FORT MYERS, Fla. - As the Red Sox gear up for the season, the battle for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation is heating up. With spring training in full swing, manager Alex Cora is keeping things calm and collected.
“Just be patient,” Cora advised on Wednesday. It’s all about evaluating what they have in their pitching arsenal.
He emphasized that talent is abundant among the contenders, and a rough outing won’t necessarily knock someone out of the race. “We just want them to be healthy.
And then we make a decision.”
Johan Oviedo, one of the hopefuls, had a challenging start in his Grapefruit League debut during the 5-3 win over the Twins. While it wasn’t a disaster, Oviedo managed to retire only four of the nine batters he faced.
His performance included allowing a hit, three walks, and even hitting a batter. Despite this, he was credited with 1⅔ scoreless innings, exiting after 33 pitches, with only 15 finding the strike zone.
The Red Sox are taking a careful approach, ensuring pitchers stay healthy while they assess who’s ready to step up. With a month to go before decisions need to be made, the competition remains wide open, and fans can expect more intriguing performances as the spring unfolds.