Red Sox Announce Pitchers For First Five Spring Games: Lackey Starts Saturday, Lester Sunday
BOSTON (CBS) - It's not their opening day rotation, but the Boston Red Sox announced their pitching plans for the their first week of spring games on Tuesday.
The Red Sox kick off their spring slate Thursday afternoon with their annual double-header against Northeastern and Boston College. Joel Hanrahan, Daniel Bard, Andrew Miller and Clayton Mortensen are all scheduled to pitch against the Huskies, with Koji Uehara, Andrew Bailey and Junichi Tazawa set to toe the rubber against BC.
John Lackey will make his first start of the spring on Saturday afternoon when Boston hosts the Tampa Bay Rays. Lackey is set to throw one inning, with Drake Britton, Pedro Beato, Anthony Carter, Jose De La Torre, Oscar Villareal and Alex Wilson scheduled to pitch as well.
Manager John Farrell said on Tuesday that Lackey will be on a five-day rotation this spring, and they will add an inning (or 15-18 pitchers) to his workload in each outing.
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Jon Lester, who will likely get his third opening day start come April 1 against the New York Yankees, will throw two innings on Sunday when the Red Sox visit the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter, Florida. After Lester puts in his work, Red Sox fans will get their first look at Ruby De La Rosa, acquired in last August's blockbuster trade with the Dodgers. Tazawa, Hanrahan, Bailey, Miller, and Uehara are also set to pitch.
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Boston will split up on Monday, with games against the Rays and Toronto Blue Jays on the docket. Alfredo Aceves will get the start against Tampa and likely toss two innings, with Chris Hernandez, Bard, Mortensen, Villareal and Wilson also scheduled to pitch. Knuckleballer Steven Wright will start against the Jays, with Allen Webster, Terry Doyle, Del La Torre, Beato, Chris Carpenter and Carter all set to get in some work.
