MESA, Ariz. -- The Red Sox have set their rotation for the first turn through the order, and manager Alex Cora has deemed left-hander David Price healthy enough to be included.
Price, who was slowed during Spring Training by norovirus, will start the fifth game of the season, the opener of a four-game series in Oakland on Monday. Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi, Eduardo Rodriguez and Rick Porcello will start the first four games in Seattle, respectively.
"We got together, and he was OK with it," Cora said of Price starting Game No. 5.
Entering his final exhibition start on Tuesday vs. the Cubs, Price had pitched only three innings this spring in a start against the Tigers on March 12. That led to the decision for the left-hander to get some extra time before making his first regular-season start.
However, Cora said it's a possibility that Price could pitch in relief in either the first or second game of the season against the Mariners to get an additional tune-up outing.
"We discussed that probably over the past week or so, and I'm sure we'll keep talking about that," Price said. "Just another rep, just getting out there in a real game, one that counts."
In the Red Sox's 16-7 loss to the Cubs on Tuesday, Price allowed five earned runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings, with two walks and two strikeouts. More importantly, the left-hander is feeling strong entering the regular season.
"Good, really good," said Price. "Same as last year. Honestly, maybe even better physically than I felt last year. I didn't get as many reps as I did last year in Spring Training, but physically, it's probably one of the strongest I've felt heading into Opening Day."
With Price held until the end of the first turn, Eovaldi will start the second game of 2019. The right-hander went 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) for the Red Sox last season after being acquired from the Rays on July 25. He was even better in the postseason, posting a 1.61 ERA over 22 1/3 innings and played a key role in Boston winning the World Series.
Rodriguez will start the third game to split him from the other lefties in Boston's rotation. That left Porcello, the 2016 American League Cy Young Award winner, to start Game No. 4.
Leon clears waivers
The Red Sox made their final roster decision on Tuesday, as catcher Sandy Leon cleared waivers and has 48 hours to decide whether to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Pawtucket or become a free agent.
Christian Vázquez and Blake Swihart will be the two catchers on Boston's Opening Day roster.
"Sandy's a great guy, he commands respect behind the plate, we know what he brings to the table, but we're comfortable with the other two," Cora said. "They've done a good job."
Leon has been with the Red Sox since 2015, batting .229/.289/.347 in 293 games over the past four seasons. He hit .233/.378/.333 with a home run and five RBIs in 16 Grapefruit League games this year.
Swihart had a strong spring, batting .406/.419/.594 with a homer and six RBIs in 32 at-bats. Vazquez batted .132/.132/.237 with a homer and an RBI in 38 at-bats.
Pearce hopes for quick return
It was announced Monday night that Steve Pearce (left calf injury) will open the 2019 season on the injured list, but the veteran first baseman is hoping he'll be ready for the three-game series against the D-backs in Arizona from April 5-7.
"I don't want to rush it for the start of the season and take a chance and let it linger for the whole season, or I can knock it out now," said Pearce, the reigning World Series MVP. "I caught it in time. If I had kept playing, maybe something worse would have happened."
Pearce, who played in his last spring game on March 17, has been taking at-bats over the past week. He will continue to do that and soon start running when he returns to the Red Sox's spring complex in Fort Myers, Fla., this week.
Ceremonial first pitch
Boston mayor Marty Walsh traveled to Mesa, Ariz., for a conference and attended the Red Sox's two-game series against the Cubs. Prior to Monday's game, Walsh talked with players and fans during batting practice.
On Tuesday, Walsh and Mesa mayor John Giles threw simultaneous ceremonial first pitches at Sloan Park.
Ready for action
Looking to become the first team to win back-to-back World Series championships since the Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000, Cora is confident in his team entering the '19 season.
"We have a good team, we're very talented and everybody knows it. We're very versatile, we can do a lot of things offensively," Cora said. "We know what we're going against, we know repeating's not easy, but we have the perfect group to stay focused -- and then don't listen to the noise and stay locked in for more than 162 games."
Up next
After an off-day Wednesday, the Red Sox start the 2019 season against the Mariners in Seattle on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. ET. It's the opener of a four-game series, which begins a three-city, 11-game road trip for the Red Sox that also includes trips to Oakland and Arizona. Sale is scheduled to make his fifth career Opening Day start, his second for the Red Sox. The left-handed ace has had a productive spring. Not only did he pitch nine scoreless innings over two starts, but he also signed a five-year, $145 million contract extension with Boston this past Saturday.