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On a normal workday at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, 23-year-old Ricky McNamara plays the role of a Colonial-era barber named William Pierce, who stormed the ships in the harbor and threw tea overboard in 1773.

But for the 250th anniversary of the tea party, McNamara played a part on the other side and donned a tricorn hat, gray wig, and ruffled shirt to play the role of John Timmins, a representative from the brig Beaver, which entered Boston Harbor on Dec. 15, 1773, the last of the three Tea Party ships to arrive.

On Saturday morning, some 30 historical reenactors immersed themselves in their Colonial characters inside Faneuil Hall ahead of the events commemorating the Tea Party that evening, according to the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.

“Everyone is in their costumes and looking amazing, and we are running through without stopping,” Evan O’Brien, the museum’s creative director, said in a phone interview.

Late Saturday afternoon the actors practiced in order to reenact 1773 meetings discussing the foreboding “tea crisis,” which took place leading up to the Boston Tea Party on Dec. 16, 1773, O’Brien said.

Afterward, reenactments were planned for inside and outside the Old South Meeting House, before the crowd heads to the Harborwalk at Atlantic Wharf around 8 p.m. to see the “Destruction of the Tea,” according to the museum.

“When you see the performance, you’ll see how people felt at the time, to bring history back alive, because to read it in a book, that doesn’t necessarily do it justice,” said McNamara, who lives in Wakefield, during a phone interview. “[The Boston Tea Party], as we like to say at the museum, is one of the most important events leading up to the American Revolution.”

In addition to his role in the Faneuil Hall portion of the evening, McNamara will be on the ships in the harbor for the tea dumping, he said. His character, Timmins, will be kicked off the Beaver, McNamara said.

“If you see somebody get hit in the head with a tea chest and carried off the ship, that’s actually me,” McNamara said, chuckling.

Nathan Richardson, 63, of Suffolk, Va., will take on the role of Frederick Douglass in the 1873 retrospective portion of the Faneuil Hall program, he said in a phone interview. Saturday’s reenactment will be Richardson’s 86th portrayal of Douglass this year.

In his 1873 speech, which Richardson will deliver at the Faneuil Hall event, Douglass spoke about women’s suffrage, he said.

“I was aware he had been to Faneuil Hall in 1846, but not in ‘73. So when [the museum] sent me that speech, I was like, ‘Wow, this is really, really interesting,’ ” Richardson said. “And so I just went ahead and put it to memory, and I’m excited to be doing it here.”

Richardson, who has played the role of Douglass in historical societies for the past 10 years, said he plans to stay in character after Saturday’s performance and answer visitors’ questions.

“It’s what I normally do at events like this — just talk to the citizens and give them Frederick Douglass’ history here in Boston and with Faneuil Hall, and I love doing that,” he said.

The museum expects thousands to see the series of events throughout the night — from Faneuil Hall, to Downtown Crossing, to the Old South Meeting House, and the harbor, according to O’Brien.

“I think it’s going to be a day that Boston, the Commonwealth, and the nation can be really proud of,” O’Brien said.

Vincent Trocheck, who tied the game midway through the third period, scored the winner at 2:03 of overtime at the Rangers beat the Bruins, 2-1, Saturday night at TD Garden.

It took until the second period for the action to heat up, as things often have between the teams over the decades, and Trent Frederic’s strike early in the middle period turned out to be the lone goal for the opening 40:00.

Frederic pushed the puck by Igor Shesterkin with 2:07 gone in the middle period, finishing a rush into the zone that was spearheaded by rookie center Matt Poitras. After Poitras tossed the puck to his right wing, James van Riemsdyk shoveled a backhander toward the net from the circle, and Frederic muscled the puck over the line for his seventh goal of the season.

Then things became increasingly interesting, not all of it good for the Bruins.

Poitras exited the action at the 9:00 mark, going directly to the room for medical aid, when he was popped into the sideboards by defenseman Erik Gustafsson. It was not a particularly heavy hit, but the undersized Poitras folded up in obvious pain, favoring his right arm/shoulder as he exited.

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Poitras returned late in the second and looked OK, though he did take a hit again to that side of his upper body. The rookie center was held out two of the previous four games, the Bruins concerned about finding him rest now that they are in the thick of the 82-game regular season.

The Rangers made things slightly worse for themselves, asking for a video review after Frederic scored. They were hoping forensic evidence would show that the big Bruins winger interfered with Shesterkin before poking the puck home. But evidence showed otherwise, and the Bruins were awarded a power play as a consequence of the failed challenge.

The Bruins went 3 for 3 on the man advantage Saturday night in their 5-4 shootout win on Long Island. But they couldn’t muster any magic on the advantage against the Rangers in the first two periods.

