Alex Cora Drops Big Hint As Red Sox Opening Day Approaches

The Red Sox still have three weeks of spring training left, but Alex Cora might have already seen enough.

With a number of new faces in Boston’s clubhouse, one might have assumed Cora was going to use all of the Red Sox’s time in Fort Myers, Fla., before making any Opening Day lineup decisions. But as the World Series-winning manager revealed Sunday, his plan for the club’s first series in Texas might already be set.

“I have a pretty good idea of what I’m going to do. I’m just not going to share it with you guys,” Cora told reporters, per MLB.com. “But we have to make sure everything happens. It’s too early in spring (to announce anything). It’s March 2. We’ve still got kids getting their first at-bats here. We’ll get there when we get there. Like I said, versatility is huge for me. And athleticism, that’s very important to me, too. We’ve just got to make sure we’re healthy, and we’re getting there.”

Fortunately for Cora, any problems he might have faced in terms of lineup construction were mostly good problems. The Red Sox have improved a talented roster, which surely will make it tough for Cora to determine who sees playing time regularly — and where.

But as the veteran manager noted, an Opening Day lineup announcement is not imminent. Thus, Red Sox fans will have to remain patient as they wait for the regular season to begin.