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Home , Bobby Dalbec, Connor Seabold, Garrett Whitlock, Keith Law, Randy Arozarena, Zac Grotz

The Wednesday, March 3, 2021

* The Boston Globe

How is embracing a fresh start with the Red Sox

Peter Abraham

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Nick and Kristen Pivetta have been nomads for some time, unable to return to their native Canada because of strict pandemic protocols regarding crossing the border from the United States.

“We haven’t been home in almost two years,” said Nick, a righthander who was traded to the Red Sox last summer. “So we packed up and came here.”

Home is now a rented condo a short drive from JetBlue Park. They arrived in October for what in every way has been a fresh start.

Pivetta, 28, spent nearly five years with the . He made his major league debut with the team in 2017, won his first game a few weeks later, and struck out 13 Cardinals one memorable night in 2018.

But he welcomed the trade to Boston. It was time.

“I can’t speak on behalf of the Phillies. But I don’t feel they valued me as a starter anymore,” Pivetta said. “I was ready for some new scenery. It was best for both parties.”

That was easily confirmed, a Phillies official saying the team felt Pivetta was more confident in his abilities than a career 5.40 suggested he should be. They recognized his talent but were frustrated by his stubbornness.

The Red Sox took a chance on the talent, trading relievers and for Pivetta and righthander .

Seabold, a former third-round pick with starter potential, was the key to the deal. But the Sox saw Pivetta as a project worth taking on, given his 95-mile-per-hour fastball and effective curveball.

Pivetta appeared in only three games last season before the Phillies demoted him to the workout group at the team’s Triple A ballpark in Allentown, Pa.

When the trade was made, the Sox sent a car service that toted Pivetta to their Triple A park in Pawtucket.

The Sox gave him two starts in the waning days of a lost season, and Pivetta allowed two runs on eight hits over 10 innings and struck out 13 with five walks.

“Those games were really important, getting around a new organization, doing the best I can to finish on a strong note,” Pivetta said. “It was all positive stuff.”

Now Pivetta has a chance to open the season in the rotation. He makes his first start of spring training Wednesday against the Twins.

Manager , who’s living a second chance of his own, likes what he has seen from Pivetta.

“We’ve been talking for a while,” Cora said. “One thing I told him when I got [to spring training], ‘You don’t have to prove people wrong.’ Which is the most important thing.

“He doesn’t have to show them or us that he’s good. We know he’s good.”

Pivetta may ultimately land in the bullpen, as his pitch mix, temperament, and 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound frame seem well-tailored for relief work. But there’s nothing to lose trying him as a starter.

That Pivetta moved to Fort Myers and spent the winter working out at the team facility and getting to know the staff impressed the Sox.

“Any time a team goes out to get you and puts you in the position you want to be put in, for me as a starting , that’s a positive thing,” Pivetta said.

“I just have to work on commanding my pitches and going out there and competing. It’s not like I need to work on anything to make it better than it already is. It’s finding consistency.”

Pivetta has embraced opportunity in the past. As a high school senior growing up in British Columbia, he accepted a scholarship to New Mexico Junior College without first visiting the campus.

It was his best offer after missing his senior season with an elbow strain. Prior to that, Pivetta had been a member of Canada’s junior national team.

“I went on a whim,” he said. “Being a young kid from Canada, I just wanted a place to play. At the time, I was throwing 88 and had a sore arm. They offered me a full scholarship, so my parents didn’t have to pay. Perfect.”

Jake McCarter was Pivetta’s pitching coach from the fall of 2012 through the 2013 season.

“I was handed a gem,” he said. “First time I saw him play catch, I knew he had upside and would throw hard one day. You could see that from his stature and his arm action.

“You don’t go to junior college for a social life. You’re there to develop and play baseball. Once Nick hit 90, it kept building, and the rest is history.”

Pivetta had a dominant sophomore season and was a fourth-round pick of the Nationals in 2013. They sent him to the Phillies at the 2015 trade deadline for .

As he settles in with the Red Sox, Pivetta is working on taming his emotions with meditation.

Last week, before a session of live batting practice, he was spotted seated on a sunny patch of grass with his eyes closed.

“Just getting ready, calming down, and getting in the right mental space,” Pivetta said. “It’s something I picked up from my wife. Control your body, do some mental reps, and visualize what you want to accomplish. She’s really into it and it works.”

It’s all part of a fresh start.

“I can’t control what happened in the past. But I can control what I do on the mound,” Pivetta said. “My focus is here, winning games and moving forward.”

A bit of a milestone for Red Sox Rule 5 pitcher

Peter Abraham

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless third inning for the Red Sox in Tuesday’s 9-3 victory against the .

The 24-year-old righthander allowed one hit, struck out two, and threw a mid-90s sinking fastball with life.

But it was more meaningful than that. It was the first game for Whitlock since July 3, 2019, when he was a Double A Yankees prospect. He had Tommy John surgery later that month.

It also was the first time Whitlock appeared in a major league spring training game.

“It was a lot of fun to go out there and compete,” Whitlock said. “Being in that situation was exciting for me.”

Under Rule 5, the Sox must keep Whitlock on the major league roster all season to retain him.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” he said. “I can’t thank the Red Sox enough for picking me up. I just want to go out there and compete my butt off and just enjoy the process.”

For now, Whitlock would best fit the Sox as a reliever. He was primarily a starter with the Yankees.

“He was really good; you can see his stuff,” Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We just want him to stay healthy and keep progressing. On the mound he looks like a big-league pitcher.”

Boarding process had his first day in camp and played catch on the field. Cora said the 32-year-old righthander from Japan would get a chance to acclimate before getting into a game.

“We want him to feel comfortable the first few days,” Cora said. “We don’t want him to rush into the baseball part of it. He will get his work in.

“But at the same time, there’s a lot of stuff that is behind the scenes that we want him to do and then after that, we’ll make decisions as far as, like, when he’s going to pitch in a real game.”

Sawamura is the first Red Sox player from Japan since in 2016. His presence in camp brought out a small crowd of Japanese journalists.

Initial impressions Nearly half the 40-man roster was turned over during Cora’s 10-month absence from the organization, and he’s seeing a lot of players in person for the first time. Righthander Connor Seabold has made a positive impression. Seabold’s four-seam fastball was 95-96 miles per hour during his scoreless inning against the Braves Monday, a jump from last year that increases separation with his changeup. “I didn’t expect that one,” Cora said. “You can see his changeup, it’s a good one.”

Pérez sharp The first hitter Martín Pérez faced reached on an infield hit when he forgot to cover first base. A double- play grounder followed, and Pérez was perfect from there for two innings. “There’s a few things that we believe he can do to be better,” Cora said. “Be more aggressive in the strike zone. He can get people out in the strike zone. He doesn’t have to nibble that much. If he does that, he can go deeper into games.” … Red Sox prospect Rio Gomez appeared on ESPN’s telecast to pay tribute to his late father. ESPN reporter , who unexpectedly died last month, was a regular visitor to Fenway South to see his son … has yet to get into a game and isn’t scheduled to play until Friday. He has been taking swings in the batting cage to build up, something he prefers instead of games at this stage of camp.

Tee ball , who is out with a sore right shoulder, took some swings off a tee. “He’s progressing the right way,” Cora said. Bogaerts is still a few days away from throwing … Righthander Zac Grotz, who came off the mound in Monday’s game with an apparent elbow injury, will be shut down for a few days. Cora said exams showed “nothing major” and that Grotz was just sore … 2020 Rays postseason hero Randy Arozarena started in left field. Manager said he wanted to get Arozarena some experience playing in front of the Fenway Park-like wall at JetBlue Park in preparation for the regular season. Arozarena has yet to play a game at Fenway.

MLB will again use alternate training sites for 2021 season

Peter Abraham and Michael Silverman

FORT MYERS, Fla. — will delay the Triple A season for a month and bring back “alternate training sites” for reserve players.

The Triple A season would start the first week of May, the same time as Double A and Single A. The April 1 start of the MLB season would not change.

“This is a prudent step to complete the major league and minor league seasons as safely as possible and we look forward to having fans back in ballparks across the country very soon,” an MLB spokesman told the Globe Tuesday.

