Boston Red Sox Spring Training 2023

Red Sox Notebook: Kenley Jansen ‘excited’ to adjust to new MLB rules New closer working with a pitch timer


By Gabrielle Starr | gstarr@bostonherald.com |
PUBLISHED: February 15, 2023 at 4:44 p.m. | UPDATED: February 15, 2023 at 4:45 p.m.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Kenley Jansen is one of the best closers of his generation.

He’s the active leader in games finished, a two-time Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year, three-time All-Star, and 2020 World Series champion. Since 2013, he’s made at least one postseason appearance every October, with a 2.20 ERA across 59 career playoff games.

He’s also, in his own words, “the slowest guy in the league,” so in addition to spending the next few weeks ramping up, he’s going to have to speed up.

This year, pitchers will be on the clock. The pitch timer is one of several rule changes MLB is implementing, supposedly to improve the game. Pitchers now have to be in motion before time runs out: 15 seconds with the bases empty, 20 seconds with a runner on base, 30 seconds in between hitters. Failure to get moving will result in an automatic ball.

As if Fenway Park wasn’t a stressful enough environment before.

It’s not the easiest adjustment for anyone to make, let alone a 35-year-old entering their 14th big-league season.

Baseball Savant’s Pitch Tempo measures the time between pitch releases, a slightly different metric than the timer, which clocks the time elapsed between the pitcher receiving the ball from the catcher and beginning their delivery of the next pitch. But among qualified pitchers in 2022, Jansen’s 25.6 pitch tempo (19.6 timer equivalent) made him the third-slowest pitcher with the bases empty, and his 22.3% Slow Rate outranked them all. With runners on, he worked slower than anyone last season, a 31.4 tempo (25.4 timer equiv.) and the second-worst Slow Rate, 57.4%.

After 12 seasons with the Dodgers, including three consecutive All-Star seasons between 2016-18, NL MVP and Cy Young votes in 2017, and a World Series ring in 2020, Jansen spent 2022 with the Braves. He posted a 3.38 ERA across 65 appearances and led the National League in games finished (54) and saves (41).

Will the timer hamper that kind of production? Jansen abstained from playing for Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic in order to “adapt to the pitch clock.” Of course, his teammates also play a part in determining whether or not he’ll have save opportunities at all.

But in this tumultuous, bittersweet offseason, Jansen has been like a balm, soothing a smarting wound.

Not just because he immediately improves a bullpen that was among the worst in the game last year, but because he’s said all the right things since signing earlier this winter.

As he did on the frigid day when he was introduced at Fenway last month, the 35-year-old righty raved about his new organization in the Florida sunshine on Wednesday. “Mostly, I’m excited to just be wearing this uniform, I’m excited to be here, excited to compete,” he said. Talking about reuniting with longtime Dodgers teammates Justin Turner and Kiké Hernández, Jansen smiled and continued, “We’re happy to be here. We’re happy to wear this uniform. We understand what this uniform comes with, a lot of greatness.”

Greatness, to be sure, but a lot of pressure, too. And now, the clock is ticking.
Devers ’embarrassed’

After Chaim Bloom was asked on Tuesday if Kiké Hernández “has the resumé” to be a leader on this team, the super-utility player got some digs in on Twitter, writing, “Anybody know how to use LinkedIn? Need help with my resume.” Instead of a period, he ended with an upside-down smiley face, an emoji typically used for sarcastic, frustrated, or passive-aggressive sentiments.

Hernández is only signed through this season, but he’s been vocal about readying to lead the team, noting the departure of its longest-tenured players: Christian Vázquez, Xander Bogaerts, JD Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi, and Matt Barnes.

But this week, his outspokenness made waves when he opined that the ’22 team “got comfortable” being in last place.

His manager and at least one of his teammates disagree. Alex Cora explicitly said, “I don’t agree… When I saw [that take] I was like, ‘No.’ I wasn’t comfortable. I don’t think that the group was comfortable. You talk to Raffy, he’ll be very, very clear that that wasn’t acceptable.”

And on Wednesday, Rafael Devers told reporters the same and didn’t mince words. “I don’t think we felt comfortable being in last place. To be honest with you, last year was disappointing. I feel embarrassed by what we did last year,” he said.

