Pearce is still not 100% after the calf injury he sustained back on St. Patrick's Day, and the Red Sox announced he will start the season on the IL. Pearce will miss at least the first 7 games of the season.
“He had plenty of at-bats in the minor leagues, so it just matters how he feels moving around,” Cora told the reporters (including Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald) before Monday’s game. “You guys know we’re not going to push him. We have to be smart about this because just to push him out there just because it’s Opening Day makes no sense for what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Pearce’s IL stint can backdated to three days before Opening Day, so it’s possible he could miss just seven games and return April 4 in Oakland. He’s one of two expected contributors to begin the year inactive, joining second baseman Dustin Pedroia."
Sam Travis will make the Opening Day roster.
Interesting that Travis is up. If they wanted to, the team could have kept all 3 catchers until Pearce is ready, with Holt backing up Moreland at first base for a little while. Swihart has also played some first base (only 10 games in the majors.)
Looks like they just decided to settle the catching situation now rather than postpone it for a week or so, and to keep an actual first baseman who is RH to face the 3 lefties we will see in the first 4 games.
“He had plenty of at-bats in the minor leagues, so it just matters how he feels moving around,” Cora told the reporters (including Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald) before Monday’s game. “You guys know we’re not going to push him. We have to be smart about this because just to push him out there just because it’s Opening Day makes no sense for what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Pearce’s IL stint can backdated to three days before Opening Day, so it’s possible he could miss just seven games and return April 4 in Oakland. He’s one of two expected contributors to begin the year inactive, joining second baseman Dustin Pedroia."
Sam Travis will make the Opening Day roster.
Interesting that Travis is up. If they wanted to, the team could have kept all 3 catchers until Pearce is ready, with Holt backing up Moreland at first base for a little while. Swihart has also played some first base (only 10 games in the majors.)
Looks like they just decided to settle the catching situation now rather than postpone it for a week or so, and to keep an actual first baseman who is RH to face the 3 lefties we will see in the first 4 games.