Support WBUR
Boston's Morning Newsletter
The Red Sox home opener is Friday. Here's what's new — on and off the field — at Fenway Park
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
It's Friday. Baseball returns to Fenway Park this afternoon, with the 1-5 Red Sox hosting the San Diego Padres for their home opener at 2:10 p.m. — and yes, it is too early to panic. (But ask me again on Monday.)
On deck: The Red Sox finished 89-73 in a tough division last year, their best regular season record since the "Dancing on My Own" team. But it ended with a gutting loss to the archnemesis New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs (which budding superstar Roman Anthony missed due to injury — something you should remind the Yankees fans in your life). In the offseason, the team focused on bolstering its starting pitching staff and developing their young talent, though it came at the cost of losing veteran third baseman Alex Bregman. Here's a look at the new additions.
- On the mound: Two former All-Star pitchers are joining ace Garrett Crochet in the rotation: 36-year-old Sonny Gray and lefty Ranger Suarez, who signed a five-year deal with the team. Gray is set to get the start today.
- In the field: While the Sox didn't go after the biggest sluggers on the market to fill the Bregman-shaped hole in their batting order, they did trade for first baseman Wilson Contreras, who hits around 20 home runs a year when he's healthy. They also added a few versatile infielders in Caleb Durbin and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
- How's it going? Well, not great. After winning their first game last week, the Sox lost five straight, including two blowouts to the Astros. The offense has been quiet. Suarez and Gray were shaky in their debuts. Their new 6-foot-6 reliever has literally lost his fastball. They're even struggling with the MLB's new Automated Ball-Strike challenge system. Still, Red Sox manager Alex Cora says the team just needs to focus on the series ahead of them. "We've got the Padres, we got the Brewers — win those two series at home and then go on the road and do the same thing," Cora told reporters earlier this week.
- Off the field: Fenway Park is always making small tweaks. This year's improvements include a sensory room to provide a quiet space for fans with sensory sensitivities amid all the ballpark noise and commotion. The room is located by the Gate E concourse, behind the third baseline seats.
- On the menu: The new lobster poutine boat is getting all the attention. But in my opinion, the yucca poppers are the most intriguing addition to Fenway Park's food menu this year. MassLive has the full list (and photos) of all the new 2026 concession items here.
- Related listening: WBUR's Sharon Brody spoke to a local record label founder about how Boston's punk scene has profited off the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry (and a certain slogan). Listen to the interview here.
Good news for Gollum: Attleboro is tabling its plan to effectively close the Capron Park Zoo. Mayor Cathleen DeSimone announced this week that Attleboro will use $900,000 in one-time budget reserves to keep the city-owned zoo running for at least another year. It comes after a backlash against the city's proposal last month to scale back the nearly 90-year-old zoo and relocate many of the animals to help close a nearly $3 million hole in the upcoming budget.
- What's next: DeSimone is hoping to work with the Friends of Capron Park Zoo to see if the nonprofit can increase its financial support for the zoo. " I just hope that this outpouring of support continues," she told WBUR's Kevin Vu. "That is the key. If it falls off in a couple of months, that's not going to help us. Hopefully in the long term, all of these folks are buying memberships, joining the Friends, volunteering and doing all the things to keep it going." DeSimone is also talking to the city's representatives in the Legislature about possible state grants.
- Go deeper: As DeSimone noted, "there's a lot of municipalities in Massachusetts struggling" with budget deficits right now. Tune in to WBUR's Morning Edition on 90.9 FM during the 9 a.m. hour for a roundtable discussion of the root causes.
Swans 🤝 peacock: The Boston Legacy are back at Gillette Stadium tonight — and it just got a little easier for New Englanders to watch from home. The Legacy announced a multiyear, regional TV deal yesterday with NBC10 Boston and NBC Sports Boston. The partnership includes a live coverage of tonight's 7 p.m. match against the San Diego Wave on NBC10 Boston, plus a dozen other games this season on NBC Sports Boston. See the schedule here.
On Beacon Hill: WBUR's Chris Van Buskirk reports the Massachusetts Senate wants to put $1 million into a state-funded program that gives immigrants facing deportation free legal help, as part of a larger spending bill. The proposal comes amid a debate over if — and how — to make the legal defense fund permanent.
P.S.— What office in Boston just got a new leader following a yearlong search? Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of this week's stories.
Correction: A previous version of this newsletter incorrectly stated that the Massachusetts Senate is proposing to use revenue from the state's surtax on incomes above $1 million to increase funding for a legal defense fund for immigrants. While the proposal is part of a larger spending bill that taps revenue from the so-called “millionaires tax,” the $1 million for immigrants' legal aid would come from the state's general revenue fund.
