CLEVELAND -- Thanks to Thursday's postponement of the series finale against the Indians due to inclement weather at Progressive Field, the Fenway faithful will have the thrill of watching David Price pitch the home opener on Monday against the Orioles.
Moments after Thursday's game was called due to a forecast for rain and snow, Red Sox manager John Farrell announced that everyone in his rotation would simply slide back one day.
Price had been scheduled to make his next start on Sunday in Toronto.
"He's going to be out there every fifth day regardless of what the schedule might do," Farrell said. "I think it will be a treat for our fans to see him on Opening Day. That'll be a good thing. And looking forward to it. But before we get back, these three games in Toronto will be good ones for us."
The Red Sox and Indians haven't announced a makeup date for Thursday's game, but Farrell said that a mutual off-day on Aug. 15 has been discussed. Boston goes to Baltimore the next day for the start of a 10-game road trip. The Indians will be in the middle of a 10-game homestand.
Joe Kelly, who was supposed to start the finale in Cleveland, will open the weekend series at Rogers Centre. Rick Porcello gets the ball on Saturday, followed by knuckleballer Steven Wright on Sunday.
Wright had been scheduled to face R.A. Dickey in what would have been the first all-knuckleball starting pitching matchup since Tim Wakefield and Steve Sparks squared off on Sept. 15, 2000.
Meanwhile, Thursday's development only created more excitement among Red Sox fans for Monday, when Price pitches at Fenway Park for the first time since signing a seven-year, $217-million contract in the offseason.
Price was dominant for most of his Opening Day start against the Indians, striking out 10 and allowing two runs over six innings.
Clay Buchholz was originally scheduled to pitch the home opener, but he will now pitch on Tuesday.