Boston Red Sox News

Every lineup, every day, as they are made public by the clubs.

Stephen Drew took the first step toward his return from a concussion on Tuesday, with The Boston Globe reporting that Major League Baseball cleared the Red Sox shortstop to begin playing in games.

For all the talk about the improvement of clubhouse chemistry and the influx of a prospect as exciting as Jackie Bradley Jr., the importance of starting pitching when it comes to the 2013 Red Sox has been underplayed.

Major League Baseball rang in the 2013 season on Monday with the usual -- and, at times, unusual -- mix of pregame pomp and pageantry, with last year's awards and accolades, and with optimism and excitement about what the immediate future holds.

For all the Jackie Bradley Jr. hype that has engulfed the Red Sox in recent days, it was easy to forget that several other players had a chance to wear the Boston uniform for the first time in a regular-season game on Monday afternoon. And there were key contributions from some of them in an 8-2 victory over the Yankees.

Kevin Youkilis fastened the buttons of his Yankees-issued uniform on Monday, heard what he believes were chants of his name from the stands every time his name was announced and successfully completed Day 1 of his new reality.

They were timely at the plate, aggressive on the bases and clutch on the mound. In other words, the Red Sox looked very much like a new team on Monday while notching a satisfying 8-2 Opening Day victory over the rival Yankees in the Bronx.

The John Farrell era for the Red Sox began with a win in the opener against the arch-rival Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Monday -- and for one day, at least, life was very good.

When the Red Sox and Yankees resume their season-opening set on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. ET, Clay Buchholz will be trying to improve on a mediocre 2012 season, while Hiroki Kuroda will look to pick up where he left off in last year's postseason.

Legendary musician Paul McCartney will return to Fenway Park on Tuesday, July 9, as part of his 2013 "Out There" tour.

The Yankees and the Red Sox joined together on Opening Day to dedicate Monday's game to the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting, their families and the greater community of Newtown, Conn.

Daniel Nava entered Monday having played in 148 Major League games, but he'd never experienced the spectacle that is Opening Day.

Just as the Yankees opened the season without Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson, the Red Sox were without a signature player for the rivalry's first matchup of 2013. This was the first time since 2003 that David Ortiz was not in Boston's starting lineup on Opening Day.

The beauty of Jackie Bradley Jr. -- perhaps the reason the Red Sox were comfortable about summoning him up to the Majors less than two years after drafting him -- is that he can channel the adrenaline of the moment. It was evident all day long, as Bradley helped lead the Red Sox to an 8-2 Opening Day victory over the Yankees.

Many Red Sox players said Sunday that they wanted to focus only on the coming campaign. This year's schedule helps get Boston's attention early, because it pits the Red Sox against the Yankees.

The Red Sox will be without designated hitter David Ortiz and shortstop Stephen Drew for Opening Day, but John Farrell said both could return from the disabled list relatively soon.

Jackie Bradley Jr. has arrived on a major stage. Manager John Farrell said that Boston's highly touted outfield prospect has done enough in Spring Training to make the team, and he's performed so well that he'll start in left field against the Yankees on Opening Day.

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Because of shortstop Stephen Drew's concussion and David Ortiz's heel problems, the Red Sox weren't able to field their full lineup once all spring. So, as the Grapefruit League season ended with a 4-2 win over the Twins on Saturday at JetBlue Park, new manager John Farrell conceded he still isn't sure exactly what he's got.

Left-hander Felix Doubront, penciled in as the No. 4 starter, tossed five scoreless innings and struck out six as the Red Sox defeated the Twins, 4-2, at JetBlue Park on Saturday afternoon in the Grapefruit League finale for both clubs.