Heading for home: Baseball returns to Currie Field

For the first time since 2019, the Regina Red Sox are getting ready to play baseball at Currie Field.

Regina opens its 2022 home schedule Tuesday against the Swift Current 57s.

The Western Canadian Baseball League didn’t play in 2020 due to COVID-19 before the Red Sox opted not to play in 2021 due to restrictions surrounding the virus.

Red Sox president Gary Brotzel says he and his crew have been very busy getting to welcome everyone back to the ballpark.

“I’ve been there pretty much all week putting up signage (and) cleaning stuff trying to get ready for Tuesday,” he explained. “(The stadium) has been empty for two years, so it needs a pretty good deep clean to get everything ready to go.”

Players began arriving in the Queen City on Thursday as they started gearing up for the upcoming season.

“Most of them just finished the college season and the ones showing up late are playing the final two weekends of baseball,” Brotzel said.

The Red Sox opened their season in Swift Current on Sunday, where they dropped a 7-2 decision.

Brotzel added there are several players who committed last year that decided to recommit this year.

“Some of the players we had signed last year that we told we weren’t playing are back this year,” Brotzel said. “(There were) no issues there; they wanted to come up last year and they wanted to come up and be here this year. That’s good news.”

In 2019, the Red Sox finished the regular season with a 41-19 record, but lost in the championship final to the Okotoks Dawgs.

Brotzel is hopeful the Red Sox will be able to rebound and get back to that championship level.

Opening pitch is set for  7:05 p.m.  Fireworks are to follow Tuesday’s game.