Cora: Chance that Betts starts at 2B 'very slim'

BOSTON -- The chances of Red Sox star right fielder Mookie Betts starting at second base when the World Series shifts to Los Angeles for Games 3, 4 and 5 (if necessary) have been downgraded to "very slim," according to manager Alex Cora.
Without the designated hitter at Dodger Stadium, moving Betts to second base would have allowed Cora to keep regular starting left fielder Andrew Benintendi and center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. in the outfield, along with star slugger J.D. Martinez (who made 93 starts at DH and 57 starts in the corner outfield spots this season), as Cora said Martinez will start every game in the World Series.
"He's the best defensive right fielder in the big leagues," said Cora. "He's not going to be the best defensive second baseman in the big leagues. You start moving a lot of parts, it looks like, obviously offensively, we can keep everybody together. But at the same time, is it worth it putting him at second?"
There could be occasions when Betts shifts to second base for an inning or two to accommodate in-game substitutions.
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"Kind of like [Chris] Taylor with [the Dodgers] and [Enrique] Hernandez," said Cora. "They move [them around]. There might be one inning when we feel like, 'OK, go to second, because we're going to hit.' And then we hit and then he'll go back to the outfield. But we have to be prepared."
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Ian Kinsler is Boston's primary starter at second base. Brock Holt plays there sometimes against righties.
Betts has gotten some work in at second base in the days leading up to the World Series, including a tutorial on turning double plays with Dustin Pedroia.
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In 2014, his rookie season, Betts played 14 games at second when Pedroia was injured. He also played there six innings in a game this season when Kinsler left with an injury. Aside from that, Betts has been used exclusively in the outfield in the Majors. He's a two-time Gold Glove Award winner and is likely to win again this season.
"We don't throw too many ground balls, they don't hit too many ground balls," said Cora. "I'm not worried about him making the plays but in the outfield, he's that good. It's the World Series. I'm not going to complain about it. We knew the rules coming into the tournament a while ago that we were going to play X amount of games in the National League, and good for us that if it goes seven, we only play three over there."
So with Betts set to play the outfield, the question is who will come out of the lineup in Los Angeles. In Game 3, the Dodgers have a righty starting in Walker Buehler. If American League Championship Series MVP Bradley starts a road game, it would likely be Game 3.
The Dodgers are expected to start lefties in their other two home games. Bradley has a .546 OPS against lefties in 137 plate appearances this season, including the postseason. Benintendi, also a left-handed hitter, has a .700 OPS against lefties.
If Benintendi sits, Cora expects to play Martinez in left, Bradley in center and Betts in right. When Bradley sits, it will be Benintendi in left, Betts in center and Martinez in right.
No bullpen warmup this time for Price
Given that David Price's sparkling effort in Game 5 of the ALCS came a day after he threw extensively in the bullpen during the late innings of Game 4, it was fair to wonder if he would repeat that routine leading into his start in Wednesday's World Series Game 2.
"No, I'm not going to do that tonight. I had a good catch out there a little bit ago, so I'll carry that into tomorrow," said Price.
Price tends to throw more than other pitchers the day before he starts.

"Just something that makes my delivery just flow a little bit better, kind of puts my arm more on time for every throw. Just puts me in a position to execute every pitch," said Price.
For a change, Price enters a postseason series without having to talk about never having won a playoff start. He finally got that elusive victory in Game 5 at Houston.
"Yesterday we had media day. I got to look forward to it for the first time in a long time," said Price. "Today it's definitely a weight lifted off of me for sure. Not like food tastes better or anything like that. But it was time. And I'm definitely glad that the time came and we moved past it. And I look forward to doing the same thing tomorrow."
Family affair
For Cora, the World Series has turned into a family reunion. His daughter, mother and brother, Joey, who is a coach for the Pirates, were all in town.
How many family members are in Boston for the World Series?
"Too many. It's getting expensive," quipped Cora. "We've got 25, I think."

Cora chuckled about the most avid baseball fan in his family -- his mother, Iris -- not attending the ALCS.
"She said, 'I'll see you in the World Series.' I got mad at her," said Cora. "Honestly. I was like, when I didn't see her, I thought she was playing -- 'I'm going to surprise him.' And then she didn't come, and I called her and I was like, 'Are you kidding me?' She said, 'I'm sorry.' I felt bad afterwards. 'World Series or bust.' That's what she said."