He went on, “And that’s why I don’t think that’s going to happen again. We’re working towards that goal to be better and to fight for championships. That’s what we do here. And to be honest with you, we felt really embarrassed last year. … But we know we have the guys in there that can turn the page around and can make it to the playoffs and win championships. Like I said before, it was something that happened last year. Nobody was happy. And now we turn the page and focus on 2023.”

In his original comments, Hernández also “I don’t think this is an organization that should settle for last place,” and stressed that players need to be more vocal and hold one another accountable.

Intentional or not, he’s already gotten Devers to speak up.
Story’s best- and worst-case scenarios

Trevor Story’s timeline is about as fluid as that dirty water.

On Wednesday morning, he said it’s “realistic” that he could play in the second half of the season. The sophisticated sling that cradled his arm at Winter Weekend last month is gone, and he’s doing range-of-motion work now. “We’re right on track,” he said.

But in addition to what he described as the “best-case scenario,” he acknowledged the “worst-case scenario,” that he could miss the entire season. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom hasn’t rule that out, either.

To that end, there’s been no decision as to whether or not he’ll ship up to Boston with the team when the regular season starts. That’s to be expected at this stage of spring training, but Story said he’d like to go with the team, stressing the importance of togetherness.

Rafael Devers has taken his place, including in the clubhouse, as the face of the Red Sox
By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated February 15, 2023, 5:00 p.m.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Like real estate, the key to having a good locker in a baseball clubhouse is location, location, location.

Rafael Devers moved into the high-rent district at JetBlue Park this week, taking over a space that originally belonged to David Ortiz when the facility opened in 2012 and was later passed down to Dustin Pedroia and J.D. Martinez.

It’s a corner spot near the door that leads out to the practice fields. There’s extra space for a small bench on the side and Devers has his own mirror.

It’s a penthouse and the 26-year-old Devers has a long-term lease after agreeing to an 11-year, $331 million contract last month.

It’s the longest and richest deal in team history. Somewhere out there is a 12-year-old kid who could be Devers’s teammate someday, that’s how long his deal is.




He arrived in camp on Tuesday after spending six weeks in Tampa working with former major leaguer Grégor Blanco to be ready for spring training.

The two met up at a high school field every day, Devers getting his work done in anonymity as people walked by not knowing a two-time All-Star with a career .854 OPS was taking grounders.

One of the few breaks Devers took was to attend the NHL All-Star Game across the state in Sunrise.

Turns out that Devers is a hockey fan. He got a signed jersey and stick from Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin after the game.

“He’s like [Albert] Pujols for hockey, right?” Devers said. “Big guy.”

That’s a pretty good comparison. Raffy Devers is a puckhead. Who knew?

Devers has worked with Blanco for a few years and credits him with the improvement he has made defensively at third base.

“I didn’t change anything. I know that works for me,” Devers said.

Devers took questions from reporters for 11 minutes after coming off the field. He speaks English increasingly well but prefers using a translator to relay his answers, especially in a group setting with television cameras running.

For international players, there is always a concern that something could be misconstrued and a translator guards against that.

But Devers understands his contract carries with it a duty to represent the team to the public and in time, the answers will come directly from him.

Over the last few years, manager Alex Cora and the players have seen Devers change. Nobody, they will tell you, gets more upset after a loss.

“He’s been locked-in with the team the whole time,” Cora said. “His input is important. He’s the same kid; just getting ready to play. This guy, he’s been a leader of this team for a while here. When he talks in that clubhouse, it’s important.”

An example: Kiké Hernández suggested on Monday that the Sox were too comfortable being in last place.

Devers grimaced when he heard that. He certainly didn’t feel that way.

“We were embarrassed by what we did last year,” he said. “It was something that happened last year and nobody was happy about it. Now we turn the page.”

Devers will leave Sox camp early next month to join the Dominican Republic and prepare for the World Baseball Classic.

That experience, playing with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Julio Rodriguez, Juan Soto, and other stars, will further shape Devers.

Playing for the Dominican Republic for the first time is something special for him.

“For me to be able to represent a country with so many talented players in all of baseball, we’re going to give 100 percent,” he said. “I’m super happy and proud about that.”

So, who is the best player on the Dominican Republic roster? Devers laughed and waited a bit before responding.

“I can’t tell you one name,” was his diplomatic answer.

For a second it seemed Devers would say that he is.

That’s the type of confidence you want to see from a player who is now at the center of everything.

