Will Durbin start Opening Day at hot corner? Cora 'comfortable' with him there

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- How do you basically say someone will be your starting third baseman without outright saying it?

“Caleb [Durbin], he's playing third base today, again,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora prior to Tuesday’s game. “We'll probably decide that next week, but I feel very comfortable with him at third base.”

Though Cora wanted to leave the option open to play Durbin at second, the diminutive infielder has most often been at third base in drills and in games.

In Milwaukee last season, Durbin started 119 games at third base compared to three at second. But he made 150 starts at second over parts of five seasons in the Minors.

What are the Red Sox waiting for before they say definitively that Durbin will be at the hot corner for Opening Day on March 26 at Cincinnati?

“At the end of day, it's who we feel more comfortable with at which position and also the player,” Cora said. “I don't want Caleb to be moving from second to third during the season. I want him to play one position only, and then just go do your thing at the plate.”

What does Cora like specifically at third?

“He has a good arm,” Cora said. “He was banged up last year, and I think that actually helped him with everything that he's doing right now. I’ve seen a lot of third basemen with cannons at third base, but their footwork is not great. This kid has a good arm, and he has great footwork.”

The most likely outcome with the near inevitability that Durbin will play third is that Marcelo Mayer breaks camp as the second baseman. However, Cora has steadfastly said that Mayer needs to win a job to make the Opening Day roster.

Mayer, a natural shortstop, has made several stellar plays at second base in Grapefruit League action. Last season, he subbed at third base for Boston when Alex Bregman was on the injured list, and he could return to the hot corner if the Red Sox reverse their current thinking and make Durbin the second baseman.

Boston’s main goal is to have a vastly improved infield defense this season, and Durbin and Mayer should help them achieve that goal in addition to offseason acquisition Willson Contreras, who will play first. Trevor Story, the steady veteran, will once again be at short.

Bullpen spots up for grabs

Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert and Zack Kelly are certain to be five of Boston’s eight relievers on Opening Day, provided there are no hiccups from a health standpoint. Jovani Moran projects as the second reliever behind Chapman. That means there are probably two spots up for grabs.

Coming into camp, Rule 5 Draft pick Ryan Watson seemed to have an inside track on a roster spot, but he has struggled in his outings.

There could be crowded competition for the final couple of spots. If the Sox want to take a third lefty, Tyler Samaniego is an option. Among the non-roster candidates are righties Tayron Guerrero, Seth Martinez and Noah Song.

A ‘better’ Gray day

On the “veteran’s program,” as Cora referred to it earlier this spring, Sonny Gray made just his second Grapefruit League start on Tuesday in the 7-2 loss to the Tigers, allowing three hits and two runs over four innings while walking one and striking out four.

Boston’s projected No. 2 or 3 starter, Gray, who has one of the most expansive pitch mixes in the game, uses Spring Training in a highly methodical fashion.

“I felt better today, closer, but not there yet,” Gray said. “I felt better but still had some long at-bats, some longer innings. I feel like I did a better job in a couple at-bats getting to 0-2 and 1-2 and wasn’t able to put them away, but I feel like I did better. It was better. It wasn’t great, but I felt better.”