Red Sox Name Beckett Starter In Grapefruit Opener
FORT MYERS, FL (CBS)- The Red Sox have named their opening day starter.
Sort of.
Manager Terry Francona announced Josh Beckett will start the Grapefruit League opener on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins. Clay Buchholz will follow out of the bullpen.
Daisuke Matsuzaka will start n Monday night's game against the Twins.
"It's the Mayor's Cup so we had to stack it a little bit," Francona joked of the spring rivalry with the Twins.
Read: Heyman: Sox To Pick Up Tito's Options
Francona also said on Tuesday that first baseman Adrian Gonzalez took 30 more swings off a tee, as he comes back from offseason shoulder surgery. Gonzalez was cleared to begin swinging a bat on Monday, and will have the option to take Wednesday off or swing for the third day in a row.
Read: Gonzalez Cleared To Swing
Francona said closer Jonathan Papelbon was not on the field Tuesday because of the flu. Papelbon missed the team's workout on Sunday to tend to his wife, who was sick at the time. Papelbon was not feeling well Monday, but was able to make it through his side session.