Why Alex Cora’s tough love approach to Red Sox’s Alex Verdugo was ‘final straw’ for outfielder

Updated: Feb. 16, 2023, 8:13 a.m.|Published: Feb. 16, 2023, 6:20 a.m.


By

Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Hours before the final Red Sox game of 2022, Alex Cora sent a message he hoped would be received by the time he arrived at Fenway South a few months later. That message was received loud and clear.

In Cora’s final pregame media session of 2022, a reporter asked him which Red Sox player needed to take the biggest step forward in 2023. Before the question was even out of the reporter’s mouth, Cora interjected with one word: “Alex.”

“Alex,” of course, referred to Alex Verdugo, the former centerpiece of the Mookie Betts trade who has had an up-and-down three-year tenure with the Red Sox. Verdugo was arguably the team’s best player in the shortened 2020 season, then was a member of the supporting cast as Boston made a surprise run to the ALCS in 2021. In 2022, Verdugo hit a respectable .280 but his numbers fell across the board. Both publicly and privately, Red Sox officials remarked that he had taken a significant step backward. Cora put it bluntly on Oct. 5, saying Verdugo could be “a lot better” with some adjustments.

“Yeah, he hit for average, but he can be a lot better baserunning, defensively,” Cora said then. “He’s getting to that area in his career that’s, ‘Who is he gonna be?’ We talked about this with (Andrew Benintendi) a few years ago, right? You see the player he has become. (Benintendi) has become a better defender, a good hitter. I think Verdugo has the chance to hit for power, hit for average, but he can impact the game running the bases and playing defense.”


Verdugo heard Cora’s comments. If the manager was trying to light a fire under his right fielder, it appears his strategy worked.

“I’m real about it. I don’t like when people talk (expletive) about me,” Verdugo said Wednesday. “I don’t like when people say anything about me in certain ways. But in his aspect, he wasn’t saying it to bash me. He wasn’t saying it out of spite. He was saying it because he truly believes that there’s so much more and that he wants to figure out a way to spark it and to get it. I think he did.

“It was just that final straw, man,” Verdugo said. “I was just tired of people always having something to say about me and it’s like, you know what, (expletive) it. Let’s handle what I can handle. Let’s control what I can control and put in the work.”

Verdugo didn’t have a bad 2022 — he was 11th on the team with a 1.2 bWAR — but he did not take a step forward in his age-26 season. Offensively, his average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+ and wRC+ fell from 2021 and he hit two fewer homers. Defensively, the struggles were more pronounced. Verdugo was worth minus-4 defensive runs saved, which ranked 43rd out of 51 qualified outfielders. He ranked in the 11th percentile of all defenders in outs above average and in the 39th percentile in outfielder jump while his throwing arm was challenged by opposing teams. Verdugo’s sprint speed, which averaged 27.5 ft/s in 2020 and 27 ft/s in 2021, was down to 26.8 ft/s in 2022. He had only one steal and often looked a step slower in the outfield.

Verdugo attributes some of those struggles to two previously unreported injuries. After fouling a ball off his foot during batting practice in April, he played through a hairline fracture in his big toe for weeks. That injury, while painful, affected Verdugo less than shoulder issues (a shoulder impingement and rotator cuff inflammation) that kept his arm “in shambles” for most of the season.

“I couldn’t drive the ball,” Verdugo said. “I couldn’t stay through the ball... I just battled it all year and I never really got better. I took the offseason to heal it and start up a whole shoulder program, throwing program. I’m in a lot better (of a) spot.”

Verdugo led the team with a career-high 152 games, which was two more than ironman Xander Bogaerts. But accomplishing his goal of being in the lineup on a daily basis proved costly.

“I’m like kind of stuck in the old heads’ way of, ‘You don’t want to be on (the IL),” he said. “You want to play through everything and and go. Part of me wishes maybe I should have just took that week or two weeks that it was just to heal up more and get and address it, but at the same time I had something to prove to myself (playing everyday) and I did that.”

Red Sox officials were also displeased with Verdugo’s conditioning and preparation throughout the 2022 season. As Cora has repeatedly said, some in the organization believe he bulked up in order to hit for more power (similar to how Andrew Benintendi did in 2019) and saw his overall game suffer as a result. Knowing the Red Sox wanted a leaner player in 2023, Verdugo focused on dropping weight this winter.

