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Holt working all over the field at camp

BRADENTON, Fla. -- New Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan did not make the trip to Bradenton on Thursday to meet up with his old team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, Brock Holt, the other player Boston acquired in the deal, was on hand and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Holt is competing with Pedro Ciriaco to be Boston's utility infielder to start the season.

"I'm just coming to the park every day and trying to get better. I'm going to be working at different infield positions," said Holt. "I'm looking forward to that. But I'm going to do whatever I can to try to make this team. If I don't, I'll do whatever I can to get up there as soon as possible."

Manager John Farrell added that Holt could expand his horizons by getting some work in center field. A middle infielder by trade, Holt is getting work at third this spring as well.

"He's got plenty of arm to play the position there," said Farrell. "Anytime we talk about a middle infielder going to third base, it's always the reads and the angles. You're that much closer to the action, to the plate, where reaction time becomes a little more of a necessity than the middle of the infield."

Though Hanrahan was clearly the player on Boston's front burner, the club also made it a point to have Pittsburgh include Holt in the deal.

"Very much so," said Farrell. "An infielder that's a left-handed hitter that can do some of the other things inside the game -- run, do the small game -- he was very much part of the deal, not just an added person in it. We actively [asked] to include him."

In a 24-game cameo with the Pirates last season, Holt performed well, hitting .292 in 65 at-bats.

Ciriaco -- another former Pirate -- also performed above expectations with Boston.

The Red Sox have the flexibility of optioning Holt to the Minors for the start of the season. Ciriaco is out of options.