David Pastrnak put a solid smack on ex-Bruin prospect Ryan Lindgren at the 7:45 mark. It was payback for a hit Lindgren put on Pastrnak the Saturday after Thanksgiving at Madison Square Garden. It proved to foreshadow what would transpire between the two later in the period.

But before those two met again, there was a bout between Frederic and Jacob Trouba, which also had its roots in that MSG matinee. It was during that earlier game that Trouba cracked his stick across the side of Frederic’s helmet — a dangerous swing that went unpenalized.

In the first period, when lining up for a faceoff, Frederic offered to fight Trouba, but the Rangers captain was having none of it. Finally, seconds after Poitras headed to the room, Frederic and Trouba tossed the gloves to settle their outstanding issues. It was a quick decision. Frederic dropped Trouba with a couple of big punches, and the two combatants were whistled off the ice.

But, wait, there was more.

With 1:50 remaining in the second period, Pastrnak could not resist another hit on Lindgren, and it would mark the end to the Bruins winger’s night.

Lindgren was in the midst of fielding a puck on the rear wall in his defensive zone when Pastrnak buried him with a glancing hit from behind — forcing Lindgren’s face into the glass.

The outcome: Lindgren left with a towel covering a cut high on his forehead, and Pastrnak headed to the room, given the heave-ho for a five-minute boarding infraction and its accompanying game misconduct.

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The 2023-24 MLB offseason is six weeks old and, with Juan Soto traded and Shohei Ohtani signed, the next big piece to come off the board figures to be Japanese righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto held in-person meetings with teams this week and could make his decision sometime next week, if not sooner. Until then, here are the latest hot stove rumors.

Glasnow agrees to Dodgers extension

Tyler Glasnow

TB • SP • #20

ERA3.53

WHIP1.08

IP120

BB37

K162

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The Dodgers and righty Tyler Glasnow have agreed to a five-year, $135 million extension. The trade sending Glasnow and Manuel Margot to Los Angeles for Ryan Pepiot and Jonny DeLuca was contingent on the extension, so the trade should be made official fairly soon. Glasnow's new contract begins right away and he was already owed $25 million in 2024. It's essentially a four-year extension worth $110 million. The contract includes a $30 million club option, and, if declined, Glasnow has a $20 million player option. Here are our trade grades for the four-player swap.

Royals sign Renfroe to two-year contract

Hunter Renfroe

CIN • RF • #32

BA0.233

R60

HR20

RBI60

SB0

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The Royals have signed free agent outfielder Hunter Renfroe to a two-year contract worth $13 million, reports the New York Post. Renfroe can opt out after the first year. Although he's averaged 34 homers per 162 games in his career, Kansas City will be Renfroe's seventh team in the last six years. He did not rank among our top 50 free agents.

It has been a busy few weeks for the Royals, who have also signed utility man Garrett Hampson (one year, $2 million), reliever Will Smith (one year, $5 million), and starter Seth Lugo (three years, $45 million). Kansas City has a franchise player in Bobby Witt Jr. and are adding to a supporting cast that includes stalwart Salvador Perez and youngsters Cole Ragans and Vinnie Pasquantino.

Kansas City also signed righty Michael Wacha to a two-year, $32 million contract Friday. Like Renfroe, Wacha's deal includes an opt out after the first year.

Red Sox asked Mariners about young pitchers

Bryce Miller

SEA • SP • #50

ERA4.32

WHIP1.14

IP131.1

BB26

K119

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According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox approached the Mariners about their young pitchers, but we rebuffled. Boston is said to want multiple starters this offseason and Mariners figure to at least listen on guys like Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo if the trade nets them bats with multiple years of control. Unless the Red Sox put Triston Casas on the table, they don't have much to offer.

The Red Sox have yet to add to their pitching staff in a meaningful way this offseason and Seattle has done more subtracting (Jarred Kelenic, Eugenio Suárez, etc.) than adding these last few weeks. Eventually they'll get around to improving rosters that weren't good enough to reach the postseason in 2023, and in Boston's case, finished in last place three times in the last four years.

Stewart signs extension to stay in Japan

Right-hander Carter Stewart, the No. 8 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, has signed a two-year extension to remain with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks through 2026, according to Kyodo. The deal is worth approximately $10 million. Stewart did not sign with the Braves out of the draft and instead signed a landmark six-year contract to go to Japan. That contract was set to expire after 2024.

"They've done a great job of developing him, bringing him along," Scott Boras, Stewart's agent, told Kyodo. "They got his body in great shape. They were very patient with him. So it's been a great experience for him. We're very pleased about it. He's quite happy there."

