FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox still are a month-plus away from needing to name a No. 5 starting pitcher — one of the few roster spots up for grabs during spring training — so manager Alex Cora’s advice is straightforward.
“Just be patient,” he said Wednesday. “It’s more about what we want to do. We know that all of them [are] talented. I don’t think if [Johan] Oviedo goes out there today and he gives up five [runs], it’s not going to take him out of the competition, quote-unquote. We just want them to be healthy. And then we make a decision.”
It wasn’t quite that ugly for Oviedo, but his Grapefruit League debut wasn’t pretty either in Wednesday’s 5-3 win over the Twins. He retired just four of nine batters, allowing a hit and three walks in addition to hitting a batter. He was credited with 1⅔ scoreless innings and was pulled at 33 pitches (only 15 for strikes), reaching his limit before finishing two frames.
“Not the worst, but definitely not the best,” Oviedo said. “Got ahead [in the count], just couldn’t finish.”
Cora added: “Erratic. Good stuff. We have work to do, but good for him to get his innings in.”
Practically speaking, Oviedo is up against only a couple of others in the competition for that rotation slot.
Both of the veteran candidates, Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford, are behind schedule after missing 2025 due to injuries. Sandoval won’t get into a Grapefruit game until next week at the earliest; Crawford hasn’t advanced to facing hitters yet.
As for the couple of rookie lefthanders also in the pool: Payton Tolle is due to pitch in relief behind Garrett Crochet on Thursday (keeping the other starters in turn); and Connelly Early tossed two scoreless innings against the Rays on Monday.
“We [have] a lot of guys,” Cora said.
David Ortiz arrived at Fenway South — for a stay that he said will last the rest of the week — and greeted a stream of well-wishers about as long as the spring training roster.
Foremost among them: Roman Anthony, who came over for a big hug before batting practice. Ortiz complimented his physique, which is notably more jacked than last year.
“That kid has everything going,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz also chatted with Justin Gonzales, a 19-year-old Dominican who went out of his way amid the goings-on at minor league camp to say hello. The Hall of Famer gawked at the size of the prospect: 6 feet, 6 inches, and 277 pounds.
On his way out to watch the game against the Twins, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow stopped to see his former teammate, as well as Pedro Martinez.
A seemingly innocuous fastball to open an at-bat against the Twins’ Eric Wagaman stood out to Jake Bennett for a big reason: It was the fastest pitch of his life, he believes, registering at 97.6 miles per hour.
“It’s definitely rewarding to see,” said Bennett, who allowed a run in 1⅓ innings in his first spring appearance. “It makes me want to keep working hard and keep trying to get that number to climb.”
Bennett, a lefthanded starter prospect, said at the beginning of camp that if he averaged 94-95 m.p.h. this year, it would be a win. Based on his Wednesday mark of 95.3 — which was, granted, lower in his second inning — there may be yet more room to grow.
“That’s the goal,” he said. “Not complaining about higher.”
Wilyer Abreu went mildly viral Tuesday when he appeared to break his bat on a check swing in an exhibition against the Pirates.
To some, it looked like a feat of strength. He was swinging so hard, then stopped so ferociously, that his stick snapped without even making contact with the ball?
To Abreu, it was a result of a bat that was basically already broken.
“That was kind of weird,” Abreu said Wednesday. “In the at-bat before, when I hit the ground ball to the shortstop, I felt something weird on the bat … I didn’t expect it to break the way that it broke.”
Brendan Rodgers exited in the fourth inning Wednesday because of what the Sox called right shoulder pain.
The infielder, in camp on a minor league contract, dove for a line drive, did not catch it, and hurt his arm as he reached for the ball on the ground.
“It just was a shock at first,” said Rodgers, a veteran of labrum surgery in both shoulders. “A little scared. Obviously, my mind goes to the worst place at first. Just trying to be optimistic.”
