It’s never too early to send a message.
The Red Sox will travel from Fort Myers to West Palm Beach on Thursday for a Grapefruit League game against the Houston Astros, who defeated Boston in the American League Division Series last October en route to their first World Series title in franchise history. On the surface, it’s just another spring training contest, during which players can work out the kinks before Opening Day. But Red Sox manager Alex Cora sees the postseason rematch as an opportunity for more.
“Just a reminder: Remember what they did to you guys,” Cora told reporters Wednesday, according to WEEI.com, alluding to Houston’s ALDS victory over Boston.
Cora spent the 2017 season as Houston’s bench coach under manager A.J. Hinch, so Thursday’s trip offers a chance for him to catch up with some old friends. The Red Sox skipper obviously is more focused on this season, though, and he plans to play several regulars against the Astros, with Rick Porcello making his first start of the spring against Charlie Morton, a member of last season’s Houston squad.
“I know spring training is not about sending messages, but for them to go over there … it’s Charlie on the mound, too,” Cora said, per WEEI.com. “It’s always cool. It’s just a reminder. We still have a ways to go, but for some reason on March 1 is when everything starts flowing and it just happens to be the Houston Astros, so that’s a good message for that group in there.”
Thursday’s result might not matter. But it’s more than a run-of-the-mill spring training game for Cora as he looks to set a tone and help the Red Sox establish an identity early in camp.