Stewart, 24, had a 2.87 ERA in 100.1 innings this past season, though his strikeout and walk rates left something to be desired. The new extension will allow him to become a free agent at age 27, at which point he could command a significant contract from an MLB team should he continue improving these next few years in Japan.

As compensation for failing to sign Stewart, the Braves received the No. 9 pick in the 2019 draft. They used it to take catcher Shea Langeliers, who was sent to the Athletics in the Matt Olson trade. It all worked out in the end for Atlanta.

Tigers re-sign Pacheco

Freddy Pacheco

DET • RP • #64

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The Tigers have re-signed righty Freddy Pacheco to a minor league contract, reports the Detroit Free Press. Pacheco had Tommy John surgery in June, meaning he won't return until the second half of next season at the earliest. Our R.J. Anderson identified the 25-year-old reliever as a potential bargain free agent thanks to a "mid-90s heater with big-time rise and a bullet slider with a well-above-average whiff rate," which give him a chance to pitch high-leverage innings once healthy.

Yankees, Pirates make minor trade

Billy McKinney

NYY • RF • #63

BA0.227

R19

HR6

RBI14

SB1

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The Pirates have acquired outfielder Billy McKinney from the Yankees for international bonus money, the team announced. The Yankees recently re-signed McKinney to a minor-league deal. It seems likely they're doing him a favor and sending him to a team that offers a greater MLB opportunity following their Soto and Alex Verdugo trades. Also, the international bonus pool money will have no bearing on New York's pursuit of Yamamoto. He is not subject to the bonus pools because of his age.

It was Red Sox chairman Tom Werner who said at the start of the offseason that the Sox were going “full throttle” on acquiring the kind of players who would get the team out of last place, where it had just finished for the third time in four years.

The Sox have a new head of baseball operations in Craig Breslow and he has been tasked with making the kind of big moves necessary to get them back to the top of the AL East.

But for now, the only major acquisition that the Red Sox have made since the end of last season is trading for Tyler O’Neill from the Cardinals. It means that here is what really hasn’t changed, at least not for Red Sox fans:

This is the most important offseason in recent Red Sox history, and it might be as important as any they’ve had since they were forced to pick up the pieces after their heartbreaking loss to the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series.

Everything changed, of course, for the Red Sox after that. Now their fans want that sort of change, and they want it now.

This, by the way, was the full quote from club chairman Tom Werner after the Red Sox hired Breslow:

“We know that we have to be competitive next year. So, we’re going to be competitive next year. We’re going to have be full throttle in every possible way.”

Now Red Sox fans, still early in the baseball winter, wait to see exactly what that is going to mean. And, more importantly, who it is going to mean. The Yankees just traded for 25-year-old Juan Soto, one of the most complete hitters in the game, whether he turns out to be a one-season rental or he stays longer at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have also made no secret that they are going hard after star Japanese righthander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the way a lot of teams are, including Boston.

The young, upstart Orioles are coming off a season in which they won 101 games. The Blue Jays made a big run at Shohei Ohtani before he settled on the Dodgers. And even though the Rays have traded Tyler Glasnow to the Dodgers, they will be in the thick of things in the AL East for the simple reason that they always are.

The Red Sox got passed by everybody last season, including a disappointing 82-80 Yankees team. But Red Sox fans are now every bit as frustrated by what has happened to their squad over the past few seasons as cranky Yankee fans are that their team hasn’t made it to the World Series since 2009.

We can all see how fast perceptions change in baseball. It was just five years ago, in 2018, when the Red Sox produced the greatest single season in franchise history, winning 108 games and knocking off the defending champion Astros on their way to winning it all. It was just two years ago -- somehow seems like more now -- that they beat the Yankees in a Wild Card playoff and had a 2-1 lead on the Astros in the American League Championship Series before their offense completely shut down.

Nothing has been the same for them since. Kyle Schwarber left for the Phillies and ended up making it to the World Series with them. Chaim Bloom was replaced as general manager by Breslow, a relief pitcher for the Red Sox in 2013 when they won the third of their four World Series in this century, still more than anybody else.

Now here they are, not defending a title any longer but fighting to get back near the top of their division, their fans wanting to see that ownership and the new general manager are going to get after it the way the Dodgers and the Yankees are these days. Those are iconic franchises but so, too, are the Red Sox, after the most amazing two decades they have ever had, all the way back to when Babe Ruth had them on top.

This summer the Red Sox will celebrate the 20th anniversary of that ’04 team, the one that changed the course of Red Sox history and baseball history because of the way they came back from 0-3 down against the Yankees in the ALCS. Red Sox fans used to obsess about the distant past because their team hadn’t won anything since Ruth left for New York. Now the same fans are obsessing about the recent past, wondering when they might be on top again, and not just in the AL East.

