Red Sox Beat Pirates 7-4 Barnes Has COVID

Off field health issues continue to dominate the Red Sox news as they get ready for opening day on Thursday, April 1st. Saturday, they learned that Matt Barnes, the presumed closer tested positive for COVID and will need to be away from the club for at least 10 days. Contact tracing also forced Matt Andriese who was scheduled to start Saturday's game to miss his start.

On a positive note, Eduardo Rodriguez threw a side bullpen session and declared that he would be ready to start the season, and may end up pitching either game 2 or 3 after being scratched from his Opening Day start.

Oh, and by the way, there was a Spring Training game which the Red Sox won, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-4 after scoring 6 runs in the 6th inning.

Bobby Dalbec was 1-3, driving in 2 runs. Hunter Renfroe was 1-1 driving in 2 runs. Michael Chavis had a double

Andrew Politi got the emergency start after Andriese was ruled out. He went 2.2 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits. Phillips Valdez pitched an inning allowing 1 run on 3 hits. Kyle Hart picked up the win, going 1.1 innings and allowing just 1 hit. Hirokazu Sawamura pitched the 7th, without allowing a hit and Matt Hall pitched the 8th, allowing 2 hits, and walking 1, while striking out 2 for the save.

The Red Sox have 3 more Spring Training games before opening the season on Thursday, April 1st at Fenway against the Baltimore Orioles. Sunday they play the Minnesota Twins at 1:05 p.m. and Monday and Tuesday they play the Atlanta Braves at 1:05 p.m. Wednesday is a off day.