There seemingly is only one major question mark for the Boston Red Sox heading into the 2019 Major League Baseball season.
The Red Sox will be returning the majority of their World Series-winning club from a season ago. One of the few exceptions is Craig Kimbrel, who has left a void in the back end of Boston’s bullpen.
Who will be the Red Sox’s next closer remained a mystery throughout spring training, and it appears it will remain that way until the situation calls for the first time in the new season.
“I’m not going to name a closer. I’ve been saying it all along,” Alex Cora said Wednesday, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “Tomorrow, people will see what we’re going to do. I feel fine. I’m okay with it.”
It doesn’t look like Cora will be employing a wait-and-see approach for Boston’s closer either, as the second-year skipper noted he’s had a pretty good idea “since November” of how he’ll use his bullpen. Cora’s plan will surface with time, but it sounds like we could see some mixing and matching.
“I do feel that people get caught up on the whole usage and high-leverage, and not getting locked in with a closer,” Cora said. “Every game is different. Every out is different. A high-leverage situation for me might be different than for you. That’s the beauty of the game.”
The Red Sox will begin their World Series title defense Thursday night in Seattle when they kick off a four-game series against the Mariners.
