If spring training is about rhythm, the Red Sox are starting to find one.
Saturday’s 13-8 win over the Minnesota Twins won’t be remembered for crisp tempo – 25 hits, 10 walks and a three-hour-plus runtime made sure of that – but it did offer a little bit of everything:
Jarren Duran’s thunder, Garrett Whitlock’s clean tune-up before a national stage, and a reminder that this lineup might be deeper than advertised.
“We ran the bases well and that’s what we want,” Alex Cora told the media postgame. “The offense is a lot better than people think.”
On a day like this, that felt less like a message and more like a fact.
Duran Picks Up Where He Left Off:
Duran continues to look like a player intent on forcing the Red Sox to take him off the trading block.
He went 2-for-2 with two home runs, a walk, four RBI and three runs scored.
Both blasts were two-run shots – one in the first inning off Taj Bradley, another in the fourth off Kendry Rojas – traveling 401 and 409 feet, respectively.
Through the first week of games, Duran is batting .583 with a 2.167 OPS.
It’s spring, yes. But the at-bats look decisive. He’s not cheating to velocity. He’s not overextending for pull power. He’s punishing mistakes.
If Boston truly has an outfield “logjam,” Duran isn’t playing like someone willing to be squeezed.
Roman Anthony (2-for-3, RBI) and Carlos Narvaez (2-for-3, RBI) also chipped in, Trevor Story tripled, and Max Ferguson launched a grand slam in the seventh.
All 13 Sox scored at least once in a game that never lacked traffic.
Whitlock’s Spring & What Comes Next:
While the offense grabbed headlines, Whitlock quietly finished his Grapefruit League work on a perfect note.
He retired the Twins 1-2-3 in the third inning, making it three straight scoreless outings to open his spring.
Across three appearances, he allowed just one hit in three innings with no walks and two strikeouts.
Now, he’s packing for something bigger.
Whitlock and Anthony fly to Arizona on Sunday to join Team USA ahead of the World Baseball Classic. The roster features stars across the league. But for Whitlock, the significance runs deeper than the names.
He spoke emotionally postgame about calling his father – a Vietnam War veteran – when he learned he’d been selected last fall.
“I’m actually the only male in my family not to serve in the military,” said Whitlock. “So it’s a really truly special thing that’s close to my heart.”
Forget stage lights or tournament hype. For Whitlock, representing the country carries personal weight.
And based on his early work, he’s heading into it sharp.
Gray’s Mixed Day:
Sonny Gray’s first start in a Red Sox uniform wasn’t as smooth.
He walked the first batter he faced on four pitches, and ultimately allowed two runs on three hits and two walks over 1.1 innings. A solo home run to James Outman in the second highlighted the hiccups.
“I don’t like throwing as many balls as I did,” Gray said postgame.
It’s March. Results matter less than rhythm, and Gray acknowledged the command needs tightening.
Still, he escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first thanks to a 6-4-3 double play turned by Story and Nick Sogard, limiting what could have spiraled.
Feb 17, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA;Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) poses for a photo during media day at JetBlue Park. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)Early Keeps Building:
Connelly Early followed and continued his steady push.
The left-hander threw 2.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
He topped out at 97.1 mph, and threw 27 of 39 pitches for strikes.
“I’m just trying to keep building the workload and hold the velo,” Early said postgame.
For a young arm fighting for innings, that’s exactly what you want to hear.
Feb 17, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Connelly Early (71) gets his photo taken during media day at JetBlue Park. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)The Big Picture:
The Red Sox are 5-3 this spring, including 3-0 against Minnesota.
More importantly, they’re showing layers:
Lineup depth, bullpen clarity, and players ramping toward bigger roles, whether in Boston or on the international stage.
Later today brings the Orioles to Fort Myers, with Ranger Suarez scheduled to start and Aroldis Chapman and Justin Slaten slated for work behind him.
In late February, the scoreboard doesn’t carry much weight.
But rhythm does.
And right now, the Red Sox look like a team settling into one.
