FORT MYERS, Fla. - With Koji Uehara now "not likely'' to be ready for the regular-season opener, the Red Sox will regard Edward Mujica as their primary closer, but won't necessarily turn to him for every early-season save opportunity.
"Right now, (Mujica) would be the guy we turn to in closing situations,'' said John Farrell. ''I will also say that we'll look to match up in the ninth inning as well, so this isn't going to be...We'll look to exploit the best matchup and that could be any one of three our four guys down there to finish out a game.''
That group, Farrell went on to say, includes Alexi Ogando, Junichi Tazawa and Tommy Layne.
"We're not limiting any of our options,'' Farrell said. "There might be days when he's not available. That would be no different if Koji (was closing). But with Koji now not being likely to start the season with us, there are other options.
"I'm not saying that this is strictly a 'closer-by-committee'' approach. We would look to close games with (Mujica). But if there were certain situations that we feel like the better matchup is a lefthander, I'm not opposed to doing that.''
Farrell also added that the Sox would "likely, at this point,'' go with Mujica on Opening Day should a save situation present itself.