Thornburg seeking bounce-back season in '19

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Tyler Thornburg faced batters on Wednesday to mixed results. The right-handed relief pitcher is healthy again and hoping to get his career back on track.

“The velocity was good,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who wasn’t concerned with an array of somewhat erratic breaking pitches.

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Thornburg appears healthy again after surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome in June 2017. He appeared in 25 games last season for the Red Sox, after missing the entire 2017 season, before being shut down prior to the Red Sox’s run to the World Series title. He pitched only 24 innings in 2018, allowing 28 hits and 15 earned runs in 25 games.

The 30-year-old is hoping to recreate the success he had with the Brewers, a team that drafted him in the third round in 2010. He pitched in five seasons with Milwaukee, appearing in a career-high 67 games during the 2016 season, one in which he posted a stellar 2.15 ERA. He saved 13 games and held the lead in 20 others.

He came to the Red Sox in a deal that sent Travis Shaw to the Brewers, and Thornburg is making one last push to keep his end of the deal. He’s signed to a one-year, $1.75 million non-guaranteed contract with incentives.

Thornburg is one of a few pitchers in the Red Sox’s bullpen who are out of Minor League options, but Cora isn’t ready to address that critical issue this early in camp.

“We’re in the first week of Spring Training,” Cora said. “We’ll talk about that probably in a few weeks.”

Camp closes early on Wednesday

Camp knocked off early Wednesday for a charity golf tournament. While some players took to the links, others used the early exit for other purposes.

Cora was one of those choosing not to play, as was Jackie Bradley Jr.

“No, no golf for me,” Bradley said.

Dustin Pedroia emphatically declined, giving others a chance to shine on the links in his absence.

“Not playing,” Pedroia said. “They’re not ready for me.”

Nunez to get his swings

It certainly gives a manager some options when he has a player with the versatility of someone like Eduardo Núñez. Whether it’s second base, third base or shortstop, Nunez is dependable. That kind of athleticism even allows him to play in the outfield as well.

Finding a permanent home in Boston’s lineup, however, might not be so easy. Currently behind Pedroia at second base, and further down the depth chart at shortstop behind Brock Holt as a backup to Xander Bogaerts, Nunez continues to search for playing time.

But Cora is fully aware of the talents possessed by the veteran and is confident that Nunez will see meaningful playing time.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Cora said. “It’s Spring Training. He’ll get at-bats. We’ll find ways to use everybody.”

Barrage of games awaits Red Sox staff

Shoring up the bullpen remains a big priority this spring with an added sense of urgency. The Red Sox open the 2019 season with a string of consecutive games that would tax any pitching staff. So getting his bullpen in order is one of Cora’s main concerns.

“We’ve got 11 games in a row to start off the season, so we’ll use the roster to our advantage,” said Cora.