D.R. Series a special homecoming for two Red Sox stars

This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

For the Red Sox, an exciting field trip is presenting itself at a time when the monotony of Spring Training typically sets in.

Manager Alex Cora and his club are headed to Santo Domingo for the inaugural MLB Dominican Republic Series to be played against the Rays at Estadio Quisqueya.

The American League East rivals will play Saturday at 5:05 p.m. ET, and Sunday at 1:05.

Star slugger Rafael Devers and righty Brayan Bello will be proud to wear Major League uniforms in their home country for the first time.

“I’m very happy about this,” Devers said. “Like a lot of the kids there, I grew up with the dream of playing baseball, and it'll be nice for the kids down there who are 10, 11, 12 years old who have never seen a big league baseball player to see them in person. I know I didn't have that chance to see a big baseball player in person [when I was younger], but to be able to be that for them is going to be really, really exciting.”

Bello’s only regret is that he isn’t lined up to pitch.

“I'm a little sad about it. I really wanted to pitch over there, but I understand,” Bello said.

Instead, Kutter Crawford and Garrett Whitlock will get the starts for the Red Sox. Cora is more concerned about lining Bello up for the start of the regular season. In fact, Bello might be the team’s top candidate to start Opening Day in Seattle on March 28.

For Bello, who agreed to a six-year extension with Boston on Thursday, the trip home will be a time to soak it all in.

“I feel really good about it,” Bello said. “I’m really excited that we’re going to have the chance to go back to the D.R., to be with family, to be with my daughter. I’m excited for the fans over there that they’re going to be able to watch the Boston Red Sox vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. I’m excited to hang out with my teammates in the D.R. That doesn’t happen that much. Yeah, I’m excited.”

Though Devers and Bello are likely to get huge ovations when the teams are announced, perhaps nothing will top the reception that Hall of Famers David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez will receive. Due to the greatness of those two players, many Dominicans are Red Sox fans.

Big Papi and Pedro will participate in first-pitch ceremonies before Saturday’s game.

“Yeah, I think it's going to be marvelous. Those two guys, everybody loves them,” Bello said. “Everywhere they go, here in the United States or in the Dominican. I’m sure people are going to be yelling, ‘Hey David, hey Pedro.’ It’s going to be cool to see.”

The Sox will have a representative starting lineup in which Devers will be joined by Triston Casas, Trevor Story and Masataka Yoshida.

“We’re taking this very seriously,” Cora said. “It’s a good thing for us, too. Kind of like a change of pace, moving from here [in Fort Myers] and going over there for a few days and taking care of what we have to do on the field, but at the same time kind of resetting in the middle of Spring Training and having some fun over there.”

On Saturday morning, several players will participate with children in MLB’s Play Ball event. The game will be “vitilla,” Dominican Republic’s version of stickball, often played with a broomstick and bottle cap as bat and ball.