The decision has long been expected by MLB teams. The hope is the delay will allow for players to be vaccinated before they are demoted to the minors and for Triple A teams to start their in-season travel when more of the general populace has been vaccinated.

Major league teams can have as many as 75 players in spring training with 28 on the roster.

Some of the remaining 47 players would be shifted to the alternate site with the others attending minor league spring training in April.

Players at the alternate site would remain subject to coronavirus testing and protocols.

The Red Sox used McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I., as their alternate site last season. Their Triple A affiliate is now located in Worcester at new Polar Park, which had been set for an April 13 opening.

It’s all but certain the Red Sox would use Worcester as their alternate site.

Worcester’s season will now open May 4 with the home opener on May 11. The Woo Sox will lose 24 games, 12 that would have been at home with 12 percent capacity allowed by the state.

* The Boston Herald

Red Sox Notebook: feels faster, stronger as he makes adjustments for 2021

Steve Hewitt

Bobby Dalbec is feeling leaner going into 2021 and is hoping that as well as adjustments he made in the offseason can help him build on his record-breaking first month in the majors last season.

The Red Sox first baseman said Tuesday that he lost about 10 pounds this winter, but that it won’t diminish his power and muscle mass that helped him hit six home runs in his first 10 games last season, including a streak of a homer in five consecutive games. His offseason goal was two-fold, as he also wanted to improve defensively.

“I feel faster, stronger and more fluid,” Dalbec said. “I think that’ll help me be more versatile whether I’m playing first or third or whatever they need me to do, so that was a kind of a goal I wanted to do. … I didn’t really take any time off. As soon as I got back I got right back in the gym and started grinding that stuff out faster. I feel like I got faster and more explosive. I’m trying to be more of a dynamic, complete player.”

Part of that is being more consistent at the plate. Though he displayed impressive power with eight homers in 23 games after being called up for the last month of the season, he struggled with timing and it led to a high rate, as he was punched out 39 times in 80 at-bats. One thing Dalbec tried to focus on this offseason was being more aggressive early in the count, instead of being late and playing catch-up.

Dalbec said it’s been translating early in camp, and he showed it in the first spring training game, as he blasted the first pitch he saw for an opposite-field homer.

“It’s just trying to see the ball as early as I can,” Dalbec said. “I can have the prettiest swing in the world, but if I was blind, I wouldn’t be able to hit anything. It’s really focusing on the mental side and staying within myself, just fine-tuning those things and being able to make adjustments on the fly, just uptick my consistency. I feel really good about that, going to continue to work on that.”

Though his debut last season only lasted about a month, it gave the 25-year-old Dalbec some confidence going into this spring, but more importantly, a better idea of how he needs to improve.

“Obviously I got exposed a little bit but I felt like I made good adjustments on the fly,” Dalbec said. “Now, I feel like I’m in a better position to make those adjustments quicker where it won’t take four games to get back going. It will take one or a couple of bats, something along the lines of that. And then you know the biggest thing like I said earlier was just timing — timing and vision, and breathing, that’s a huge part of my thing at the plate. Those three things allowed me to see the ball better.”

J.D. won’t hit second

There’s at least one thing that’s for certain in Alex Cora’s lineup: J.D. Martinez won’t bat second this season.

The Red Sox experimented with their designated hitter in the second spot for seven games last season, and it didn’t really work out. He batted .222 with three doubles and three RBI, though his on-base percentage was .344. But Cora wants him back in the middle of the order.

“We can talk about lineup configuration all we want, but we’ll hit J.D. in the middle of the lineup and go from there,” Cora said. “One thing, too, the way we want to play, we want those good baserunners in front of him so that when he hits the ball in the gap, they score from first. Hitting J.D. second, it was a decision the organization made last year, but for me, it’s like, OK, J.D. gets on base by a walk, it’s going to take a while for him to score. Nothing against him. He’s not getting paid to steal bases or score from first. Yeah. But nah, he won’t hit second for us this year.”

Bogaerts progressing

Xander Bogaerts, who is currently shut down with a sore shoulder, was expected to take 30 swings off a tee Tuesday, Cora said. The shortstop’s shoulder issue stemmed from his offseason throwing program, but it’s unclear when he’ll start throwing again.

“He is progressing the right way,” Cora said. “So, I don’t know about the throwing thing, when we start doing that, but the fact he’s going to swing today, it looks like everything is trending the right direction.”

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told the Herald that Bogaerts had an MRI on the shoulder but it didn’t reveal anything concerning and that he should be ready for Opening Day.

Red Sox’ Rule 5 pick Garrett Whitlock: ‘I’ve got to earn a spot’

Steve Hewitt

It was almost 20 months to the date, 608 days to be exact, when Garrett Whitlock last pitched in a baseball game before he stepped on the mound to start the third inning at JetBlue Park on Tuesday.

It was a special moment, and another step in the right direction for the new Red Sox pitcher who’s been the talk of camp early this spring.

Whitlock, who the Red Sox snatched from the Yankees in December’s , last pitched in a game on July 3, 2019, for Double-A Trenton, when an elbow injury forced him to have Tommy John surgery. He returned in the Red Sox’ 9-3 win over the Rays on Tuesday to throw a pair of in two scoreless innings, which also marked his first career spring training appearance.

“To be in that situation was really exciting and fun,” Whitlock said.

Whitlock will certainly hope there are more exciting days ahead of him. The 24-year-old right-hander was left off the Yankees’ 40-man roster after a lost 2020 season, opening him up to being taken in the Rule 5 draft. With the Red Sox, he’ll have a chance to compete for a spot in the bullpen.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” Whitlock said. “I can’t thank the Red Sox enough for picking me and I just want to go out there and compete my butt off and just enjoy the process. It was a nice surprise (to be selected by the Red Sox).”

Alex Cora has continued to rave about him through the first two weeks of camp. The manager was impressed with a bullpen he threw on the first day and he’s only continued to build momentum. But though he pitched two innings on Tuesday, it’s too early to say what his role could look like.

“We just want him to stay healthy and keep progressing,” Cora said. “You guys saw it. I’ve been saying it all along. On the mound, he looks like a pitcher, like a big-league pitcher. The stuff is there. He pays attention to details. Very good kid in the clubhouse, always talking to other and watching and learning. It was a good first step. We’ll see where we go with the next one.”

The Red Sox will need to commit to Whitlock this season to keep him around. Due to Rule 5 draft pick rules, the right-hander must stay on the 26-man roster for the entirety of the season or be offered back to the Yankees. That may give him a better chance to make the roster when camp breaks at the end of the month, but he’s not thinking that way.

“The way I’m looking at it, I’ve got to earn a spot,” Whitlock said. “Nothing is given to anybody and there are a ton of talented guys in the locker room and everywhere around here. So I’m just going to compete and let the chips fall where they may but that’s my thought process behind it.”

Worcester Red Sox’ inaugural season delayed

Steve Hewitt

The will have to wait a bit to start their inaugural season and open up Polar Park.

The Triple-A season is being delayed by at least one month, according to an ESPN report, and teams will operate with alternate training sites similar to what was used during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Worcester was scheduled to begin its first season as the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate on April 6 at Scranton Wilkes-Barre, while the home opener at Polar Park was supposed to be on April 13 vs. Lehigh Valley.

“Teams are hopeful the delay allows for the vaccination of players before they are sent to their minor league affiliates, which came under the management of MLB this winter,” the ESPN report said. “Vaccinated players would allay concerns with teams about players arriving from minor league sites and immediately joining clubs without a quarantine period.”

The hope is that the Triple-A season would begin the first week of May, around the same time that Double- A, High-A and Low-A are expected to start. Triple-A teams are expecting their seasons to run into September, according to the report.

It’s uncertain how many players will be at the alternate sites, but the expectation is that there will be about two dozen, according to ESPN. In 2020, teams had 60-player pools, and those that weren’t on the active major-league roster trained at the alternate training site to stay ready or continue development.

* The Providence Journal

Perez looks solid in spring debut for Sox

Bob Rathgeber

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Except for one bad play, Martin Perez could not have been more impressive in his first spring training start against the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Perez, the epitome of a crafty left-hander, faced only six batters in two quick and efficient innings.

“I attacked the strike zone. I threw all of my pitches,” Perez said. “Everything is about throwing strikes.” He struck out one and didn’t walk anyone.