“I’m skinnier,” a leaner-looking Verdugo said. “Eating better, working out better, doing more cardio and just working, man. I had an agenda and I knew how I wanted to feel. I didn’t stop.”

Cora is pleased with how Verdugo came into camp and the progress he has made working with outfield instructor Kyle Hudson and hitting coach Peter Fatse so far.

“Step one, he checked the box. Physically, a lot different,” Cora said. “He’s going to to the (World Baseball Classic), which in this case, I think it helps because he has to be ready earlier than usual. And his offseason was different. So step one, we accomplished that and now we’ve just got to maintain that.”

In previous years, Cora has used tough love to get the most out of players like Rafael Devers and Eduardo Rodriguez. Verdugo, who has played for two well-regarded managers in two major media markets, knows how it works. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t take some time for him to fully understand the purpose behind Cora’s comments.

“It just pissed me off, man,” Verdugo said. “But everything pisses me off. I don’t like when people talk about me and things like that. They had reasons to talk, right? They had fuel, they had (expletive) ammunition for it. For me, it’s ‘Let’s take that away.’

“I took it how I was supposed to take it,” he added. “I took it on the chin and took it as more of a compliment than I did as an insult. At first, I thought about it like, ‘Man, why is why is it me?’ But I agree with what he says.”

Cora believes Verdugo is a five-tool player who can hit 40-50 doubles and impact Boston’s lineup while playing solid defense in right field. Verdugo said he believes he’s capable of being an All-Star. Verdugo thinks the work he put in this winter as a response to Cora’s comments might just get him to that goal.

“Throughout my whole career, I’ve always been told how good I am and what I could be and the type of player that I could turn into,” Verdugo said. “It’s good to hear that stuff and makes you feel good, but at the same time, you don’t want to keep hearing it as you’re getting older and older. You want to actually do it and become that player. I just was tired of always saying, ‘Oh next year, I’ll be better.’ I just said, ‘(expletive) it. I’m gonna I’m gonna work extra hard. I’m gonna switch up some things.’ I think I put myself in a really good spot to start this year.”

Alex Cora explains why Red Sox signed Yu Chang to fortify infield mix

Published: Feb. 16, 2023, 1:21 p.m.


By

Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox entered spring training a tad light on infield depth. On Thursday, they fortified that mix with a minor move, signing versatile infielder Yu Chang to a one-year, $850,000 deal.



The Red Sox are familiar with Chang, who spent the last few weeks of 2022 with Boston after the club claimed from Tampa Bay on Sept. 12. With Trevor Story out for a significant chunk of the season after undergoing elbow surgery and Adalberto Mondesí doubtful for Opening Day as he continues his ACL rehab, the Red Sox thought it was important to bring in another body. Chang will report to camp in-mid March because he is playing for Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic.

“He’s another shortstop,” manager Alex Cora said. “Obviously, we know that (Mondesí), there’s a chance he won’t be ready for Opening Day. We need a deeper roster. With him, we accomplished that.”

The Red Sox project to have Kiké Hernández at shortstop and Christian Arroyo at second base to start the season with Mondesí providing a depth option at both spots once he comes back. Story’s midseason return will shuffle the mix significantly but for now, the Sox have limited options up the middle.

Before the signing of Chang, the only three middle infielders on Boston’s 40-man roster behind Hernández, Arroyo and Mondesí were prospects David Hamilton, Ceddanne Rafaela and Enmanuel Valdez, who have never played in the majors. Chang would seem to have an inside track on making the Opening Day roster because he received a major league deal.

Chang had a crazy 2022. He played for four teams (Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Boston) before the Red Sox non-tendered him in November. He didn’t hit much (.222 average, .624 OPS in 69 games) but is a former top prospect who is seen as a capable defender. The 27-year-old has 35 or more games of experience at all four infield positions. With the Red Sox in September, he appeared at first base, second base and shortstop.

“His defense was good. He put good at-bats but defensively, he’s solid,” Cora said. “You can move him around. Good athlete. He put competitive at-bats but I think his defense is what separates him from the others.”

MLB will implement its new rules from Day 1 of spring, so Red Sox must get used to them quickly
By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated February 16, 2023, 49 minutes ago

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Major League Baseball is embarking upon what it describes as its most far-reaching rule changes in decades. The undertaking comes with a warning: Buckle up.

