It's Red Sox Opening Day, or Opening Day for the Red Sox, if you prefer. We're giving you both the local and the national perspective.
We'll start locally, with an announcement. The Toucher & Hardy Show is beyond thrilled to share that Tom Caron will be joining the show on a weekly basis for the duration of the 2026 Major League Baseball season. Just like you, we've been huge fans of TC throughout his 30-year run on NESN. Turns out he's a pretty big fan of Toucher & Hardy, too. So expect to hear Tom Caron's insight and humor on the show every Thursday morning right around 8:25 a.m. Or, anytime via the Toucher & Hardy podcast, which you can grab here, among other places.
TC's first hit of the season with us happened this morning. We got right to it, as you'll see and hear in the clip above. The Sox are right in the thick of a loaded AL East, where things could break in any direction when the teams start beating up on each other. That makes it crucial for Boston to get a leg up early—especially against National League opponents—and gain an edge over New York, Toronto, and Baltimore. Tom's take? Overall, they’re firmly in the mix, but consistency outside of the division could decide the Sox season.
Red Sox Opening Day Preview
We now widen our scope nationally. Jared Diamond covers MLB and more for the Wall Street Journal. He's who you hear in the clip above. As Jared sees it, the Sox are getting solid national buzz thanks to their strong rotation. But they’re still missing a true middle-of-the-order power bat. Roman Anthony turned heads at the WBC and is now expected to be a major contributor right away, not just a rookie figuring things out. Overall, Diamond sees Boston as a legit playoff team, with pitching leading the way and Anthony potentially becoming the lineup’s missing piece.
Fred, Hardy and Wallach also got Jared chatting about what he called baseball's "competitive crisis" in his latest piece for the Wall Street Journal. To paraphrase Fred in their conversation: is it even worth looking at the National League anymore? The Los Angeles Dodgers are basically an all-star team. How are teams expected to compete? Diamond addressed this issue and shared with the show a dark horse team that he's expecting to make a showing in the American League this year.
For more Opening Day coverage, hit the Sports Hub Red Sox page. Alex Barth has a piece on the Red Sox Opening Day roster. Jake Seymour talks about Connerly Early earning a spot in the starting rotation. And Matt Dolloff theorizes about the real reason Payton Tolle didn't break camp with the big league club. And don't forget The Baseball Hour with Tony Mazz, now heard weekdays throughout the Red Sox season from 6-7 p.m. on 98.5 the Sports Hub and the Sports Hub app. Baseball is finally back, baby! Let's Go Red Sox!