Mostly they wait to see exactly what full throttle means and where the Red Sox are going, now that the only way for the team to go is up.

It’s no secret that dining out has gotten more expensive; not only in Boston, but across the country, thanks to the pandemic-era explosion in the costs of just about everything it takes to run a restaurant. In a recent weekend newsletter, Eater asked readers how the rising costs of dining out had affected people’s restaurant-going habits around Boston, if it had. Many readers wrote back to share how they were adapting to the new normal, from ordering less alcohol, to avoiding fine dining restaurants, to dining out less overall.

Want to join in on the conversation? Sign up for Eater Boston’s newsletter to receive future prompts here.

I’ve been eating out less! But recently I noticed that even the small pick-me-ups have cost me more. For instance, coffee shop runs — I grabbed a matcha latte and an apple Danish at Blue Bottle on Newbury last Friday and my bill was about $14 before tipping — it wasn’t even a hot sandwich! — Valerie Li Stack

I don’t think it has really impacted how my wife and I tend to dine out or where we go necessarily. While prices have gone up in some cases, in and around us in Davis Square, we are lucky to have about 5 to 10 places where we can get a full dinner meal (with tip) for under $36. If we are going out to a nice dinner, we almost always earmark about $200 to $250 (with tip) for those expensive restaurants. We also only go out for 2 to 3 meals a week (including lunches, happy hours, etc.) so when we DO go out we usually don’t hold back regardless of the price... we get what we want or what looks the best to us. — Greg Wehn

Last week I was having a conversation with my best friend who will be in town next week about how expensive eating out in Boston is now. Not only have I stopped ordering cocktails/alcohol at dinner (if I do I stretch it out to the whole meal or try to split a bottle if in a group of three or more), but I also only try to eat out no more than once a week. Breakfast is always at home, and lunch if I can help it too. I’m certainly not a cheap person but brunch for two yesterday at Beehive came out to ~$58 per person and it didn’t include anything with meat in it!

Even groceries at my beloved Market Basket are high, leaving me no choice but to eat at home more. I miss the ambiance of restaurants! — Mariana Zapata

The prices have certainly impacted our dining out patterns. We choose lower-cost options over fine dining, usually at restaurants that serve something we can’t make better at home: Indian buffet, Nepali momos, banh mi, etc.

A huge issue is the variety of service charges added to the bills of the more expensive restaurants. It’s unclear who, exactly, these charges are going to and do we still need to tip. Having worked in restaurants, I want the staff to be paid well and equitably. However, it pisses me off to have a 20 percent service fee added and then be told that you don’t have to tip additionally, but it would be appreciated if you did (which happened recently). So if you don’t, you feel like a jerk and end the evening uncomfortable rather than basking in the glow of an amazing meal.

The industry needs to figure out a better way to manage paying its staff. I believe that taking tipping out of the equation is the solution. Fine dining should be expensive — that’s the point. And the people who can afford to do it should be willing to pay more to ensure that the staff is making a living wage. — Joanna Lazarek

My friends and I have been saying for a while how expensive restaurants in Boston have become. Everywhere is high priced but especially the Seaport District. Crazy expensive! It has definitely discouraged us from going out as much as we used to. — Katherine

The cost of dining out has certainly affected how much I eat out (and even order out). My husband and I have been cooking nearly every meal at home. When we eat out now, it’s basically for occasions only — birthdays, anniversaries, parents are in town, etc.

Honestly, we are less inclined to try new places, too. I am going back to the same restaurants where I know I won’t be disappointed. It’s not worth the risk anymore. I’m avoiding “small plates” restaurants, too. They were always expensive to begin with, and now it feels like $150 for two people still leaves me hungry, and I’ve blown my budget on one meal.

I’ve cut back on alcohol and like you, try to make one drink last the whole dinner. And no dessert (or maybe ice cream somewhere else.)

It’s really a shame dining out has gotten to this point. I used to love it, but now it often leaves me feeling unsatisfied on many levels. — Lauren Porazzo

We eat out at fairly expensive places, but not nearly as often as we used to. We probably go out to nice restaurants 2x a month compared to every weekend! Our usuals are Giulia, Oleana, Myers and Chang, and Mida, for example. — Anonymous

Pre-pandemic, we ate at our favorite neighborhood sushi place weekly, and the bill was around $60 for two of us, including drinks. Now, the same meal costs over $100, and we go much less frequently. We haven’t been back to fine dining at all since before the pandemic, but I’ve looked at the menus and the prices are shocking. — David Watson

BOSTON – Missing their top three bigs turned out to be not a big problem at all for the Boston Celtics Friday night, as they downed the Orlando Magic, 128-111, on the second night of a back-to-back.

