Mookie Betts set to make his return to Fenway Park during 2023 Red Sox season
BOSTON -- With the team sitting well outside of the wild card picture with only 39 games left, the 2022 season is essentially over for the Boston Red Sox. So no one would blame any fan for turning their attention to 2023.
Major League Baseball released the 2023 schedules for all teams on Wednesday, and for the Red Sox, it will feature a beloved former player making their first return to Fenway Park. That would be Markus Lynn Betts, or better known around the baseball world as "Mookie."
Betts will return to Fenway Park in 2023 for the first time since the Red Sox traded him to the Dodgers in 2020, with Los Angeles coming to Boston for a three-game set from Aug. 25-27. It will give Boston fans their first opportunity to thank Betts for his six seasons with the Red Sox, which included both an MVP season and World Series crown in 2018.
The Red Sox will play each of the other 29 teams in the Majors in 2023 for the first time since interleague play was introduced in 1997. Eight National League teams will come to Fenway Park next season: the Pittsburgh Pirates (April 3-5); the St. Louis Cardinals (May 12-14); the Cincinnati Reds (May 30-June 1); the Colorado Rockies (June 12-14); the Miami Marlins (June 27-29); the New York Mets (July 21-23); the Atlanta Braves (July 25-26); and the Los Angeles Dodgers (August 25-27).
On the road, Boston will travel to San Francisco for the first time since 2016 for a three-game set with the Giants in late July. The Red Sox also have road series against the Milwaukee Brewers (April 21-23); the Philadelphia Phillies (May 5-7); the Atlanta Braves (May 9-10); the San Diego Padres (May 19-21); the Arizona Diamondbacks (May 26-28); the Chicago Cubs (July 14-16); and the Washington Nationals (August 15-17).
The 2023 Red Sox season will begin on March 30 at Fenway Park against the Baltimore Orioles. The regular season will also end against the Orioles, with Boston playing a four-game set in Baltimore from Sept. 28-Oct. 1.
Of course, the Red Sox have a few series against the Yankees as well. The Sox will travel to New York for two series -- June 9-11 and August 18-20 -- and the Yankees will be in Boston for two series -- June 16-18 and September 11-14.
You can see the full 2023 Red Sox schedule here.
