FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After 10 days of all the requisite Spring Training drills, the Red Sox are ready to shift into game mode.

Starting with Friday’s exhibition against Northeastern University, the Sox will play 34 games in the next 33 days before heading to Boston to open the season.

“Just get ready for March 30. There's a few spots, a few battles, if you want to call it that,” said manager Alex Cora. “I think the goal is to take the best 26 out there. That's the most important thing, and that's something I've been talking about with everybody. Let's take the best 26 and we'll take your chances.”

With all those games packed into a tight window over the next five weeks, there are some compelling storylines to follow leading up to Opening Day.

Here are a few.

1. Yoshida’s at-bats

Masataka Yoshida has been putting on a daily show in camp with his bat control and power. But the proof will start to come in game action. Yoshida, with his keen batting eye and solid opposite-field stroke from the left side, is the must-see attraction of camp for the Red Sox. Get some good looks at Yoshida in the early exhibition games, because he will be heading to Japan on March 3 for the World Baseball Classic.

2. Rafaela in center

Will Ceddanne Rafaela be with the Red Sox on Opening Day? Most likely not. Will the player ranked No. 3 among Boston prospects by MLB Pipeline join the club at some point in 2023? Very possibly. Rafaela will get a chance this spring to show off his jaw-dropping skills in center field. Cora labeled him a “plus-plus” defender. The wiry 22-year-old from Curaçao also has power, but the Red Sox are more interested in seeing how much his plate discipline has evolved.

3. Sale’s progress

It’s been hard to miss Chris Sale’s enthusiasm since the day he arrived at Spring Training. At last, Sale is healthy and all his focus is on daily pitching progressions rather than drills. It has been four years since he has been able to have a Spring Training like that. That said, Sale has logged just 57 1/3 innings for the Red Sox since the end of the 2019 season, and it will be interesting to see how long it takes the lefty to regain complete feel for his pitches.

One interesting thing to note: Sale’s 34th birthday is on March 30, the same day the Red Sox open their season at Fenway against the Orioles. It would definitely be a feel-good story if he gets the nod that day.

4. Rotation battle

Sale is one of seven starting pitchers the Red Sox are counting on in Spring Training. Which two won’t make the rotation? Sale and Corey Kluber are locks for two of the five spots if they stay healthy. The club plans on using Garrett Whitlock exclusively as a starter this season, but there’s at least a possibility the righty could miss a turn or two when the season opens due to his recovery from the right hip surgery he underwent in September. The electric Brayan Bello, who has graduated from prospect to pitcher, is also in the mix. Hopefully the right forearm tightness he experienced earlier in camp won’t resurface.

Nick Pivetta tied for the Major League lead in starts (33) last season, so it figures he will make the rotation for his durability. Pivetta is trying to regain his strength as he battles back from COVID-19. Power righty Tanner Houck has been a swingman in his first two seasons, but he would love to settle in as a starter. That might only be realistic if others don’t make it through camp healthy. James Paxton has thrown even fewer innings than Sale the past three years, but he is also healthy again and it wouldn’t make much sense to use the big lefty in the bullpen.

5. Development of Casas

Triston Casas demonstrated power in his initial callup to the Major Leagues last September, smashing all five of his homers in a span of 48 at-bats. However, there was some all or nothing with the lefty slugger in that first taste of the Majors. The big first baseman aims to be part of the American League Rookie of the Year Award conversation. Casas has always been known for his discerning batting eye. The 23-year-old is better on defense than you might expect, given his size. In fact, Casas works hard to be an above-average first baseman, and he made several dazzling plays over that final month of last season.