Nate Jones had his wife, agent and a couple of friends, including the best man at his wedding, on hand for Friday’s season opener at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Fellow rookie reliever Addison Reed had a couple of friends he went to school with, who now live in Texas, in attendance.

These two are part of a group of seven on the White Sox roster experiencing their first Opening Day, joined by Tyler Flowers, Eduardo Escobar, Hector Santiago, Zach Stewart and Dayan Viciedo. It’s the culmination of a dream for these young men, feeling more real with each passing moment.

“In Spring Training, there was really not a 100 percent guarantee I was on the team,” Reed said. “The whole time that was my main focus. It’s an awesome feeling and I can’t wait to get this season underway and get it going.”

“Anyway that you can get here is awesome,” Jones said. “I know during spring, I had to fight for it and I just wanted to keep throwing strikes and it paid off. I’m just excited to be here.”