Manager Alex Cora said he and pitching coach have been emphasizing all spring to Perez that he doesn’t have to nibble at the corners to be effective.

“He needs to throw more strikes,” Cora said. “I told him ‘Trust your stuff.' " The managers added that Perez’s stuff is good enough to get batters out throwing the ball over the plate.

The native of Venezuela signed a $5-million free-agent contract just before spring training began. He pitched for the Red Sox in last year’s abbreviated season and was the only pitcher who made all of his scheduled starts.

Now in his 10th season, Perez came up with the Texas Rangers at the age of 21, and pitched his first seven years there. He worked a year for Minnesota before signing with Boston before the 2020 season.

On Tuesday, the only baserunner Perez allowed was Willie Adames, the first batter of the game. He reached base when Perez watched first baseman field the ground ball. Perez broke too late and Adames easily beat him to the bag. He was immediately erased in a double play

Perez did not address the issue after the game.

Offensively, the Red Sox blasted four home runs, three of them rockets over the center-field fence, as Boston cruised to a 9-3 victory over the Rays.

Going yard were Yairo Munoz, Kike Hernandez, Jarren Duran and . Cora is enthusiastic about Duran, who played center field. “He’s going to be a good one. He lives, eats, sleeps and breathes baseball.”

Around the bases Nick Pivetta, who will start on Wednesday against the Twins, is a leading candidate for the fifth starter’s job, at least until returns. “I told him that you don’t have to prove people wrong,” Cora said. He was 0-1 with an ERA of 8.22 in three appearances after coming to the Red Sox last year. “He’s made a good impression. He always pays attention.” ... Cora said he sees the A.L. East as a good, balanced division. “No one’s going to win 108 games.” Cora hopes to reverse a trend from the last two years. “We’ve been dominated by New York and the Rays.” ... Minnesota’s No. 1 pitcher Jose Berrios will start for the Twins. Cora likes that the Sox will play more than 20 games this spring against the Twins, Rays and Braves. He said that should be a plus because Boston will consistently see some good pitching.

* MassLive.com

Boston Red Sox notebook: Kiké Hernández homers, Alex Verdugo likely to debut Friday, Garrett Whitlock tosses 2 scoreless innings

Christopher Smith

Red Sox Rule 5 Draft pick Garrett Whitlock pitched in first career major league spring training game Tuesday. But his outing against the Rays had additional meaning to it.

“That was actually my first game back since Tommy John in 2019, so that aspect alone was fun,” Whitlock said.

Whitlock looked sharp. He pitched two scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and no walks while striking out two.

Whitlock should make the Opening Day roster. As a Rule 5 pick, he must remain on the active roster (barring IL stints) the entire 2021 season or else be offered back to his previous team, the Yankees.

“The way I’m looking at it is I’ve got to earn a spot,” Whitlock said. “Nothing’s given to anybody and there’s a ton of talented guys in that locker room and everywhere around here. So I’m just gonna compete and let the chips fall where they may.”

Whitlock has spent most of his career starting. He has made 38 starts and four relief appearances in the minor leagues. But he’s expected to pitch out of Boston’s bullpen (and could make occasional spot starts) this season.

“I just want to pitch,” Whitlock said. “It’ll definitely be an adjustment. But it’s something I’ve been talking with Bushy (pitching coach Dave Bush) with and no matter what, I go out there and I think it’s a 0-0 ballgame and I’ve got to compete and attack. And whether it’s starting or relieving, that’s what you’ve got to do. So any time you pitch, you’ve just got to attack.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora added, “The stuff is there. He pays attention to detail. Very good kid in the clubhouse. Always talking to other pitchers and watching and learning. So it was a good first step but he’ll see where we go the next one.”

Hernández homers

Kiké Hernández, batting leadoff again, blasted a to begin the third inning.

“We’ll see how Kiké handles the leadoff spot up there,” Cora said before the game. “I want him to be aggressive. I want Kiké to hunt fastballs and do damage early on. That’s why I’m going to challenge him and see where it takes us.”

Boston hits four home runs

Hernández, Jarren Duran, Yairo Muñoz and Rafael Devers all homered.

Perez pitches two scoreless innings

Martin Perez pitched two scoreless innings and allowed only one hit in his 2021 spring training debut.

“I was able to attack the zone and throw all my pitches where I wanted to throw it,” Perez said.

Bogaerts to take 30 swings

The plan was for Xander Bogaerts (shoulder soreness) to take 30 swings off the tee Tuesday.

“The fact that he’s going to swing today, it looks like everything is trending in the right direction,” Cora said.

Verdugo likely to play Friday and Sunday

Alex Verdugo is expected to make his 2021 spring training debut Friday. He also probably will play again Sunday.

Grotz shut down for two days

Red Sox major league non-roster invitee Zac Grotz, who left Monday’s game with a sore arm, will be shut down for two days, Cora said.

“Nothing major,” Cora said before the game. ‘He’s just a little bit sore. We’ll shut him down. I just saw him like 20 minutes ago and he’s in good spirits. Hopefully, he’ll get back to his throwing thing and be back sooner rather than later.”

Martinez won’t bat second

The Red Sox experimented with J.D. Martinez in the two hole during the beginning of the 2020 season.

“J.D.’s not going to hit second for us this year,” Cora said. “We tried the best hitter hitting second, too, in ’19. It didn’t work out early. Everybody was pointing at (Benintendi), that he was struggling as the leadoff hitter, but it just didn’t fit the flow that we had in ’18. We did it for the right reasons. You want your best hitter to get as many hits as possible with men on. We can talk about lineup configuration all we want but we’ll hit J.D. in the middle of the lineup and go from there.”

Worcester Red Sox season will be pushed back at least a month; Opening Day at Polar Park now expected to be in early May (report)

Chris Cotillo

The start of the inaugural Worcester Red Sox season will be pushed back at least a month, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Major League Baseball will delay the beginning of the Triple-A season until at least early May, lining it up with when the other minor-league levels (Double-A, High-A and Low-A) will start their seasons.

Worcester was scheduled to begin its season April 6 at Scranton-Wilkes Barre and host its first game at Polar Park on April 13 against Lehigh Valley. Instead, teams will once again employ an alternate training site -- similar to the one teams used in 2020 -- for at least the first month of the season.

It’s likely -- though not official -- that the Red Sox will use Polar Park as their alternate site after using McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket last summer. There’s a possibility the alternate site system lasts longer than a month, according to Passan:

“Even then, some executives told ESPN they believe the alternate site could last longer into the season,” Passan wrote. “The reason for rekindling sites - which serve as training facilities for players who are likeliest to be called up to the major leagues - is the proximity to teams’ home stadiums and easier oversight of testing and coronavirus protocols, according to sources. Further, AAA teams travel via commercial airline, whereas major league teams can go from hotel to stadium to private flights on getaway days.”

Pushing back the beginning of the Triple-A season will theoretically allow minor-leaguers to be vaccinated before they begin their seasons, allowing major-league teams to avoid having to quarantine players when they are called up.

The Triple-A season is expected to be extended into September, according to Passan, though it’s unclear if the WooSox will still play a full, 142-game schedule as planned. When the Red Sox break spring training at the end of March, a group of 26 players will make the Opening Day roster while up to 28 others will report to the alternate site as members of the Triple-A roster. All of the organization’s other minor-leaguers will participate in spring training throughout the month of April, once the big-league team leaves the Fenway South facility.

Jarren Duran homers for Boston Red Sox; ‘He lifts, he sleeps, he eats and he plays baseball,’ Alex Cora says

Christopher Smith

Prospect Jarren Duran belted one of Boston’s four home runs in a 9-3 win over the Rays on Tuesday. He went back-to-back with Kiké Hernández against righty David Hess during the third inning.

“He’s strong. That’s the Puerto Rican diet: rice and beans and chicken the whole offseason,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora joked when asked how much bigger Duran looks to him than he did in 2019. “And two brunches with the manager. I took care of that.”

Cora paid close attention to 24-year-old Duran this past offseason when the speedy center fielder played winter ball in Puerto Rico for Criollos de Caguas under Red Sox coach Ramon Vazquez. Duran, a left- handed hitter, won MVP of the 2020-21 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Final Series.

