Ramirez will be prominent in Cora’s plan

FORT MYERS — It’s starting to look like Hanley Ramirez is going to be a focal point in the Red Sox’ offense this season.

With 10 days until the season opener, manager Alex Cora has a good idea how he’ll split playing time between Ramirez, Mitch Moreland, J.D. Martinez and the three outfielders.

Ramirez has been Cora’s No. 3 hitter for most of the spring, including yesterday’s 6-5 win against Philadelphia. He played first base and was 1-for-3 with a double during his 14th start of the spring compared to Moreland’s 10.

“I’m getting more comfortable with (Ramirez hitting third),” Cora said. “I’m getting more comfortable with the at-bats from Hanley, just staying in the middle of the field. If he keeps doing that, he’ll be fine. We’ll be comfortable.”

Martinez, a late signing, made his eighth start, just his fourth at designated hitter, and was 0-for-3. He’s also started three games in left field and one in right field.

“I think the notion that J.D. is going to be just a DH, it’s not going to be that way,” Cora said. “He’ll play the outfield. Obviously when he plays the outfield, we can put Hanley (at DH) and we can put Mitch at first.

“(The other day) I said, ‘You ever thought that you were going to be the DH and Hanley was going to be the first baseman?’ He laughed. But we did it in spring training. We’ll use players to get at-bats to other players.”

The split between Ramirez, Moreland and Martinez might be simple to start the season. Cora can play Ramirez and Martinez fairly regularly and use Moreland off the bench or to start occasionally.

But Cora also has expressed interest in keeping his bench busy. He might want to find ways to get his utility guys, presumably two of Blake Swihart, Brock Holt and Deven Marrero, involved.

When Dustin Pedroia comes back, Eduardo Nunez likely will relinquish the second base job and could need at-bats elsewhere.

Another factor: Ramirez has a vesting option that kicks in if he gets 497 plate appearances.

“I’ve got a pretty good idea of how we’re going to (split time at first base),” Cora said. “Rest is a part of this. Not just those two guys, but everybody else. So we’ll find at-bats for everybody.”

How Cora will do that remains a mystery. But there’s one possibility that could open a lot of playing time, and that revolves around Jackie Bradley Jr.

Cora first mentioned weeks ago he would consider using Mookie Betts in center field on the road. That alignment would push Bradley to the bench. And while Bradley roams center better than most, Betts was an above-average center fielder in 2015. He’s won back-toback Gold Gloves in right.

Bradley is a notoriously streaky hitter who can dive into deep slumps just as fast as he can become the hottest hitter in baseball (see May 2016). But he has a new manager with a different philosophy on struggling hitters than John Farrell, who often let his players ride out the highs and lows.

Listen to Cora talk about slumps yesterday: “One thing I learned (from Terry Francona), and that’s right after my offensive output from April to May (in 2007) when I became the defensive guy that I was supposed to be, is that the day off is the day you feel the starter is trending down a little bit.

“So that’s what I’m going to pay attention to. I lived it, so you know, if somebody has any other ideas about how to deal with utility guys, let me know. I’ve got a good feel about that one.”

If Bradley doesn’t play every day, it would create more opportunities for others, such as Moreland, Swihart, Holt or Nunez.

Time will tell how Cora wants to do this, but two things have become clear: Ramirez should get every chance to be a productive regular, and Cora won’t hesitate to use his bench.

“Everybody sees (a crowded roster) as a problem, but I don’t,” Cora said. “I’m the one that has to deal with it. I’ll be OK, and they’ll be OK.”