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AS Liverpool are preparing for what they hope will be a successful finish to their 2017-18 campaign - ending, perhaps, in memorable glory in Ukraine - over in the United States, principal owner John W Henry's Major League Baseball franchise, the Boston Red Sox, have just embarked on their 2018 season.

And given the amount of money the ballclub have spent - and are set to spend - they mean business.

Big business.

For the first time since Henry and his financial partners took control of the franchise a little over 16 years ago in February, 2002, the Red Sox are sitting top of the 30-team MLB payroll on the season's Opening Day.

In fact, this marks the first time that the ballclub have been the highest spender in the sport since at least 1990, the earliest year for which figures compiled by MLB are readily available.

According to numbers obtained by the Associated Press, Boston's payroll as of Thursday's Opening Day was an eye-watering $223m (£159m). That figure is actually higher according to spotrac who estimate it to be $235m (£168m). This amount includes the wages paid to players currently on the disabled list (injured) and players who are no longer with the team but the Red Sox have agreed via previous contracts to pay - including third baseman Pablo Sandoval. The infielder is now back at the San Francisco Giants but Boston are paying him $18.4m (£13m) this season.

The highest-paid player at the Red Sox is starting pitcher David Price whose base salary is $30m (£21.3m). This accounts for nearly 13% of the team's total payroll. Off-season signing J.D. Martinez, a power-hitting outfielder acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks, is second on the wages list pocketing a cool $23.8m (£17m). First baseman Hanley Ramirez is third with $22m (£16m) while another starting pitcher, Rick Porcello, completes the top four with a base salary of $21m (£15m).

The Red Sox are some way ahead of the franchise in second spot on the list - the San Francisco Giants - whose Opening Day payroll is calculated at around £203m (£145m).

The MLB average is $137m (£98m) which shows just how much more Henry is splashing the greenbacks this year, some way ahead of the team's biggest rivals including the New York Yankees and the other traditional big spenders in the sport, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.

(Image: Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

And it certainly ends any thought that the Red Sox is a 'moneyball' franchise, something that was always open to debate in any case.

Last season saw the Red Sox win their ultra-tough American League East Division to qualify for the post-season. However, they fell in the American League Division Series to the eventual World Series champions, the Houston Astros.

The off-season also saw the departure of John Farrell as manager to be replaced by 42-year-old Alex Cora. During his playing career which spanned 13 years with six teams, Puerto Rico-born Cora appeared for the Red Sox as an infielder between 2005-2009 helping them win the World Series in 2007.

Cora was also on the coaching staff for the Astros as they won it all last autumn, sealing their first-ever Fall Classic title in a seven-game thriller over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Since Henry and co took charge of the Red Sox, the ballclub has won three World Series titles, most recently in 2013.

With the amount of money being shelled out for 2018, Henry is evidently eyeing a fourth - and perhaps hoping Cora's previous good fortunes will rub off again with the franchise.

Only time will tell whether all that comes to fruition - but the first hurdle to negotiate is the mammoth 162-game regular season which is scheduled to be completed on September 30.

The course of the campaign will reveal to Henry and the Fenway Park faithful whether the huge spending spree has all been worth it.