Orlando entered the night with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference at 16-7. It had also beaten Boston in four consecutive matchups, including a 113-96 beatdown on Nov. 24, the most lopsided loss of the season for the C’s.

Finally, Boston solved the Magic's tricks, despite being without Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet.

Of the team’s league-leading 19 wins, Jaylen Brown believes this was the most impressive of them all.

“We had a bunch of guys out on a back-to-back against a team that had been kicking our ass the last four times that we played. So I think this was the biggest game so far.”

Orlando had a massive advantage in size and physicality, so Boston countered with its speed. The Celtics were moving non-stop – both their bodies and the ball – leading to their second-most assists of the season with 31, and a season-high in steals with 14.

“I just feel we played with a better tempo tonight,” said Payton Pritchard, whose “fastpp” nickname fit the occasion. “We just played up and down faster, used our speed, especially with having KP out, Al and Luke. So we had to play fast and use our advantages there. It just led to easy baskets, guys getting wide-open looks.”

Boston had six different players score in double-digits, as well as six players who dished out at least four assists. And there were so many layers to the contributions it received.

The team had its usual high-volume producers:

Then there were the typical bench guys who often step up:

And finally, there were the role players who truly rose to the occasion:

“Next-guy-up mentality,” said Brown. “That’s it. A lot of guys put in a lot of work behind closed doors. So it’s great for them when they get their opportunity they come out and they ball. Payton, Sam elevated their roles a little bit more. Oshae, Lamar, their contributions just get thrown right in there and they play hard and play well. It was big. That was a good team win.”

It was also the 13^th win that this team has had at home in as many tries. The last – and only other – Celtics team to start a season 13-0 at home was in 1957-58 when a sophomore Bill Russell got them off to an 18-0 start at Boston Garden.

They’ll need another good team win Sunday afternoon at TD Garden, where they'll cap off a four-game homestand in a rematch against Orlando.

On paper, the Red Sox pitching staff has loads of potential. It has young talent, proven bullpen arms, tons of depth and enough versatility to adapt to all kinds of unforeseen circumstances.

The one thing missing is a sturdy foundation to hold it all together, and without that the staff is doomed to fall apart just like last year.

More than two months into the offseason we still don’t have any clarity on what the Red Sox starting rotation could ultimately look like. The club has yet to make a meaningful addition, and while many starters have already signed, most of Boston’s top targets are still on the market.

Will the Red Sox land Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Jordan Montgomery? Will they wind up with Shota Imanaga or Lucas Giolito, or swing a trade for Dylan Cease or some other young arm? Could we see a combination of the above, or will they come up empty-handed?

The answer to those questions could make or break Boston’s 2024 season.

While we await a resolution to the starting pitching question, the Red Sox have been active filling other needs further down the depth chart. The club has swung four trades since mid-November, acquiring four pitchers and an outfielder in the process, and at this point a picture is beginning to emerge of how the staff as a whole could look once the dust settles.

Again, there’s a lot still to be decided, but here’s an early look at how the Red Sox pitching staff is shaping up.

Projected rotation

Brayan Bello, Chris Sale, [External Addition 1], [External Addition 2], Nick Pivetta

The Red Sox have made it clear they intend to bolster their rotation, and if we get to spring training and that hasn’t happened then something will have gone horribly wrong. For our purposes we’ll take them at their word and presume they will eventually add two outside arms, which would make it much easier to project how all the other pieces could fall into place.

Important as those outside additions will be, Boston’s incumbent starters should play just as big a role in the club’s ultimate success or failure.

Coming up through the system as Boston’s most promising starting pitching prospect in a decade, Bello enjoyed a breakout season and established himself as a legitimate big league starter. The 24-year-old led the team with 157 innings and posted a 4.24 ERA over 28 starts, and those numbers could have been a lot better if not for Bello’s strange tendency to struggle in day games (3.06 ERA at night vs. 6.94 during the day).

If Bello can clean that up and take the next step as a pitcher he could go from a mid-rotation stalwart to a bona fide ace.

As for Sale, at this point it’d be foolish to expect a full season from the oft-injured 34-year-old, but he is currently healthy and enjoying his first normal offseason in five years. There were times last year he showed flashes of his old self, so for as long as he’s able to stay on the mound the Red Sox have to hope he can rediscover his vintage form.

Where the front of Boston’s rotation remains clouded in uncertainty, the No. 5 spot could be among the most fiercely contested roles on the team. As of now Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Josh Winckowski are all set to be stretched out as starters entering camp, and ultimately there may only end up being one rotation spot up for grabs among all of them.

