down, ready to pitch and show as best as I could. That was the goal, obviously. Man, it's been a ride. Playing indy ball, it felt like I was close to having my career over. I wasn't thinking that, but that's how it felt to me. Baseball's full circle. You go through ups and downs. For me, it's a special day to be back.''
Danish has adjusted his arm angle and delivery over the years. Out of high school, he basically threw sidearm before evolving into a three-quarters delivery.
"It's been a lot of tinkering,'' he said, "and trying to find the perfect mechanics. I think I've gotten to that point.''
"I think the slider is a good pitch,'' said Alex Cora. "We do believe, against righties, he can be very effective. We're still waiting on a few things. But we like the pitcher -- that's why he's on the 40-man.''
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Chris Sale was discouraged to be placed on the 60-man IL Monday, since it means he won't be eligible to return until early June. But he trusts the medical staff and will learn to be patient with his recovery.
"I definitely thought I was going to be ready quicker than that, for sure,'' said Sale. "This is what made the most sense, especially from the medical standpoint of, generally speaking, however many weeks you have off of throwing, that's how many it's going to take to get you back into the swing of things. I've had a lot of time off. I was thinking I was going to get out there earlier, but it just wasn't the case.''
Sale could start throwing later this week.
"I feel normal right now,'' he said. "I'm starting to do a lot more activities. I'm starting to run and throwing is right around the corner. I can twist. I can do everything and anything, but there's a little bit of stuff to stay on top of it, and really get over the hump. It obviously sucks to hear the news, but I have two options -- I can either do it or not do it.''
Sale will be at Fenway next week for the home opener, and stay with the team for a while before returning to Fort Myers for more of his throwing program, and, eventually, rehab assignments.
"Back to buying (postgame food) spreads (for minor leaguers),'' joked Sale.
For now, Sale is ramping up exercises. The area is already stabilized, so now the emphasis is on speed and strength.
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Christian Arroyo, having played in a handful of games in the outfield, has gained some comfort and is ready to play right field against most lefties. He could make his debut this weekend against Yankee lefty Jordan Montgomery.
"The outfield for me, is like, just be an athlete and catch the ball,'' said Arroyo. "When you think of it that way, you're fine. I don't think they're going to expect me to go out there in my first start and do things that Hunter Renfroe was doing for us and throw guys out from the (warning) track. For me, I'm just going to keep picking Jackie's brain and Kike's brain and kind of see where it goes.
"But the more I'm out there, the more natural it becomes. It's a nice little trick to add to the bag. I feel comfortable.''
The biggest adjustment has come on throw from the outfield. In the infield. Arroyo has something of a sidearm delivery, but in the outfield, he's got to come completely over the top with his arm motion.
"I'm not used to four-seaming a ball 170 feet,'' he said. "But that's going to come with being comfortable, and long-tossing and getting used to it.''
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The combination of Nathan Eovaldi and Kevin Plawecki worked well last year, but for the season opener Thursday, Christian Vazquez will be behind the plate. That seems to be in recognition of the opener and Vazquez's status with the team, however. Cora hinted that Plawecki would team with Eovaldi next Wednesday in Detroit for Eovaldi's second start of the season. Meanwhile, Vazquez returned to Boston Monday night and arrived in time for the birth of his son. He'll join the team in New York Wednesday. ... Cora said the Sox are still determining how and when to begin using PitchCom, the communication system that MLB has approved to help ward off sign-stealing. The system involves the catcher sending a signal to an earpiece worn by the pitcher. "We've been talking about it and we're still debating,'' said Cora. "We used it for a week and it was OK.''