PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The Sox may get David Ortiz some playing time at first base over the next few days, in anticipation of him playing the position for at least a game or two in the opening series in Philadelphia.
"We haven't set up anything definitively,'' said John Farrell. "Ideally, yes, he gets on the field (at first) so we've got him in the starting lineup at first base when we get to Philadelphia. But I don't want to rush into something in three days and do something that affects a number of games.''
The Phils will start lefty Cole Hamels in the opener, and the Sox could go with righthanded-hitting Mike Napoli at first in that one, with Ortiz coming off the bench later to pinch-hit.
Then again, Farrell suggested he wasn't going to be swayed by matchups.
"We don't have a lineup yet (for Monday),'' he said, "but I'm not worried about David and whoever he's hitting against.''