Of that group Pivetta projects as the favorite to earn a spot, because despite bouncing from the rotation to the bullpen and back again he’s still coming off a season in which he threw 142.2 innings and struck out a team-high 183 batters. With his stuff and proven ability to pitch deep into games, he’s someone who could particularly stand to benefit from Craig Breslow’s new pitching program, but if things don’t work out Crawford has also demonstrated he can get the job done.

High-leverage relievers

Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin, John Schreiber, Brennan Bernardino

While much of the Red Sox pitching staff remains in flux, the back-end of the bullpen is largely set in stone.

Jansen will return as Boston’s closer after recording 29 saves in an All-Star campaign, and Martin will be the top set-up man after recording one of the most dominant seasons by a reliever in team history. Those two should remain one of the best one-two late-game punches in baseball.

Schreiber also projects as a high-leverage arm. Though he ran into trouble mid-year due to injury, Schreiber remained a monster against righties (.599 OPS) and finished the season strong after a rocky August, wrapping up with a 3.86 ERA from Sept. 1 onwards.

Bernardino was arguably Boston’s biggest success story of 2023, going from a waiver claim to the club’s top lefty with a 3.20 ERA over 55 appearances. Whether he can sustain that success going into next season remains to be seen, but he’s absolutely earned his place.

Hybrid arms

Kutter Crawford, Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck, Josh Winckowski

The only thing certain about these four is we have absolutely no idea what role they’ll play, which has pretty much been the story of their whole careers.

Will they be starters? Will they be in the bullpen? They’ve all bounced back and forth plenty, and even if each would prefer to pitch out of the rotation there won’t be enough spots to accommodate them all.

Whoever doesn’t make the cut should wind up in the bullpen, where they will serve as dynamic multi-inning weapons with the ability to dominate a lineup in short bursts. Winckowski was one of Boston’s best all-around relievers last season and Whitlock and Houck have both previously served as the Red Sox closer, so if at least three of these guys end up as relievers it’s probably good news for Boston’s pitching staff as a whole.

Justin Slaten (Rule 5), Mauricio Llovera and Bryan Mata (out of options)

If we’re assuming the Red Sox bullpen has four locks plus anywhere from two to four hybrid arms who project to pitch primarily in relief, that doesn’t leave many spots up for grabs. The trouble is Boston has three relievers on the bubble who can’t be stashed in the minor leagues, so whether or not they can make the team will be a fascinating story to follow throughout spring training.

Most likely to stick is Slaten, a Rule 5 pick who the Red Sox were locked in on over the Winter Meetings and then traded for after he was scooped up before their selection. Slaten must spend the entire season on Boston’s big league roster, and if he doesn’t he’ll have to be offered back to the Texas Rangers, but the 26-year-old righty was regarded by Baseball America as the best player available in the Rule 5 Draft and boasts a wipeout slider that devastated opposing batters in the minors.

Llovera will also be a contender for one of the last spots. Though his overall numbers weren’t good, Llovera showed flashes at times down the stretch and boasts a strong connection with Andrew Bailey, the new Red Sox pitching coach with whom he previously worked in San Francisco. Llovera is out of options and if designated for assignment would probably be claimed by another club, so he’ll be given every chance to stick around.

The wild card is Mata, a former top prospect who boasts filthy stuff but whose development has been hindered by command problems and frequent injury setbacks. Mata is also out of options and will be moved to the bullpen after failing to emerge as a viable starter, but with a fastball touching 100 mph he’ll be an arm to watch in camp.

Optionable depth

The majority of these guys will probably start the season in Triple-A, and some could be designated for assignment to clear space for future additions, but it’s a good bet all who remain with the organization will play a role at some point over the course of the long season.

Outside of a terrible August, Murphy enjoyed a successful rookie year and enters 2024 as arguably the No. 2 left-handed reliever in the organization. Kelly should figure prominently into the mix after recovering from elbow surgery in time for the end of the season, and Jacques and Walter had their moments as rookies as well.

Joining them will be a trio of intriguing newcomers who could force their way into the conversation.

Campbell was recently acquired in a trade for Luis Urias and posted a 2.83 ERA in 27 games for Seattle last season as a rookie. Weissert, part of the Alex Verdugo return, had a 4.05 ERA in 17 games with the Yankees, and Criswell was able to draw enough interest to land an MLB deal despite underwhelming numbers with Tampa Bay.

Weiss, claimed off waivers from the Angels last August, could provide added depth as well, as could others not currently on the 40-man roster like recent minor league free agent signings Helcris Olivarez and Jorge Benitez.

