Red Sox Key Utility Piece Not Expected for Opening Day

The Boston Red Sox will play a regular season baseball game in just three days on March 26 against the Cincinnati Reds.

It's been a long time coming since the Red Sox wrapped up the 2025 regular season back in September and then were knocked out of the playoffs in October. Regular season is on the way and the roster is starting to really come together. There aren't too many big decisions left to make for Boston, outside of the final starter in the rotation between Johan Oviedo, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early.

On a smaller scale, the depth for the organization is starting to really come into picture as well. For example, MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo shared that utility man Anthony Seigler is a possibility to open the 2026 season on the Injured List to kick off the 2026 season.

The Red Sox utility man isn't expected to be ready to go

Aug 26, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Anthony Seigler (18) celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

"Seigler ‘banged up,’" Cotillo wrote. "Versatile newcomer Anthony Seigler, who was acquired along with Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio in a six-player trade with Milwaukee as camp opened, has not played in a game yet due to lingering knee issues. He is doing baseball activities but has not progressed to the point where he’s game-ready. 'He’s been banged up,' said manager Alex Cora. 'He hasn’t played. We’ll take it day by day.' Seigler could start the year on the IL, or if ready, active at Worcester.

"The Red Sox have 41 players remaining in camp with 26 spots available on the Opening Day roster. Gonzalez, Houck, Crawford, Sandoval, Casas and Seigler are all out of the mix because they’ll begin the year on the IL along with non-roster invitee Brendan Rodgers, who is still technically on the spring training roster but is out for months after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Seigler is someone who came over in the Caleb Durbin trade, along with Andruw Monasterio. As Cotillo pointed out, Seigler hasn't played in a game in Spring Training, which obviously isn't a great sign for him for Opening Day. He made his big league debut with Milwaukee in 2025 and got time at catcher, first base, third base and designated hitter in just 34 games played.

When healthy, he'll be a Swiss Army Knife for depth for the organization. But that isn't going to be on Opening Day. On the other hand, Monasterio certainly appears to have an inside track to the Opening Day roster with Romy González out.