Duran is 2-for-6 with a homer, walk and strikeout in three spring training games.

“He lifts, he sleeps, he eats and he plays baseball,” Cora said. “I mean, that’s what he does. He enjoys it. It’s funny because we were talking about certain situations. With the back early in the count, with his speed, it would be good for him to drop a few bunts down just to get on base — and then he hits a home run. So he’s a lot stronger than what he was two years ago. He’s in tune with the game. And he’s going to keep developing and he’s going to be a good one.”

Duran is expected to begin the 2021 season at Triple-A Worcester.

Baseball America has Duran ranked Boston’s No. 5 prospect entering 2021 behind Triston Casas, Jeter Downs, Bobby Dalbec and Bryan Mata. It has him listed as the system’s top outfield prospect and fastest baserunner.

He has incredible speed. He has 70 steals and 19 triples in 199 minor league games.

Yairo Munoz and Rafael Devers also homered Tuesday.

Boston Red Sox won’t hit J.D. Martinez second in lineup, Alex Cora says: ‘We’re going to attack you in different ways with the same lineup’

Chris Cotillo

The Red Sox briefly experimented with batting J.D. Martinez second in their lineup last year but have no plans to do so in 2021, manager Alex Cora said Tuesday.

At the beginning of last season, then-manager Ron Roenicke hit Martinez behind Andrew Benintendi or Jose Peraza for the first seven games of the season. That didn’t work too well, causing Roenicke to shift Martinez back to the third or fourth spot in the order for the rest of the year.

Cora is planning on sticking with Martinez in the middle of the lineup like he did in 2018 and 2019.

“The way we want to play, we want those good baserunners in front of him,” Cora said. “When he hits the ball in the gap, they score from first. Hitting J.D. second was a decision the organization made last year, but for me, it’s like, ‘J.D. gets on base by a walk, it’s going to take a while for him to score.’ Nothing against him. He’s not getting paid to steal bases or score from first.”

Lineup optimization models have suggested teams put their best hitter in the second spot, but it hasn’t worked in practice for Boston over the last two years. Before the failed Martinez experiment, Cora tried leading off with Benintendi and hitting Mookie Betts second in 2019 before reversing course in late May.

“Everybody was pointing at (Benintendi), that he was struggling as the leadoff hitter, but it just didn’t fit the flow that we had in ’18,” Cora said. “We did it for the right reasons. You want your best hitter to get as many hits as possible with men on.”

Cora’s exact lineup configuration is still to be determined, as he has not said who will be the club’s primary leadoff hitter. Alex Verdugo, who thrived in the role a year ago, will likely ample chances to lead off, but the Red Sox are also experimenting with Kiké Hernandez at the top of the lineup. Hernandez homered in Tuesday’s game against the Rays.

Cora is hesitant to put Verdugo and Rafael Devers -- two left-handed hitters -- back-to-back at the top of the order, though that duo succeeded in that spot a year ago. The Red Sox will have Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Christian Vazquez in the middle of the lineup and some collection of Bobby Dalbec, Marwin Gonzalez, and on the back end.

“We’ll see how it plays out,” Cora said. “We have a lot of options with the people that we have. One thing for sure, it’s going to be a deep lineup. The top third is going to be very athletic, the middle of it is going to be all run-producers and the other ones are going to hit the ball out of the ballpark. We’re going to attack you in different ways with the same lineup which is intriguing. It should be cool to see.”

Boston Red Sox slugger Bobby Dalbec lost around 10 pounds in offseason; ‘I feel faster, stronger ... more explosive’

Christopher Smith

Red Sox slugger Bobby Dalbec — who belted eight home runs in 23 games during 2020 — hit the gym right away and lost about 10 pounds this past offseason.

“Just kind of leaned up,” Dalbec said Tuesday. “I wouldn’t say I lost strength or mass or anything like that. I feel faster, stronger and more fluid. I think it will help me being more versatile whether I’m playing first or third or whatever they need me to do. So that was a goal. ... I did the same workouts and everything. I didn’t really take any time off. As soon as I got back. I got right back in the gym and started grinding that stuff out. I feel like I got faster, more explosive. So yeah, trying to be more of a dynamic, complete player.”

Dalbec is expected to be Boston’s starting first baseman in 2021. He went 21-for-80 (.263 batting average) with a .359 on-base percentage, .600 slugging percentage, .959 OPS, eight home runs, three doubles, 16 RBIs, 10 walks and 39 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances last year. He is eligible for the 2021 AL Rookie of the Year despite debuting in 2020.

He said he wants to do more damage earlier in counts.

“Swing decisions earlier in the count was a big thing I wanted to focus on,” he said. “And just being ready. Allowing myself to see the ball as best as I can.”

Dalbec said it’s important for him to hold his direction throughout his swing, which should allow him to make better contact within the strike zone.

“Allowing me to make decisions later so I can do more damage on pitches earlier in the count and not have to get into those deep, deep counts,” he said. “While I still want to work walks and will do that, just being able to hit balls in play earlier in the count with authority.

“It’s just trying to see the ball as early as I can,” Dalbec added. “I can have the prettiest swing in the world but if I was blind, I wouldn’t be able to hit anything. So just really focusing on the mental side and just staying within myself. ... Being able to make adjustments on the fly.”

Cora believes Dalbec will cut down on his swing-and-miss this season.

“It seems like he swings and misses a lot in the early part of the season at whatever level he plays, then he makes adjustments and the swing-and-miss rate go down, the strikeouts go down and the numbers go up,” Cora said. “What he did last year was impressive. When he connects, it goes far. What I like about Bobby is the other part of it. He’s a good baserunner, defender.”

Dalbec’s strikeout rate historically drops when he becomes more comfortable at each new level. It dropped from 37.4% at Low-A in 2017 to 31.0% in High-A in 2018.

He earned a late-season promotion to Double-A Portland in 2018 and his strikeout rate increased to 37.1% in 29 games there. But his strikeout percentage dropped to 25.1% in 105 games at Portland and 23.6% in 30 games at Triple-A Pawtucket in 2019.

“He’s not going to get too high, he’s not going to get too low. He understands that was only 90 at-bats,” Cora said. “The fact he drives the ball the other way, too, helps him out to not try to be pull-happy and hit it 500 feet when you can hit it 380 and it’s a home run.”

Boston Red Sox prospect Connor Seabold’s 95-96 mph velocity caught Alex Cora’s eye; ‘I didn’t expect that one’

Christopher Smith

Right-handed pitching prospect Connor Seabold, who the Red Sox acquired with Nick Pivetta from the Phillies for Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree last August, tossed a scoreless inning against the Braves on Monday.

He allowed one single and struck out two. The 25-year-old is expected to begin 2021 in Triple-A Worcester’s starting rotation.

“The velocity was impressive,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday. “I didn’t expect that one. But you can see his changeup and it’s a good one.”

Cora said Seabold’s fastball velocity was up to 95-96 mph. He has sat in the low-90s In previous seasons.

“You can tell the difference. There was a big margin between the fastball and the changeup,” Cora said.

Seabold’s best pitch is his changeup. He uses wrist pronation when he throws the changeup, meaning he turns his wrist out when he throws the pitch. It something he began doing in 2019 to create better action and spin.

“It was a good one yesterday,” Cora said about Seabold’s changeup. “And if he starts getting that separation velocity-wise, it’s going to be actually better. One thing he said last year he never felt it was where he was supposed to be. He didn’t have the feel of the changeup. We were very happy with the changeup, from everything I hear last year. So if he starts feeling it, it’s going to be a weapon for him.”

Cora said the young pitchers in camp, including Seabold, are paying attention to all details while throwing bullpens.

“He goes from the stretch and he’s looking at runners,” Cora said. “And he prepares. That was really good. But velocity caught my eye yesterday.”

* RedSox.com

Dalbec 'in better position' ahead of 2021

Ian Browne

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- As a top power-hitting prospect, Bobby Dalbec spent his first two Spring Trainings with the Red Sox absorbing everything he could so he would be ready once he got the chance to hold down a position in the Major Leagues.

That opportunity is now right in front of him, and the 25-year-old Dalbec doesn’t plan on letting it pass him by.

