McAdam: With a week to go before the Red Sox season begins, a guess at their 30-man roster

... And down the stretch they come.

It's two weeks of Summer Camp down and just one to go before the 2020 MLB season gets underway. By this point, Chaim Bloom and his staff probably have a pretty good idea about who will be part of the 30-man roster for Opening Day.

They know, instance, who won't be part of the roster: pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez, Josh Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez, all of whom have tested positive for COVID-19 and were placed on the IL Wednesday. That was a clear sign that the three won't have time to adequately prepare for July 24, though it's doubtful they'll be sidelined for too long after that date.

Manager Ron Roenicke indicated this week he's leaning toward 15 pitchers and 15 position players to begin the season. (Teams will be allowed to have 30 players for the first two weeks before dropping down to 28 after two weeks, then 26 two weeks later.)

There are some unknowns, of course. The Red Sox have yet to officially announce the signing of free agent Zack Godley and no one is sure how much he's been throwing and whether he'd be ready to contribute right away. The guess is that the Red Sox will want him to progress at a normal pace and not rush him onto the Opening Day roster.

Here's a look at what we might see on Opening Night:

PITCHERS (15)

Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez, Ryan Weber, Brian Johnson, Brandon Worklman, Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree, Marcus Walden, Ryan Brasier, Colten Brewer, Matt Hall, Jeffrey Springs, Chris Mazza, Austin Brice and Josh Osich.

COMMENTS: This, obviously, is a highly fluid area of the roster. For now, Eovaldi, Perez and Weber will claim the first three starter spots, with Johnson perhaps the favorite for the No. 4 spot. As noted, the Sox will soon get Rodriguez, Taylor and Hernandez back healthy and they're all important pieces. For now, especially at the start of the season, the Sox need length and will take a look at Hall, Spring, Mazza and Brice to either serve as the bulk guy in the opener format or long relief. Meanwhile, Workman, Barnes, Walden and Brasier will get the lion's share of the high-leverage opportunities. Osich gets the nod in part because without Taylor and Hernandez, the Red Sox will want at least one lefty with late-inning experience.

CATCHERS (3)

Christian Vazquez, Kevin Plawecki, Jonathan Lucroy

COMMENTS:  Vazquez is the clear No. 1 and Plawecki is an experienced and capable backup as a "catch-and-throw'' type. The wild card is Lucroy, who is finally healthy after battling a herniated disc in his neck for the past three seasons. If Lucroy hits, he'll force himself into the lineup more, with some playing time possible at first base.

DESIGNATED HITTER (1)

J.D. Martinez

COMMENT: The arrival of Kevin Pillar and the need to keep Martinez healthy will likely mean far fewer outfield reps for the veteran slugger.

INFIELDERS (7)

Mitch Moreland, Michael Chavis, Jose Peraza, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Tzu-Wei Lin, Jonathan Arauz.

COMMENT: The first five here are obvious. It will be interesting to see where Chavis plays the most and whether Peraza can lay claim to the second base job on a more-or-less full-time basis. Lin is out of options and the Sox like his defensive versatility (he can help in CF, too). Arauz is a Rule 5 pick and the Sox would like to see more of him, at least to start the season. If either he or Arauz falter, Yairo Munoz is an intriguing and versatile bench option with some pop.

OUTFIELDERS (4)

Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., Alex Verdugo, Kevin Pillar.

COMMENT: There's not much organizational depth here, though Cesar Puello and John Andreoli have some big league experience if injuries strike. Look for Benintendi and Verdugo to be mostly everyday options, with Bradley and Pillar in an unofficial platoon.