Long story short, the Red Sox won’t have any shortage of arms to fill the gaps that inevitably emerge. But as we learned last season, no amount of depth will keep you afloat if the starters can’t do their job and consistently pitch deep into games. That’s the end-all and be-all for Boston, and until the club brings in reinforcements it’s hard to draw many conclusions on how good this staff could ultimately be.

Temperatures have been moderating this weekend, and this will set the stage for a powerful windy rainstorm that could make for another messy Monday morning commute.

All eyes now turn towards the south and low pressure that will be moving toward New England. This storm looks like what we call an “inside runner,” meaning the center of it will slice through New England, pulling in lots of warm air on the right side of the storm.

The exact track will determine how far north the warm air moves, but there’s virtually no chance we’re going to see any snowfall here in southern New England.

Specifically, clouds will increase on Sunday and if there is some sunshine in the morning, but it won’t last. Rainfall should hold off until late in the day as the storm slowly progresses north. Some of the models strengthen this storm enough that strong winds could accompany the heavy rain Sunday night and Monday.

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A high wind warning has been issued for the Greater Boston area, the North Shore and rest of southeastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the Islands, from 5 a.m. Monday into the early evening, with wind gusts of up to 65 mph forecast. Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut are included in the weather alert.

A strong storm system will bring heavy rain and high winds to southern New England early Monday. Gusty winds as high as 65mph could down trees and cause power outages. Heavy rain of 3-4” could cause poor drainage and river flooding. #MAWX #CTWX #RIWX pic.twitter.com/P6Ly4ZQhLg

— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) December 17, 2023

The heavy rain could produce 3 to 4 inches of precipitation and some street flooding.

The timing of the strongest part of the storm still remains to be worked out, but there could be some scattered power outages as well as coastal flooding at the time of high tide. Also, heavy rain means both basement and street flooding are possible.

There could be more unsettled weather after this storm, but that is getting a little far ahead. What I don’t see is any major cold or snow on the horizon, so for now, the chances of a white Christmas are pretty low.

WEATHER OUTLOOK

SUNDAY: Cloudy, with a high near 53. East wind 5 to 7 mph. At night, rain mainly after 8 p.m. Low around 50. Southeast wind 7 to 16 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch are possible.

MONDAY: Rain with a high near 61. Windy, with a south wind of 24 to 33 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 65 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches are possible. In the evening, rain is likely mainly before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Southwest wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

TUESDAY: A chance of rain, mainly after 8 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 48. South wind 7 to 9 miles per hour, becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Welcome to Eater’s periodic roundup of weekend food and drink events worth checking out around town. Want to let us know about an upcoming Boston-area event? Get in touch at [email protected].

December 15 to 18

Sleigh Belles

Mark your calendars for a double-dose of holiday happenings at Time Out Market Boston this weekend. On Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., Boston Women’s Market and Time Out Market Boston team up for the Fenway Holiday Market. Hit up the Fenway food hall and hub to shop the wares by New England-based women makers and artists, including ADK Jewelry, JB Artisans Soaps, and Lumiere Rene Candle Co. as you savor drinks and bites from the market’s restaurants. Now’s a good time to warm up with a tray of North Carolina pulled pork — which is smoked for 14 hours — from Blue Ribbon BBQ, which opened in the food hall in September. Then, on Sunday, don your best ugly Christmas sweater for Ugly Sweater Drag Bingo. The free event kicks off at 6 p.m. with a DJ set, followed by drag performances and raucous rounds of bingo starting at 7 p.m. — best enjoyed with some “Flannel Season” winter sangria from the market’s bar.

Bagel Bites

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, Bar Volpe puts a pause on the pasta to host a pop-up by the Grateful Bagel. Preorder up some hand-rolled bagels and schmear (like the bacon and scallion whipped cream cheese) online, and when you drop in for pickup you can order breakfast sandwiches. The breakfast sandwiches on offer are the Pulaski Skyway with Taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a plain bagel, and the Brooklyn Phish with scallion cream cheese, smoked salmon, tomato, red onion, and capers on a plain bagel. Bar Volpe will be slinging cappuccinos, iced coffees, and more to fuel your morning, and check out its selection of pastas and sauces for edible holiday gifts your family will actually like.

Sweater Weather

Hit up Harp & Bard in Dorchester on Friday starting at 8 p.m. for the spot’s 10th annual Ugly Sweater Party. As if breaking out your tackiest holiday sweater isn’t enough of a reason to party, the lively pub will have plenty of food on offer, with raffles and other games throughout the night. New toy donations are welcome, and all proceeds from the event benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. Tickets are $30 and sold at the door. And if you’re looking for a dining crawl of the neighborhood, down the street at Dbar, the new American restaurant recently refreshed its menu. Warm up with pumpkin soup made with local pumpkin from Ward’s Farm in Sharon and topped by pumpkin spice latte crema and pepitas, plus hearty braised-beef barbacoa enchiladas doused with red mole sauce.

