The Boston Red Sox are still undefeated in spring training

BOSTON -- What started as a fun, half-joking observation on social media has now become kind of difficult to ignore.

The Boston Red Sox are undefeated in spring training.

With a 7-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday at JetBlue Park, the Red Sox improved to 7-0-3 this spring. The Red Sox also started their spring with a win over the Northeastern Huskies, which doesn't show up in the official standings.

Those standings, though, aren't even official themselves, as spring training is essentially ramped-up practice. The players who get the most action -- especially early on -- are players who likely won't even be starting the season in the major leagues. The games don't even have enough meaning for teams to play extra innings to determine a winner, hence the three Red Sox ties.

But, well, as with most things in sports, it is better to win than to lose. And the Red Sox thus far have spent their spring doing plenty of winning.

Also of note: The Red Sox have outscored opponents 72-35 in 11 games. They're winning convincingly.

Keeping the winning going may become harder in the days ahead, with several Red Sox players leaving the team to represent their respective countries in the World Baseball Classic. Surely, the losses will come.

But in a year where the winter was spent without much hope for Red Sox fans, the team has at least put forth a worthwhile first step toward respectability in 2023.

It also might be worth noting that the last time the Red Sox finished in first place in the Grapefruit League was ... 2018. And everybody knows that was a good year for the Boston Red Sox.