The Boston Red Sox start a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals on Friday, May 9 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
The game is scheduled to start at 7:40 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on NESN and FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City. Fans looking to watch this MLB game for free can do so using DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial, or FuboTV, which also offers a free trial and up to $25 off your first month. Fans can also watch MLB games for free through MLB.TV, which offers a free trial and has different packages to choose from, including one that allows fans to listen to radio broadcasts with no blackout restrictions.
Boston won its last two games against the Texas Rangers to climb above .500 and get to 20-19 on the season. Hunter Dobbins will be on the mound and the Red Sox are 2-1 in his starts with Dobbins earning each decision.
The Royals are in the midst of their second six-game winning streak since Easter, when they halted a six-game losing streak that had them at 8-14. Now, Kansas City is 23-16, and just like Boston, the club is two games back of the division lead.
Who: Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals
When: Friday, May 9 at 7:40 p.m. EDT
Where: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Stream: DirecTV Stream (free trial); FuboTV (free trial); MLB.TV (free trial)
Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial and up to $25 off the first month for new customers.
What is MLB.TV?
MLB.TV is the easiest way for fans to make sure they are able to watch as many out-of-market MLB games as possible. You can sign up to follow just one club for the whole year for $129.99 or get the entire league for $149.99. You can sign up to get the radio broadcast with no blackout restrictions, or check out Giants.TV which allows fans to stream the San Francisco Giants in-market with no blackout restrictions. All packages on MLB.TV come with a free trial.
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Shohei Ohtani could have landed 15-year deal, agent says, but he didn’t want to risk skills decline
By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani could have pursued a 15-year contract through age 44, agent Nez Balelo said Thursday, explaining the two-way superstar didn’t want to risk a decline in his skills while under the big deal.
Balelo pulled back the curtain that shrouds Ohtani a bit when he spoke at Sportico’s Invest West conference featuring decision-makers in sports, entertainment and finance at the new Intuit Dome, home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers.
Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that he signed in December 2023 was the largest in professional sports. He won his third MVP award and first World Series title in his first season after moving from the Los Angeles Angels.
A year later, Juan Soto went even bigger. The left fielder landed a $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets in which none of the money will be deferred.
“We wouldn’t do anything different,” Balelo said afterward. “He won a championship. He went to the right team. No regrets.”
Ohtani’s deal includes $680 million in deferred payments. Those deferrals reduce the net present value of the contract to about $461 million for baseball’s luxury-tax system, instead of an average of $70 million a year had there been no deferrals.
Ohtani will be 38 when the contract ends after the 2033 season.
“We could have went to 13, 14, 15 years,” Balelo said. “But Shohei wanted to always kind of keep the integrity of where he’s at as a player. He just didn’t want to have the end of his storybook career tail off and then on year 13, 14 and 15, it’s just like who is this guy? You can’t even run down first and he’s not a guy anymore.”
Balelo prefers operating behind the scenes and carefully controlling the narrative around Ohtani. But even he couldn’t tamp down a cottage industry of rumors about which team would land Ohtani and how much it would cost.
“It was quite a ride,” he said in a discussion moderated by Ben Verlander, MLB analyst for FOX Sports.
A social media frenzy ensued when it was reported Ohtani was on a plane to Toronto to sign with the Blue Jays.
“Well, that was reckless reporting. We actually tried to let the individual know, ‘No, we’re not on a plane,’” Balelo said. “I felt bad for the country of Canada. I felt horrible for the organization because clearly they knew we weren’t.”
Ohtani’s goals were to keep his new team competitive by allowing the club money to sign other players and to allow him to win championships and continue to be a two-way player.
“The Dodgers gave us their word that’s what they were going to do,” said Balelo, who works for CAA Sports’ baseball division.
Ohtani is MLB’s top endorser, with his earnings jumping from $65 million in 2024 to $100 million this year.
“Yeah, absolutely, those are real numbers,” Balelo said. “It continues to take on a life of its own.”
According to Balelo, Ohtani endorses just over 20 brands that are carefully vetted and chosen based on his use or belief in the product and the people behind it. His priority is his on-the-field performance and the training that goes into it.
“He takes that very, very serious and everything really becomes secondary other than his family,” Balelo said. “We just have to make sure that we don’t overexpose him or put him in a situation where it’s too heavy of a lift.”
Balelo first spotted the future superstar as a high school junior in Ohtani’s native Japan and followed him closely as Ohtani’s pro career began with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
“There were some things that that I did differently than I typically would when I recruit,” he said, declining to elaborate when asked afterward.
“It was definitely a battle, that’s for sure, but we came out on top and I was very fortunate.”
The Associated Press contributed to this post