Three changes for 2023 were announced late last season: A pitch clock (15 seconds with the bases empty, 20 with runners on), the shift-busting requirement to have two infielders positioned on the dirt and on either side of second base, and larger bases.

In a presentation on the rule changes Wednesday, MLB officials also announced that as an outgrowth of the pitch clock — to identify the start of a delivery — it will increase enforcement of hundred-year-old rules on illegal pitches and balks.

On the former, pitchers will be allowed only one backward or lateral step before a step forward — thus eliminating, for instance, the “rock the baby” delivery of Astros hurler Luis Garcia and the hypercaffeinated toe tap of Kevin Gausman. For the latter, pitchers in the stretch will be required to come to a well-defined set position.


To MLB, the goals of reducing between-pitches dead time and showcasing athleticism by increasing the incentive to steal bases are compelling draws in an entertainment business. Still, it expects some turbulence will occur before players reach cruising altitude with the new rules — a notion familiar to new Red Sox reliever Richard Bleier.

Bleier’s big league story is a good one. A 2008 sixth-rounder, he grinded through nine minor league seasons before getting called up by the Yankees in 2016. The 35-year-old lefthander — acquired by the Sox from the Marlins for Matt Barnes — has now appeared in 308 career games.

Yet he is perhaps best known because of MLB’s efforts to increase enforcement of the balk rule last season. On Sept. 27, Bleier — who hadn’t been charged with a balk in his first 303 career appearances — was charged with three balks in one inning against the Mets for what was deemed a failure to come to a complete stop. He was the first pitcher since 1988 to be dinged for three infractions.

“Words cannot describe what happened,” said Bleier, who was thrown out of the game after completing the inning. “To this day, I don’t see it.

“I feel like I’ve had a decent career. And now I’m known for balking three times. On one hand, it’s like, oh, people actually know who I am now. But on the other hand, it’s kind of annoying, it’s something embarrassing that I’m known for.”

There surely will be similar moments in 2023, whether with pitch-clock violations, illegal deliveries, or the balk rule. For that reason, MLB will enforce all of the new rules out of the chute in spring training.

The hope is that the most challenging adjustment period occurs early in spring training, rendering Bleier-esque scenarios infrequent by the time official games start.

The minor league experience with the pitch clock last year offers some hope on that front. According to MLB, pitch-clock violations went from an average of 1.73 per game in Week 2 of implementation to 0.73 by Week 5. By the end of the season, there was an average of 0.41 violations per game.

“There’s going to be an adjustment period,” said MLB vice president of on-field strategy Joe Martinez. “Particularly early in camp, it will be less smooth than I hope it is in the middle and end of camp, and particularly when we get to the regular season.

“The idea is, we start assessing violations from Day 1, enforcing violations right out of the gates, that’s going to accelerate the adjustment period.”

Still, pitchers will face different degrees of difficulty in their adjustment — and one Red Sox pitcher must adjust both his pace and, on some pitches, his delivery to conform. According to MLB.com, new Sox closer Kenley Jansen averaged roughly 19.6 seconds per pitch with the bases empty (third-highest in MLB) and 25.4 seconds with men on (slowest in MLB).

Moreover, Jansen has varied the tempo of his delivery by sometimes lifting his left (lead) foot and turning his hip inward before resetting and then delivering — a delivery that now will be illegal. It will be an automatic ball with the bases empty, a balk with a man on. (Jansen would be permitted to rock back and forth without putting his foot down, a tactic employed by Nestor Cortes of the Yankees, or to engage in Luis Tiant-esque shimmies and turns.)

Jansen understands the significant adjustment, noting that he worked this offseason on accelerating his tempo. He also has opted not to pitch for Team Netherlands in pool play of the World Baseball Classic — where the pitch clock won’t be in effect — in order to pitch in Grapefruit League games where he’ll be on the clock.

Rather than bemoan the challenge, he has decided to run headlong into it.

It will be strange, Jansen acknowledged, “But what can you do? We have plenty of time. They’re making the adjustment at the right time. If you put it in your mind that it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be tough.

“I’m excited about it. It’s a game of adjustments. You’ve got to make adjustments quick. I’m going to be OK with it.”

MLB is optimistic.

