FORT MYERS, Fla. — When it comes to the Opening Day roster and the club’s key position battles, Alex Cora is still playing his cards close to the vest. But if everything goes well and the club doesn’t experience any unforeseen setbacks, he has decided how he’d like the top of the lineup to look.
Cora announced that the top of the Red Sox lineup most games will be Jarren Duran leading off, Rafael Devers batting second, Alex Bregman in the three spot, Triston Casas batting cleanup and Trevor Story in the five hole.
“I think having those three that way, it’s a pretty good lineup,” Cora said of starting off with Duran, Devers and Bregman.
One of the main benefits of bringing in Bregman was adding another impactful right-handed bat who can slot into the top of the lineup. By batting him third the Red Sox will not only have someone who can provide protection for Devers, but who can split up the club’s numerous left-handed hitters, making the lineup more difficult for opposing pitching staffs to attack.
“Splitting up Raffy and Casas, I think those two at bats in a row, Alex and Casas, gives us a different dimension,” Cora said of batting Bregman third. “We can let the big boys do their thing, be aggressive, and solve the problem early on. And then also we can slow it down, which is something we haven’t been able to do in a while.”
The remainder of the Red Sox lineup will likely depend heavily on the ultimate composition of the roster, including Masataka Yoshida and Wilyer Abreu’s availability early on and whether any of the club’s top prospects make the Opening Day roster.
Cora provided numerous injury updates during his pregame remarks.
Trevor Story is day-to-day with back tightness after being scratched from the lineup on Tuesday. Story did not play on Wednesday, but the hope is he’ll be able to take part in Thursday’s simulated game at JetBlue Park, which will feature numerous big leaguers who aren’t traveling for the club’s two-game swing on Florida’s east coast. The hope is he’ll be able to return to the lineup on Saturday.
Lucas Giolito (left hamstring tightness) had not yet undergone his MRI as of early Wednesday afternoon. The right-hander left Tuesday’s game early after his hamstring tightened up on the very first pitch of the game. Giolito wound up finishing the first inning, allowing two runs on 24 pitches.
Wilyer Abreu (viral gastrointestinal illness) is still awaiting the results of his most recent lab tests, which the club hopes will come back clean, allowing the right fielder to finally get back into games.
“I don’t believe he’ll play this week, but he’s doing more,” Cora said. “He was part of a drill we did yesterday defensively, he’s throwing well, he’s moving well, he’s just anxious now to get the green light. Hopefully we get better news in the upcoming days and we can let him play.”
Right-handed reliever Austin Adams was out Wednesday with an illness. Right-hander Brayan Bello threw live batting practice on Wednesday and left-hander Justin Wilson threw two innings on the back fields.
The Red Sox play their first of two games on Florida’s east coast Thursday against the New York Mets. Sean Newcomb will get the start and will be followed out of the bullpen by Brennan Bernardino, Greg Weissert, Isaiah Campbell and Noah Davis. As for the position players, Cora said Triston Casas, Ceddanne Rafaela, Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, Carlos Narvaez, Trayce Thompson, Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro will be playing in both games, with Roman Anthony set to join the club on Friday after he plays in Thursday night’s Spring Breakout showcase in Port Charlotte.