Boston’s Matt Barnes is the leading candidate to be the closer for the Red Sox this season, but Manager Alex Cora has not yet made his decision between Barnes and Adam Ottavino. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
With countable days until Boston’s April 1 Opening Day, Alex Cora isn’t ready to name a closer just yet.
The Red Sox have two candidates for the role between longtime reliever Matt Barnes and newly acquired veteran Adam Ottavino, and neither have seemed to separate themselves. Both pitched one inning in Sunday’s 9-4 loss to the Pirates, with Ottavino allowing a double and one unearned run in the sixth while Barnes pitched a shutout ninth with two strikeouts.
Cora has previously said he’s comfortable with both of them, but the manager wants to have a set closer this season.
“There’s no rush on doing this,” Cora said. “They know it. Right now they’re working on their craft and Otto pitched the ninth one day, Barnesy pitched today. It’s different preparation for both of them but we’re comfortable with the way they’re throwing the ball which is good and whenever we make the decision, we will.”
Barnes has been sharp this spring, allowing just one hit and no earned runs with eight strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Cora said his fastball “looks like his best fastball in the last few years” after its velocity had dropped in 2019 and 2020, and he’s encouraged with the progression of his splitter as a third pitch.
“Everybody knows since he got to the big leagues, especially since ’18, when they talk about us it’s fastballs up, breaking balls down and to have a different look not only for lefties but I think for righties too, it’s a good pitch,” Cora said. “He threw it a few times throughout the years. In ’19, he tried it. I don’t know if it was more of a changeup but it’s something he always talks about. He’s looking for ways to improve and the fact that he’s been using it more in spring training is a good sign.”
AFTER THREE After three encouraging starts to begin the spring, No. 5 starter Nick Pivetta had his worst outing as he gave up six earned runs and allowed three walks in four innings in Sunday’s loss. The right-hander chalked it up to a lack of fastball command.
“I got behind a lot of guys,” Pivetta said. “It’s never fun to pitch behind guys, any team, any time. Made some good pitches, got some weak contact, that just fell through the shift here and there, just looking forward to bouncing back next start.”
Pivetta likely has two more starts before the regular season begins, and he said he’s just trying to continue to build through his progression at this point while also learning from some mistakes.
“It’s just building off those starts in the past, putting this one in the back and just kind of moving forward,” Pivetta said. “It’s spring training, you’re gonna have hiccups along the way, these games don’t count, those games count during the season and those are the games that I’m ready for and really excited for, so just moving forward, looking forward. I think everybody’s ready to get out of here and move into the season.”
J.D. MARTINEZ is still tinkering with some things at the plate as he tries to put a miserable 2020 season behind him, and though the results have been inconsistent this spring, he looked locked in on Sunday with a double and a pair of walks in three plate appearances.
“One thing I keep telling him, we can work on mechanics and all that but when we go out there, you have to compete,” Cora said. “And he competes, but at the same time he wants to clean his swing and work on his thing and at that speed of the game you can’t do that.
“We have plenty of at-bats over the course of the week, there’s a few B games against the Twins, we’ll get him going. Like I say, he never panics, but I say, you just got to be ready for April 1. That’s the most important thing.”
SEVERAL PLAYERS lost weight in the offseason. For example, Darwinzon Hernandez dropped about 18 pounds and Christian Vazquez lost about 15.
“A number of guys coming in in just tremendous shape,” Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said. “Which again, coming out of the winter that we just endured and everything that goes along with the pandemic is not something to take for granted. You see it with (Michael) Chavis. You see it with Bobby Dalbec. You see it with Christian Vazquez. Really up and down the group. Some of the minor leaguers that we have coming in. We got to see Connor Seabold a little earlier this spring and him coming in showing us more stuff than he showed at the alternate site.”
Bloom also mentioned that prospect Jay Groome, the 12th overall pick in the 2016 draft, has been impressive.
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