Dalbec, a towering presence at 6-foot-4, is ready to trade in his prospect hat to be a productive starting first baseman for the team that drafted him in the fourth round of the 2016 Draft out of the University of Arizona.

When the Red Sox fell quickly out of contention in the abbreviated 2020 season, was dealt to the Padres, which paved the way for Dalbec to get his first callup.

The ink was barely dry on the Moreland trade when Dalbec homered in his second Major League at-bat, lacing one down the line in right at Fenway Park.

Though there was one slump mixed in, Dalbec smashed eight homers in 80 at-bats in 2020. That cameo has him ready to do more in '21.

“I think it gave me kind of a template of what I needed to work on. And then, you know, things I need to execute better,” Dalbec said. “Obviously I got exposed a little bit, but I felt like I made good adjustments on the fly. Now, I feel like I'm in a better position to make those adjustments quicker where it won't take four games to get back going.

“It will take one or a couple of at-bats, something along the lines of that. And then you know the biggest thing was just timing -- timing and vision, and, you know, breathing. That’s a huge part of my thing at the plate. Those three things allowed me to and see the ball better.”

Another area of emphasis for Dalbec is to cut down on strikeouts. In his first 92 MLB plate appearances, Dalbec struck out 39 times.

“It's really focusing on the mental side and staying within myself, just fine-tuning those things and being able to make adjustments on the fly, just uptick my consistency," Dalbec said. "I feel really good about that, and I’m going to continue to work on that.”

The on-the-job training from late last season should give Dalbec a big jump-start as he enters 2021. It also gave him a clear idea of what to work on this spring.

“I would say swing decisions early in the count was a big thing I wanted to focus on,” Dalbec said. “And then just being ready, allowing myself to see the ball as best as I can, so I just really focused on starting so early that it almost felt uncomfortable and just work from there instead of being late and trying to play catch-up all the time. It’s been translating to here and everything feels really good. I’m excited to keep improving.”

Instead of taking a break once the season ended, Dalbec went right to work.

“I didn't really take any time off,” Dalbec said. “As soon as I got back, I got right back in the gym, and you know, start grinding that stuff out faster. I feel like I got faster and more explosive. More of a dynamic, complete player.”

Now that Dalbec has seen what Major League game speed looks like, he’s ready to unleash his big right- handed swing to more consistent results. Playing half of his games at Fenway, it wouldn’t be that big of a surprise if Dalbec clubs 30 homers or more in his rookie season.

“I think slowing the game down at every level [is big]. Every level I went up, it was a big thing for me, I have to find ways to slow the game down and stay calm and everything,” Dalbec said. “This offseason I kind of just worked on my timing and feeling my moves and being really consistent with those and not trying to nitpick my swing and mechanics as much, so I didn’t really watch very much video.”

In Dalbec’s first at-bat of Spring Training on Sunday, he bashed a homer to right-center against the Twins.

While power is his calling card, the Red Sox hardly look at him as one-dimensional.

“What he did last year was impressive, and when he connects, it goes far,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “But what I like about Bobby, actually it’s the other part of it. He’s a good baserunner, he gets good leads, good secondary leads, he goes first to third, he’s a good defender. So he’s a complete baseball player. It’s enjoyable to talk the game with him and I’m looking forward to him going out there and keep getting better and help us out to win games.”

Whitlock's spring debut 'a good first step'

Ian Browne

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- For the first time in 18 months, Garrett Whitlock stepped on the mound and pitched in a baseball game.

Add that to the fact that it was the first time Whitlock had pitched in an MLB Spring Training game and that it was his debut for the Red Sox, and you can see why Tuesday was a big day for the 24-year-old right- hander.

Whitlock, the man the Red Sox selected from the Yankees in the Rule 5 Draft in December, mowed through the Rays over two innings, allowing one hit, walking none and striking out two. Boston defeated Tampa Bay, 9-3, at JetBlue Park.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” Whitlock said. “I can’t thank the Red Sox enough for picking me, and I just want to go out there and compete my butt off and enjoy the process.”

As a first audition for a spot in Boston’s bullpen, this couldn’t have gone any better for Whitlock, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019.

“It was my Spring Training debut and it was a lot of fun,” he said. “It was actually my first game back since Tommy John in 2019, so from that aspect, it was fun, but to be in that situation was really exciting and fun.”

Unprompted, Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted early in Spring Training how impressed he was when he watched Whitlock throw. Tuesday’s performance only added to that enthusiasm.

“We just want him to stay healthy and keep progressing. You guys saw it. I’ve been saying it all along,” said Cora. “On the mound, he looks like a pitcher, like a big league pitcher. The stuff is there. He pays attention to details. Very good kid in the clubhouse, always talking to other pitchers and watching and learning. It was a good first step. We’ll see where we go the next one.”

Whitlock is relishing the challenge to make a Major League roster for the first time. If he doesn’t make the team, the Red Sox must offer Whitlock back to the Yankees. That Rule 5 Draft designation could improve the already strong chance that Whitlock has of making the team.

“The way I’m looking at it, I’ve got to earn a spot,” said Whitlock. “Nothing is given to anybody and there is a ton of talented guys in the locker room and everywhere around here.”

One thing Whitlock isn’t shy about doing is absorbing all he can from the veteran players and coaches he has at his disposal each day.

“They’re the best in the world, that's why they’re in the big leagues,” Whitlock said. “[Pitching coach Dave Bush] and [Chris] Sale and [Nathan] Eovaldi have all helped me a ton saying, 'Hey, slow things down, stay under control and attack the zone.' That’s what my thought process has got to be. So knowing you respect every single person out there, but at the same time, you’ve got to go out and attack and try to be who you are.”

Pérez on target Red Sox lefty Martín Pérez is on a mission to improve his control this season, and Tuesday’s start against the Rays was a good first step.

Over two innings, Pérez threw 16 pitches, 11 for strikes. He allowed one hit and no runs with no walks.

“Everything is about throwing strikes. When you throw a strike and you attack the zone, everything is easier for you as a pitcher,” said Pérez. “And that’s what I was trying to do today. Attack the zone, attack the hitters early, and I think when you do that, the hitter doesn’t have many chances to hit the ball. Move the ball, like I said, attack the zone and throw strikes, you can go out of the inning quick.”

Kiké goes yard Cora has challenged Kiké Hernández to be a more authoritative hitter this season, and the super-utility player looked up to the task when he bashed a homer to center in the bottom of the third.

Hernández is getting a look in the leadoff spot early in camp as Cora tries to decide what alignment he will go with to start the season.

“I want people to know about Kiké, because he’s a good player, not just because he’s a good guy or a good guy in the clubhouse,” said Cora. “He’s a really good player. He understands the game, he talks the game. Great communicator. Like I said, I’m going to keep pushing him, challenging him to be better. And if he’s up to the challenge and he does his thing, I think he can help us [with] mixing up things and helping me build kind of like the 'perfect lineup.'”

Duran gets his turn Right after Hernández homered, Jarren Duran, the highly touted prospect who could be Boston’s center fielder of the future, went deep to right-center.

Duran’s emerging power, along with his blazing speed, has the Red Sox excited about his future.

Cora got a chance to know Duran this past offseason when he was playing winter ball in Puerto Rico.

“He’s strong, that’s the Puerto Rican diet. Rice and beans and chicken the whole offseason,” quipped Cora. “And two brunches with the manager, I took care of that. Like I said earlier, he lifts, he sleeps, he eats and he plays baseball. That’s what he does. He’s a lot stronger than he was two years ago. He’s in tune with the game and he’s going to keep developing and he’s going to be a good one.”

When Rafael Devers unloaded for a home run to right-center field, it gave the Red Sox three homers in four batters. They wound up scoring six in the inning.

Up next Red Sox righty Nick Pivetta, acquired last August in a trade with the Phillies, makes his first start of Spring Training on the road against the Twins on Wednesday afternoon at CenturyLink Sports Complex. Pivetta is a strong candidate to be the fifth starter. Righty Bryan Mata, one of the most promising pitchers in the farm system, is scheduled to pitch in relief. First pitch is at 1:05 p.m. ET. Watch live on MLB.TV or listen live on MLB Audio.

