FORT MYERS, Fla. --
WHO: Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies
WHEN: 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: jetBlue Park
TV/RADIO: WEEI 850 AM
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale vs. RHP Drew Hutchison
OTHER SCHEDULED PITCHERS: RHP Carson Smith, RHP Joe Kelly
SCHEDULED PITCHERS FOR TUESDAY: LHP David Price, RHP Heath Hembree, RHP Brandon Workman, LHP Bobby Poyner
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
- The Phillies made Chris Sale work in the first inning. He struck out the side, but had to work around a one-out walk and a single to get there.
- Sale has walked two hitters in fewer than three innings. To put that in perspective, only 13 times in 32 starts last season did Sale walk two or more hitters in an entire game.
- Remember when everyone noted that Mookie Betts was hitless in his first 17 at-bats this spring? He seems to have figured some things out. He has a double today and has hit safely in seven straight, while reaching base at least once in his last 10 games.
- Xander Bogaerts has tied the game at 1-1 with a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the fourth. It's his second homer of the spring.
- Sale continues to have a tough time of it. He just gave up a three-run homer to Aaron Altherr, giving the Phils a 4-1 lead.
LINEUPS:
RED SOX
PHILLIES
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Alex Cora said he likes Xander Bogaerts in the fifth spot, where he's situated in Monday's lineup. "He'll put the ball in play,'' said Cora of the shortstop, who likes the improved aggressiveness he's seen at the plate. "He'll go the other way, too, and he can drive in runs.''
- Cora also seems to leaning toward Hanley Ramirez as the No. 3 hitter and J.D. Martinez in the cleanup spot. "I'm getting more comfortable with that,'' said Cora.
- Cora on the possibility of having at least one of his three rehabbing starters -- Eduardo Rodriguez, Steven Wright and Drew Pomeranz -- available for the first series of the year: "Can't close that door.''
- Tyler Thornburg will throw a bullpen Tuesday.
- INF Chad de la Guerra was returned to minor league camp Monday morning, leaving 43 players still in camp. A big cutdown will likely come Saturday after the Sox get through playing three straight road games.
- Cora reiterated that he's not in favor of the notion of personal catchers. "Whoever I feel comfortable with behind the plate that day, he'll catch,'' he said. "Everybody's going to work with everybody.''