Worth noting

• It might be another 10 days before manager John Farrell uses closer Koji Uehara and setup man Junichi Tazawa in a game. This is by design.

"[Koji] and Junichi, they'll get in games around [a third of the way] through the game-schedule mark," Farrell said. "There's nothing that says otherwise, why we're holding them back. They're throwing the ball extremely well right now. We're just trying to balance out the number of appearances last year as well."

Farrell is taking a similarly conservative approach with his rotation, as Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz and Jake Peavy are all being skipped the first time through.

Felix Doubront will be the first regular to get a start, on Sunday against the Orioles. Peavy will take the ball on Monday on the road against the Pirates. Buchholz's first outing will be a one-inning cameo against the Rays on Tuesday. Rather than make the long bus ride to Jupiter on Wednesday, Lester will pitch a simulated game at the Player Development complex.

• Outfielder Daniel Nava, who has been dealing with a nagging neck injury, could be ready to play in Friday's Grapefruit League opener against the Twins. Farrell is in no rush to get Shane Victorino into a game. Instead, the right fielder is working to strengthen his legs and avoid some of the nagging injuries that plagued him last year.

• In Friday's Grapefruit League opener, Anthony Ranaudo, one of Boston's top pitching prospects, will draw the start against the Twins. Francisco Cordero, trying to win a spot as a non-roster invitee, will work an inning.