Prospect Rio Gomez on dad Pedro's support

David Adler

It's an emotional spring for Red Sox prospect Rio Gomez, whose father, beloved national baseball reporter Pedro Gomez, died unexpectedly last month at age 58.

On Tuesday, Gomez joined the broadcast of Boston's Spring Training game against the Rays on ESPN, the network where his father covered Major League Baseball for many years. He talked about what it meant to him to have Pedro support him on his journey through collegiate and , both over the phone and from the stands.

"It meant the world to me," Gomez said on the broadcast. "There were times, obviously, where I'd be struggling, and whatever he could do via the phone -- from Arizona when I was in Spring Training, or somewhere along the East Coast for a Minor League affiliate -- he tried to always help as best he could. And then there would be times where I think he realized that no matter what he could say through the phone, that him showing up in person was what I was gonna need."

Rio, a 26-year-old left-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Red Sox in 2017, recalled one surprise visit from Pedro that was especially meaningful.

"There was a time when I was in extended spring training in 2018, and I was just having a tough time, I was really upset, where it felt like my career was just slipping away," Gomez said. "And out of the blue, he just showed up in Fort Myers and surprised me. And he was there for a week, and it was everything I needed just to be able to turn everything around."

Pedro Gomez covered more than 25 World Series and more than 20 All-Star Games in his 35-year career. He famously covered Barry Bonds' pursuit of Hank Aaron's all-time home run record, and he said his favorite event that he covered was Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS between the Marlins and Cubs at Wrigley Field.

* WEEI.com

How Connor Seabold opened eyes in his Red Sox spring training debut

Rob Bradford

Throughout the first few weeks of the Red Sox' 2013, Allen Webster was the talk of JetBlue Park.

The pitcher who had come over to the organization from the Dodgers in the Sox' massive trade with Los Angeles (, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto) wasn't really on the team's big-league radar.

But then, seemingly out of nowhere, Webster started throwing 99 mph. (Keep in mind, it was a time where such things weren't the norm for the Grapefruit League.) Suddenly, the 23-year-old had become perhaps the camp's biggest storyline.

"He's going to be a top-of-the-rotation guy," said one Red Sox coach in the midst of Webster Mania.

Webster does have a World Series ring thanks to eight appearances (7 starts) for that 2013 team. But the righty's career never really translated like that spring training suggested it would.

Now there is Connor Seabold, the guy who came over with Nick Pivetta from Philadelphia for Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree.

The optimism coming into camp regarding Seabold was more substantial than that of Webster eight years ago, with most believing the righty would be come a major leaguer even before this spring training rolled around. But, like Webster, the JetBlue Park radar gun has altered the narrative.

"Velocity was impressive," said Cora, who said Seabold was sitting at 95-96 mph. "I didn't expect that one, but you can see his changeup. It's a good one. I don't know if I mentioned it to you, it's kind of like Ward, there's something about these kids, throwing bullpens, they're paying attention to everything. He goes from the stretch and he's looking at runners. He prepares. That was really good. But velocity caught my eye yesterday."

When asked about Seabold's bread-and-butter, his changeup, Cora added, "It was a good one yesterday, if he starts getting that separation, velocity-wise, he's going to be actually better. One thing he said is last year, he never felt it was where it was supposed to be, he didn't have the feel of the changeup. We were very happy with the changeup for everything I hear last year, so if he starts feeling it, it's going to be a weapon for him.

Seabold's fastball had been known to sit between 90-94 mph, with his go-to pitch undoubtedly being an above-average changeup. Even with the average velocity, the righty had averaged slightly better than a strikeout per inning throughout his minor-league career (203 strikeouts, 196 2/3 innings).

Why Red Sox' third spring training lineup should get some attention

Rob Bradford

He was undoubtedly the most under-publicized player involved in the Mookie Betts trade. But is starting get some attention.

The catcher -- who figures to start the season with Triple-A Worcester -- gets the start Tuesday with Martin Perez on the mound for the Red Sox against the Rays.

"I mean, he’s another guy that slows down the game," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora regarding Wong. "You could see (Sunday) we had a bad inning, he comes in, kind of like a present about him. He studies the game. He talks the game, which is very important for a catcher. It seemed like he never panicked back there. He keeps working on that one knee down stance. Really good hands. Talking to Enrique (Hernandez) about it, position player that, he’s a catcher now, there’s something that it seems like they like in the West Coast with Smith and Barnes. This kid can do it, too. Good hands. It’s very smooth. Offensively, he understands what he can do, but I really like the fact that communication is number one in his defensive game. You see him in the dugout talking to Jason (Varitek), to the pitchers. For a young guy to be able to do that right now is eye-opening. It was fun to watch him perform (Sunday)."

Some other interesting aspects of Cora's lineup:

- Hernandez gets another shot at the leadoff spot, with Cora saying he wanted to see how his propensity to hunt early-count fastballs translated.

- Jarren Duran won't be the Red Sox' No. 2 hitter when the season begins, but the outfielder's presence in the spot shows how Cora is viewing the prospect.

- It will be interesting to see if Michael Chavis' plays more first base than any other spot. He's back there for Tuesday's game.

- Yairo Munoz represents a very interesting depth option for the Red Sox, one with built-in major league experience (208 games). He impressed during his short stint with the big league team last season, hitting .333 (15-for-45) with an .844 OPS, playing exclusively in the outfield.

"He has the ingredients and to me as a hitting coach it's what he swings at," Hyers said of the 25-year-old Munoz when appearing on the Bradfo Sho podcast. "He's a very aggressive hitter and he can put bat to ball, but as they make adjustments to him, the league, and they see what they can and what he can't do can he make those adjustments to be consistent.

"We talk around the cages that it's surviving. Survive the day. Survive the week. Survive for certain pitchers that you don't match up with very well with. Can you make those adjustments. That's what we're trying to work with him on. That's our responsibility with him to help him see some of the things that teams are doing to him. But talent-wise, he has the talent to hit. He's got bat speed. He's got bat-to-ball skills. He's aggressive. He's got lot of things you like, but can you put those things together consistently day in and day out? The jury is out."

* NBC Sports Boston

Maybe Bloom's first-round pick wasn't so crazy after all

John Tomase

If one prospect serves as a litmus test of Chaim Bloom's ability to rebuild the Red Sox farm system, it's Nick Yorke.

The California high schooler didn't appear on many draft boards before the Red Sox surprised the industry by making him the 17th overall selection in the 2020 MLB Draft. MLB Pipeline ranked him 139th overall. The Athletic's Keith Law left him out of his top 100. Baseball America snuck him in at No. 96.

Draft experts immediately scoffed. No one takes a high school second baseman in the first round. Yorke didn't necessarily project to hit for power. Even with the Red Sox losing their second-round pick over sign stealing, he probably would've been available when they picked 89th overall in the third round.

Bloom and his scouting staff disagreed. They identified Yorke as not only a first-round talent, but one of the best pure hitters in the draft. It didn't hurt that signing him below slot gave them extra money to nab high school slugger Blaze Jordan a couple of rounds later.

The experts remain unconvinced of the Red Sox system as a whole. Baseball America and Law rank them 20th in baseball. MLB.com puts them even lower, at 25. Bloom is unsurprisingly more bullish, obliquely acknowledging the controversy over the selection of Yorke.

"I do think we're in a better place," Bloom said recently. "I know the public ranking hasn't moved, and I know some of that probably has to do with us, for instance, in the draft, using our first pick on a player that we felt stronger about than a lot of publications."

With no minor leagues last season, the Red Sox rewarded Yorke with a late-season summons to the alternate site, where he acquitted himself well for a teenager. The surprises continued this spring when Yorke was invited to camp, and on Monday against the Braves he gave the Red Sox a little taste of what kind of hitter he might one day be.

Stepping in against established left-handed reliever A.J. Minter -- he of the 0.83 ERA last year -- the 18- year-old Yorke didn't look remotely overmatched, inside-outing the sixth pitch he saw into right-center for a single. He later drew a walk to complete a solid afternoon in a 5-3 loss.

Not bad for a kid who hasn't even taken a minor-league at-bat yet.

"I have a lot of confidence in myself," Yorke said. "I believe I can hit off any pitcher there is."