“We wouldn’t do this unless we thought it was worthwhile and for the better of the game on the whole and what the fans want,” said Martinez. “We hope that it’s not too disruptive. We don’t want this to negatively affect anyone’s career and their performance.

“Kenley is a great pitcher. He’s been a great pitcher for a long time. He’s still going to be good. He’s going to get into some new routines, he’s going to move around a little faster.

“I don’t doubt that when we look up at the All-Star break or at the end of the season, he’s still going to be Kenley Jansen. He’s still going to be effective. But if it’s a little bit uncomfortable at first, that’s not our intent.”

While Jansen is approaching the new rules without rancor, other players will remain more skeptical, particularly early in the year. After all, when the MLB Competition Committee — comprising six team representatives, four player reps, and one umpire — voted on the rule changes for 2022, all four players voted against implementation this year.


But they were outvoted, rendering sentiment less relevant than the sheer practicality of a spring in which clocks are visible at every turn at Fenway South.

“It’s happening,” shrugged Bleier, “and it’s something that we’re going to have to learn how to deal with.”

Football, food and fly balls: Yoshida fitting in at Red Sox camp
February 16th, 2023
Ian Browne

Ian Browne
@ianmbrowne


FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Out on Field 1 at the Fenway South complex on Thursday, Masataka Yoshida hit fly balls deep to the opposite field with ease. Watching his fluid swing from the left side, it was easy to imagine the Japanese lefty spraying the ball off the Green Monster at Fenway Park numerous times during his rookie season.

Hitting is what comes most naturally to the left fielder, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Red Sox. The culture barrier, however, will be a bigger challenge for the 29-year-old.

That said, Yoshida is embracing the challenge of integrating himself within his new world.

Take Super Bowl Sunday, for example.

Yoshida joined manager Alex Cora and Boston’s coaching staff, plus new teammates Kiké Hernández and Trevor Story and former Red Sox catcher Christian Vázquez for a watch party. Cora hosted the festivities at his Spring Training home.

While Yoshida is well-known for being a selective hitter, the same doesn’t appear to be true at mealtime.

“He had some Puerto Rican food and, I mean, he crushed it,” said Cora. “Just being around the guys [is beneficial]. He's been here since Feb. 4. He was watching the game [with us] and hanging out with the boys and eating and trying everything.”

“All the food was great,” Yoshida added through an interpreter. “I enjoyed everything. And it was great to get to know American football and all the rules and regulations about football. They really made it easy for me to get to know each other. It was a good opportunity for me.”

The next big step for Yoshida will be gaining more confidence in his English, which will make conversations with his new teammates much easier.

“Well, you know, I’m still having a tough time, a hard time to speak exactly when I want to say it, because I can’t come up with the words to say it,” Yoshida said. “But I’ve been trying to communicate openly with all the teammates.”

By the time the summer rolls around, Yoshida might be found exploring the Freedom Trail, Boston Common or Faneuil Hall. He could also be taking in a Celtics or Bruins playoff game at TD Garden.

“I’ve heard that Boston’s a really great city and I’m really looking forward -- especially when my family comes over -- to do some touring around the city and feel the history of the city,” Yoshida said.

As far as baseball goes, it was important for Yoshida to get to Fort Myers 10 days before camp started because he will be leaving for a bit on March 2 when he joins Team Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

“I came here earlier because I want to be ready gradually,” Yoshida said. “I just didn't want to rush myself to be ready for the WBC and go right into the game situation. So it was good for me to come early and build up slowly.”

Next week, Yoshida will see Major League pitching for the first time. His first taste will be live batting practice against teammates. On Feb. 25, the Red Sox will play their Grapefruit League opener against the Braves.

“Everything is the first thing for me, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of pitches all these pitchers I’m facing will be throwing and how I will adjust to it. I'm just looking forward to that,” Yoshida said.

The real proving ground for Yoshida starts on March 30, when the Red Sox open their season at Fenway against the Orioles.

In the meantime, Cora is enthused by the way the left fielder is building his foundation.

“He will hit the ball all over the place. He’ll control the strike zone. He has a pretty good idea of what he wants to do as far as his structure and the way he goes about it,” Cora said. “There’s a reason for the whole thing. Today he tracked pitches, he went back and hit, he shagged. This guy, he gets it. He’s a veteran. He’s been there, done that. So it’s about him getting used to the whole thing.”