Curl Up for the Winter

Our recent oddly warm and rainy weather aside, it looks like a deep chill is finally settling over Boston. Instead of hiding in your living room all winter, hit up the living-room-like patio at the Liberty Hotel, which Condé Nast Traveler recently crowned the top hotel in Boston. Curling at the Courtyard starts on Saturday, December 9 and runs through March 17, and the event pairs the quirky winter activity with some cozy cuisine. For $180, customers can reserve a 45-minute spot for up to six people at the synthetic curling rink, and try their luck with the “easier than it looks” game. The ticket price also includes a selection of sweet or savory snacks. Choose from handmade apple Pop-Tarts, chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon mini churros with Nutella sauce, or chocolate kettle corn, with pork and ginger dumplings, togarashi chicken sliders, and sriracha-glazed kettle corn among the savory options. Wash it all down with a bottle of prosecco, malbec, or some boozy hot chocolate. The patio is pooch-friendly in case your dog wants to get in on the fun, too.

Whiskeyed Away

Need another way to warm up this weekend? Try the fiery combo of bourbon and barbecue. Horse Soldier Bourbon gallops to the Kendall Square location of the Smoke Shop on Friday, December 8, at 6:30 p.m. for a three-hour event that includes a drink tasting, a cocktail demonstration, and a barbecue dinner. Horse Soldier’s founder, Scott Neil, will be showing off three craft whiskeys: the 87-proof straight bourbon whiskey, the wheated, 95-proof small batch bourbon whiskey, and the kicking +110-proof blended barrel strength bourbon whiskey. The three-course dinner served up by the Smoke Shop stands up to the bold flavors of the award-winning whiskeys. Tickets are $70 each.

Cheese, Please

On Sunday, December 10 at 4:30 p.m., Curds & Co. in Brookline presents the incredibly scientific class titled “Cheese Plate Personality.” What does your romance with Roquefort say about you? Do you have brie on the brain? Come for a lighthearted interactive discussion about how the “personalities” of different cheeses vibe with certain character traits — as you munch plenty of samples, of course. For $55 per ticket, the class includes beverages and generous cheese pairing flights, and a discount for shopping Curds & Co.’s goodies after the class. Bring a buddy and marvel at the secrets you’ll uncover about each other’s personalities based on your cheese plate preferences.

Seasonal Chefs

Much like the bounty of gifts found in the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” chef Will Gilson and the Geppetto team are offering up culinary surprises with the 12 Chefs of Christmas dining series. Starting on December 3 at 6 p.m. — and continuing until December 17 — four guest chefs take over the Cambridge spot each Sunday for a special four-course dinner that showcases their spins on holiday dining. For this first festive feast, Tony Susi of Bar Enza, Erin Miller of Urban Hearth, host chef Will Gilson, and Brian Mercury of Puritan & Co. team up, with beverage pairings offered by Geppetto. Tickets are $120 per person, and you can purchase them here. Further down the line, Dante De Magistris, Colin Lynch, Alexis Babineau, and Rachel Dykes create their holiday magic on December 10, while Jamie Bissonnette, Louis Dibiccari, Dave Bazirgan, and Tracy Chang wrap things up in a bow on December 17.

Maker Market

As if you need an excuse to head to Bully Boy’s taproom, the distiller is holding a holiday market on Saturday, December 2 from noon to 4 p.m. Besides shopping Bully Boy’s spirits —from ready-to-drink bottles of negronis to Manhattans and distinct rums — check out the baked goods, candles, ceramics, jewelry, and other delights crafted by the mostly women-owned local purveyors. Bully Boy will be feeling festive with a new bourbon, too, and you can enjoy cocktails at their bar.

Get Sauced

A little while ago, Singh’s Roti Shop quietly moved from its spot at 692 Columbia Road in Dorchester — the current home of Side Chick — to a larger space down the road at 554 Colombia Road. And with a bigger space, including tables for indoor dining, came an expanded menu beyond just delicious meat pies, doubles, and other Trinidadian treats. Dive into new rice bowls for take out or to dine-in, and the hot bar provides a warming and generous meal while you’re on the go. And for holiday gifts (or just to keep handy in the fridge to warm you up on winter nights), you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Signh’s house-made hot sauce. Check out the bottles of Caribbean soft drinks and juices, especially the peanut punch, too.