Bright future? Yorke's high school batting average .457 Yorke's high school OPS 1.262

He left manager Alex Cora impressed by not exhibiting any nerves, and also by how he handled his first at- bat. Yorke took three pitches without flinching or jumping before getting something he could handle.

"I was thinking of where I was when I was 18, probably in Miami, going to Coconut Grove or something like that, hanging out," Cora said. "It was good, it was cool, that was tremendous. He's here to learn. He's here to be around big leaguers and learn how to act in the clubhouse, how to be a professional. You can see. He controls the strike zone, controls his at-bats and started a routine double play that we didn't turn, but that was the highlight of the day, having that kid play."

While it will probably be a while before we know whether Yorke belongs in the big leagues, a lack of confidence doesn't look like it will hold him back.

"Once (the umpire) said play ball, I was ready to go," Yorke said. "We haven't been able to play on a field a lot in the past year. Just to get on the field is exciting again. You get to do what you love. I didn't have a lot of nerves. It's baseball. At the end of the day, it's just a game. I was just trying to go and have some fun."

That's not a bad attitude for someone who will forever be known as not only Bloom's first Red Sox draft pick, but a bold selection, too. Bloom ignored conventional wisdom to get his man, and someday we'll learn if Yorke can repay him.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

Rule 5 pick Garrett Whitlock hoping to make the most of his opportunity

Sean McAdam

Had Tuesday merely represented his first time on the mound in a major league spring training game, that would have been momentous enough for Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock.

But the outing represented so much more than that to the lanky righthander. It was also the first time he had been in a competitive environment since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019.

All of which might have made the results of secondary importance. But as an added bonus, Whitlock was sharp in two scoreless innings (one hit allowed, two strikeouts) against the Tampa Bay Rays, making the day a complete success all around.

Whitlock was selected by the Sox in the Rule 5 draft from the last December, which means he has to remain on the team’s 26-man roster (or the IL) for the entire regular season. That makes for a big jump for someone who has never pitched above Double A, but Tuesday represented a good first step toward that goal.

“You can see the stuff,” said Alex Cora after the Red Sox’ 9-3 win. “I’m happy for him, that he was able to go out there and compete. It hasn’t been easy for him to keep building up. Seeing him (do what he did), that was good.”

“It was a lot of fun to go out there and compete,” said Whitlock. “To be in that situation was really exciting and fun.”

Following the arduous rehab of the last two years, Whitlock now feels completely healthy, and in his own words, “ready to get after it.”

The Red Sox are bullish on his prospects, too, believing that, in time, he can evolve into a valuable pitcher who can induce a lot of groundouts and perhaps contribute as a back-end starter. For now, with a bolstered rotation and some additional depth candidates (, Nick Pivetta), Whitlock appears ticketed for the bullpen.

There, he could serve as a potential spot starter when the Sox are faced with doubleheaders, or someone who could provide multiple innings in relief.

“I just want to pitch,” shrugged Whitlock. “(Pitching out of the bullpen) will definitely be an adjustment, but it’s something I’ve been talking about to (pitching coach Dave Bush) about and no matter when I go out there, I (have to treat it like) a 0-0 ballgame and I have to compete and attack. Whether it’s starting or relieving, you just have to attack.”

Whitlock’s profile suggests that he’s not one to overpower hitters. He’s averaged almost a strikeout per inning, but he’s not going to succeed on swing-and-miss alone.

“I’m always just working on filling up the zone and throwing strikes,” he said. “I know my role is to miss barrels and not miss bats, so with my stuff, I want to get quick outs and that’s what I’m focused on — making sure that each of my pitches is helping me accomplish that goal.”

His status as a Rule 5 pick should be something of an advantage, since the Red Sox are motivated to have him succeed so that they keep him for the year and oversee his continued development. They’ve invested in him for a reason, and as they did with infielder Jonathan Arauz last year, are motivated to help him stay.

Whitlock, however, sees no such edge for himself.

“The way I’m looking at it is, I’ve got to earn a spot,” he said. “Nothing’s given to anybody and there’s a ton of talented guys in that locker room and everywhere around here. So I’m just going to compete and let the chips fall that may. That’s my thought process.”

Should he make the club, he’ll find a big jump in the quality of hitters he’s facing. In Double A, hitters might miss your mistakes; in the big leagues, they’ll make you pay.

“They’re the best in the world,” said Whitlock flatly. “That’s why they’re in the big leagues.”

Whitlock doesn’t appear cowed by the step up in competition. And even if he were, he’s gotten plenty of advice from within the Red Sox clubhouse.

“Bush, (Chris) Sale and (Nathan) Eovaldi have all helped me a ton,” he said, “With saying, ‘Hey, slow things down, stay under control and just attack the zone.’ If you attack hitters, (you’ll be successful). That’s what my thought process has got to be. You respect every single person out there, but at the same time, you’ve got to attack and be who you are.”

On Tuesday, he got the chance to begin that journey.

Red Sox Notebook: Bobby Dalbec ready to make adjustments; Sox muscle up for four homers

Sean McAdam

Last year, as a rookie, Bobby Dalbec made a quick and strong impression in September, smashing eight homers in 23 games while compiling a .600 slugging percentage.

There were challenges, too, as would be expected. The biggest of those was a lack of contact. Dalbec struck out 39 times in 80 at-bats, a rate that would seem unsustainable.

Reflecting back on his first month in the big leagues, Dalbec was candid.

“I think it gave me kind of a template of what I need to work on and things I need to execute better,” he said of his experience. “Obviously I got exposed a little bit. but I felt like I made good adjustments on the fly. Swing decisions earlier in the count is a big thing I want to focus on and just being ready, allowing myself to see the ball as best I can. So I focused on starting so early that I almost felt uncomfortable and then work from there instead of being late and having to play catchup all the time. It’s been translating and everything feels really good.”

As Alex Cora noted Tuesday morning, Dalbec’s strikeout totals are not the result of chasing pitches out of the zone, but rather, pitch identification.

“I would say effort level and holding my direction throughout the swing (is key),” said Dalbec. “Letting the ball travel and trusting my swing and my path and building my speed behind me and allowing me to make decisions later so I can do more damage early in the count and not have to get into those deep, deep counts. While I still want to work walks and will do that, being able to get balls in the play earlier in the count and with authority (is important).

“It’s just (about) trying to see the ball as early as I can. I could have the prettiest swing in the world, but if I was blind, I wouldn’t be able to hit anything. So I’m really focusing on the mental side and just staying within myself and kind of fine-tuning those things, being able to make adjustments on the fly.”

If there’s something that Dalbec feels has improved in Year 2, it’s his ability to correct things faster.

“Now I feel like I’m in a better position to make those adjustments quicker where it won’t take four games to get that going, it will take one or a couple of at-bats,” he said. ______

The Sox flexed at the plate in their 9-3 thrashing of the Tampa Bay Rays, hitting four homers in the first three innings — all of them off Tampa Bay righty David Hess — including three in the third inning alone.

In the second, Yairo Munoz clubbed a two-run shot. In the third the real mashing began. Kiké Hernández hammered a high fastball up in the zone to center. Jarren Duran followed one batter later with a solo shot to right. Then, after a J.D. Martinez single, Rafael Devers smoked a two-run belt to right-center. ______

After the first two starters — and — failed to get through complete three- out innings in their spring debuts, Martin Perez was much more efficient, facing just seven hitters over the course of two scoreless innings, requiring just 16 pitches.

“I was just trying to feel my delivery a little bit, stay back and attack the zone,” said Perez. “I was able to throw all my pitches where I wanted to throw them. I think it was a great two innings.”

Before the game, Cora noted that the Red Sox want Perez to nibble less.

“When you throw strikes and attack the zone, everything is easier for you as a pitcher,” said Perez. “That’s what I was trying to do to today. When you attack the hitters early, the hitters don’t have too many chances to hit the ball. It’s going to be easier for you and you can get out of the inning quick.” ______

Cora hasn’t said anything definitive about his lineup and batting order, but he did make clear Martinez would not be hitting second — an experiment that was tried for a few days at the beginning of last season.

Analytics suggest that the No. 2 spot in the order is the prime run-producing spot in the order, but Martinez wasn’t comfortable there and Cora won’t try that again.

