The good news keeps on coming in for the Boston Red Sox, as they announced this morning that the team signed 19-year-old Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada, with the deal reportedly in the $30 million range. Per SB Nation, Moncada is considered one of the top-15 or so prospects in baseball according to Jim Callis of MLB.com and Baseball America’s Ben Badler. Fangrahps’ Kiley McDaniel believes he’s even better than that, stating Moncada is maybe even the fifth-best prospect in the game. It’s a huge get for an already strong Red Sox farm system.
Days prior, the Red Sox announced they’ve extended manager John Farrell. Farrell won a World Series in his first year as Red Sox manager in 2013, which was followed by a last-place finish in 2014.
Red Sox fans have high expectations as we near the start of Spring Training. The team signed the top two offensive free agents during the offseason, Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez., and are all-in in their rebound effort from last season. Red Sox tickets should be some of the most sought out in all of baseball this season. Below are some of the highest average ticket prices for home games in April on the Red Sox schedule, according to SeatSmart.com.
4/27/2015 | Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays | Average Ticket Price: $277.16 | Get-In Ticket Price: $9
The game with the highest average ticket price for a game at Fenway Park in the month of April is against division opponent Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays have high expectations in 2015, as they made a surprise trade for ex-Athletic’s third baseman Josh Donaldson in the offseason. The Blue Jays continue to have a power-packed lineup with Jose Bautista and Edward Encarnacion, and secured their veteran presence in the lineup when they acquired Russell Martin. These games carry high importance even though it’s early in the season, as these may be the two teams fighting for regular season division crown towards the end of the season.
4/13/2015 | Red Sox vs. Washington Nationals | Average Ticket Price: $251.93 | Get-In Ticket Price: $78
Speaking of high expectations, the Washington Nationals lead that category after their offseason acquisition of the top free agent on the market, Max Scherzer. Scherzer won the 2013 AL Cy Young award and finished fifth in 2014. Scherzer spent five years in Detroit and won less than 15 games only once, his first season with the team in 2010. Along with Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez, the Nationals have one of the best, if not the best, rotation in baseball. This has a chance to be a World Series preview.
4/20/2015 | Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles | Average Ticket Price: $136.06 | Get-In Ticket Price: $31
Another division opponent appears, as the tightly-contested matchups between the Red Sox and the Orioles will continue in 2015. The Birds finished in first place in the AL East and returned to the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. It was their first division championship since 1997. The Orioles head into 2015 with very similar parts, and welcome back third baseman Manny Machado and Matt Wieters from injury.
Red Sox pitchers and catchers reported on Saturday for their first official workout of the spring in Fort Myers, Florida. Baseball has arrived, and the Red Sox plan to be in the national spotlight once again as they are one of the teams with a realistic shot of competing for the 2015 World Series trophy.