SEATTLE -- There are no health concerns with Red Sox ace Chris Sale and therefore there is nothing the club is concerned about heading into his next start.

Opening Day was what it was -- a very bad day. Sale is already back to the drawing board and is likely to produce a much better result in Oakland on Tuesday night.

“I was talking to Chris. He understands where he's at and what he needs to do,” said manager Alex Cora. “He's going to be fine. From my end, he’s healthy, and that's the most important thing.”

The low 90s velocity readings? That was completely by design, and also the way Sale pitched for the first several weeks of last season.

“When you don't see the 98, 99 [mph], people are going to question it,” said Cora. “We understand that, but people who paid attention to what we did last year understand that before that Texas start [in May], the velocity wasn't where it was in the summer. The thing is that everybody remembers what happened in September and October. We understand. Physically he's fine. He'll be OK.”

Cora was asked whether he was confident Sale would get back to the pitcher who can throw in the high 90s.

“Over time, yeah,” Cora said. “I don’t want to bring back when I was the bench coach in Houston [in 2017], but I heard a lot of people were saying he was throwing 99 from the get-go and he ran out of bullets in October. Which one do you take? Him throwing 99 in March and April, or him pitching in the World Series?”

The issues from Thursday’s 12-4 loss in which Sale lasted three innings and gave up three homers seemed mechanical.

“They'll work on it these next few days and he'll be ready for his next one,” said Cora. “He feels he's a little bit off, probably extension, all that stuff they talk about. We got information from last year, he'll compare it and they'll go from there. But the most important thing is he's healthy, which I know everybody worries about it.”

Swihart ready for first test

After beating out Sandy Leon for the backup catcher spot, Blake Swihart will get his first start on Saturday night against the Mariners.

“We’re about to see,” said Cora. “He put a good Spring Training together. He put a good Spring Training together last year. But I think the at-bats this year were better than last year. Last year, he had a lot of first-pitch hits during the spring. And then obviously the numbers were up there.

“But this year, he battled. There were a lot of two-strike at-bats. He put [together] good swings. He was a guy that everybody was talking about him being an offensive catcher. We’re about to find out.”

Time for results from Thornburg

Tyler Thornburg appeared to be cruising to a scoreless inning on Opening Day when he got two quick outs. But then he gave up a double to Mitch Haniger and a homer to Domingo Santana. The Red Sox are hoping the righty can finally be a contributor after two injury-marred seasons.

“I mean, the stuff, he showed 96 and now it’s like, ‘OK, we’re to that point where we know you’re healthy and we need to get outs and finish innings.’” said Cora. “I think he’s done good getting two outs right away and then something happens and then something bigger happens. Maybe pitch mix, trying to slow him down. I do feel like he’s such a good athlete that it’s rushing, everything is fast.

“I actually talked to Christian [Vazquez] yesterday like, ‘hey man slow him down, find a way to slow him down.’ And he did in the last batter so he’s a guy that little by little stuff-wise, he’s a guy that we envision and like you said get a few outs and in a few situations and then be ready to put him out there [in bigger situations].”