“J.D.’s not hitting second for us this year,” Cora. “We can talk about lineup configuration all we want, but we’ll hit J.D. in the middle of the lineup and go from there. The way we want to play, we want those good baserunners in front of him. When we hit the ball to the gap, we want them to score from first. Hitting J.D. second, yeah, it was a decision the organization made last year.

“But for me, it’s kind of like, OK, J.D. gets on base with a walk; it’s going to take a lot to get him to score. Nothing against him — he’s not getting paid to steal bases or score from first. He won’t hit second for us this year.” ______

Right-hander Zac Grotz, who left Monday’s game in the middle of an inning after experiencing pain in his elbow, has been shut down for two days. “He’s just a little bit sore,” said Cora. “He’s in good spirits. Hopefully, he’ll get back to his throwing and be back sooner rather than later.” … Cora noted that Connor Seabold’s velocity was improved on Monday, with his fastball at 95-96 mph, up considerably from the alternate site last summer. The improved velocity will help the separation with his changeup, which is his best pitch. … Alex Verdugo will make his Grapefruit League debut Friday. … Xander Bogaerts, out with a sore shoulder, was set to take 30 swings off the tee. “It looks like everything is trending in the right direction,” said Cora.

* The Athletic

Bobby Dalbec is trying to learn first base. The wrinkle? Finding him a teacher

Chad Jennings

Scan the roster. Check the coaching staff. Ask the ushers in the concourse. The hardest thing to find at JetBlue Park these days is a first baseman.

The Red Sox don’t have one. Not a pure, experienced, prototypical first baseman, anyway. They have guys who can play the position, but none who have spent most of their careers there. They have coaches who know the fundamentals, but none who played first in any meaningful capacity at the big-league level.

And then they have Bobby Dalbec, a 25-year-old erstwhile third baseman with tremendous offensive power and the defensive capacity to be, perhaps, a great first baseman over time.

He just hasn’t had much of that time — yet.

“For a guy that only has played a few games at first base and came in (to spring training) the way he did, it was great to see,” third-base coach and infield instructor said. “This is a guy, I think, (who) is going to be special. He’s athletic. He’s a great target. He has soft hands. And the work ethic is off the charts. The first thing he told me was, ‘Just tell me what to do. Just show me the way.’ And I can do it.”

For all the Red Sox’s emphasis on improved infield defense this spring, it’s hard to ignore that some of that success and failure will depend on a rookie first baseman still learning the position. For the past four years, their infielders have often been throwing to Gold Glove winner Mitch Moreland. Now the Red Sox have a couple of utility guys and Dalbec, who played the position capably in the second half of last season, but who has made a point of getting better for the year ahead.

The fact he’s making offensive adjustments goes without saying. Dalbec is trying to see the ball better, get used to big-league movement, and cut down on his strikeouts. That’s a persistent part of his learning process. He’s always working to become a better hitter. But first base is new, and that’s where his mind is a lot of the time these days.

“Hitting is a lot more simple than it used to be,” Dalbec said. “So, I definitely can put more of my mental capacity into defense while not lacking or losing anything offensively.”

The wrinkle is that the Red Sox don’t have an experienced first baseman to show him the way. Their coaching staff doesn’t have one, and COVID-19 restrictions mean they can’t bring someone like Kevin Youkilis to work with Dalbec in spring training. His day-to-day work is being led by big-league coaches Febles (a second baseman) and (a shortstop), plus minor-league coordinator Andy Fox (also a shortstop), who’s been working with Dalbec since the day he was drafted. Combined, those three started 17 big-league games at first base — Dalbec already has started more — but they’re among the most trusted infield instructors in the organization, and they’re focused on getting Dalbec ready, whether they have their own experience at the position or not.

Each morning, they put Dalbec through his paces in a batting cage that’s been converted into a defensive activation center. Dalbec works there on the finer details of footwork and receiving. Then it’s onto the field for standard team defensive drills, plus the new small-group rotations that focus on the specifics of relays, scoops, quick tags, positioning around the bag, and backhand double plays. As long as Rafael Devers is entrenched at third, learning to play first base is the best way for Dalbec to keep a spot in the lineup.

“(He) has great aptitude,” Fox said. “… it just takes game experience and going through the transition. He’s done a very good job in a short amount of time to make that transition a little bit shorter.”

Dalbec began making the transition in late 2019. He’d previously played only two professional games at first base, plus three in the , but when he got to Triple A, 40 percent of his games were at first. The Red Sox asked him to shadow the big league team for a week that September — a sure sign he was in their future plans — then he joined Team USA in the winter and played first base exclusively. When he made his big league debut last summer, 21 of Dalbec’s 23 games were at first.

Dalbec was considered a good third baseman in the minors. He has a strong arm — he was a legitimate two-way pitching prospect in college — but he also has good hands, sound footwork, and surprising range for a player his size. All of those attributes should make him a good first baseman in time. Last season was a small sample, but advanced metrics labeled him average or slightly above average at the position.

“I feel like I know where to go on cut plays and relays,” he said. “I’ve gone over those in my head a bunch. The biggest thing for me is slowing the game down over there a little bit.”

The most experienced alternatives for the Red Sox are Michael Chavis, primarily a third baseman in the minors who seems to be fighting for a bench job, and Marwin Gonzalez, a veteran utility man who’s played a surprising amount of first base in his career. Since 2015, he’s played more first base than any other position, and with generally positive defensive metrics to show for it.

But it’s clear Dalbec is at the top of the depth chart. He hit eight home runs but also struck out 39 times in 92 plate appearances last season. The Red Sox believe he’ll make more consistent contact as he adjusts to the more advanced level, as he did in the minor leagues. But they also believe he can help quicken the pace and improve the team’s defensive aptitude, stated priorities in manager Alex Cora’s return to the dugout.

“When he connects (at the plate), it goes far,” Cora said. “But what I like about Bobby, actually it’s the other part of it. He’s a good base runner. Good leads. Good secondary leads. He goes first to third. He’s a good defender. So, he’s a complete baseball player.”

That’s what he’s trying to be, anyway. Dalbec said he worked Moreland enough over the years to get a lot of advice about the nuances of the position, and some of the particulars about playing it at Fenway Park. This winter, Dalbec worked out with his usual offseason crew — including Phillies infielder Scott Kingery – and did a lot of first-base drills that are similar to what the Red Sox have been doing with him this spring. He also lost weight — roughly 10 pounds, he said — to help him remain flexible and agile enough to bounce back to third base whenever necessary.

“I don’t want to get stuck in that (mold of) just a big, power-hitting first baseman,” he said. “Because I can make good plays over there. Obviously, I have a good arm and good hands, just have to keep fine-tuning things.”

If he doesn’t get to show off that arm as much, he’ll try to make up for it with scoops in the dirt and game- saving picks at the bag.

“It’s a great feeling when you get picked up by your first baseman,” Dalbec said. “I know the feeling, for sure.”

He’s had a first baseman bail him out a time or two. Now it’s his turn.

* The New York Post

Pedro Gomez’s son pays touching tribute to late ESPN star

Mark Fischer

Rio Gomez might have given up baseball had it not been for his father, Pedro, the beloved ESPN baseball reporter who died last month.

“There [were] times I didn’t even believe in myself during my career and he was there to push me with that belief,” Rio, a minor league pitcher in the Red Sox organization, said Tuesday as he joined the ESPN broadcast booth virtually for the Red Sox-Rays spring training game in Fort Myers, Fla.

“The connection and the love that we had that tied us together with baseball was second to none,” the 26- year-old Gomez said.

Pedro Gomez died suddenly at the age of 58. No cause of death was given.

The son of Cuban exiles, Gomez grew up in Miami and transitioned from the sports section to TV in 2003, becoming a staple of ESPN’s baseball coverage.

Gomez covered 25 World Series and 22 All-Star Games, and was praised by his peers for providing in- depth coverage of Barry Bonds’ steroid-scarred chase for the all-time home-run record in 2007.

When he wasn’t on the air, Gomez often spoke with his son about his burgeoning playing career.

Rio pitched for top college baseball program Arizona and was selected in the 36th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. In 2019, he was 3-2 with a 2.20 ERA in 69.2 innings at low-A and high-A.

“There was many times he was more excited about my own career than I was. It was always great having him by my side like that,” Rio said.