Kenley Jansen is right on time
Veteran closer has no trouble using a pitch timer
FORT MYERS, FLA. >> When pitchers and catchers reported last week, Kenley Jansen said he was excited to adjust to Major League Baseball’s new rules.
The veteran closer spent the offseason using a pitch clock, and opted out of the first round of the World Baseball Classic, which won’t have the clock, larger bases, or shift restrictions that are coming to MLB this season, to have more time acclimating to the new rules at spring training. (He may join Team Netherlands if they advance to the later rounds.)
On Sunday, Alex Cora praised Jansen’s bullpen session, saying the was “on time every time” while throwing in accordance with a 15-second clock.
Pretty impressive for the self-proclaimed “slowest guy in the league.”
A bunch of kids
When Kiké Hernández leaves spring training to play for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic next month, he’ll leave the door open for other members of the organization to impress at shortstop.
Even though Hernández is going to play centerfield in the WBC — and was originally supposed to play mostly centerfield for the Red Sox this season — Trevor Story’s UCL surgery pushed him back to the infield.
In his absence, and with Adalberto Mondesí rehabbing, Alex Cora says “a bunch of kids” will see time at shortstop. The “bunch” is likely to include 40-man roster players such as David Hamilton and Enmanuel Valdez. The Red Sox also resigned Yu Chang last week.
Bobby Dalbec will also see time at short, but Cora said he’ll play mostly third base when Rafael Devers is in the WBC with Team Dominican Republic.
Though he plays shortstop, Ceddanne Rafaela will do most of his work in centerfield, Cora says. Rafaela was a defensive standout in the outfield last summer, and opted out of playing for Team Netherlands to focus on spring training. Playing well in Florida could mean starting the season in Triple-A Worcester, just a hop, skip, and jump from the big show in Boston.
Alfaro arrives
Jorge Alfaro arrived at JetBlue Park on Sunday to compete for a spot behind the big-league dish.
The 29-year-old catcher, whose flowing hair was made for Dennis Eckersley’s “moss” term, was delayed by visa issues, Cora said.
Alfaro, Reese McGuire, and Connor Wong are three candidates for two catching spots on the big-league roster. It’s an uphill battle for Alfaro, who’s way below league-average at drawing walks (career 4.2%, average 8.5%), and far worse than average at striking out (career 34.1%, avg 22.3%).
There’s really no comparing a veteran like Alfaro and someone like Wong, who’s played 33 career games in the majors over the last two seasons, but between 2021-22, McGuire and Alfaro played almost exactly the same number of games. Oddly, both hit exactly 29 doubles and scored 47 times.
Over 167 games, McGuire hit .262/.309/.358 with four home runs and 32 RBI. Alfaro hit .245/.284/.361 with 11 home runs and 70 RBI in 174 games. McGuire struck out almost 50% less than Alfaro, 100 to 197.
Alfaro offers more bat power than McGuire, who’s hit 12 home runs over 230 games in his five years in the big leagues, and Wong, who has one career home run to his name so far. Following his six-game debut in 2016, Alfaro averaged eight home runs per year over the subsequent six seasons.
Elvis has left the market
Elvis Andrus is signing with the Sox.
Just not the Boston ones. The 34-year-old, who spent the first 12 years of his career with the Rangers, was one of the last remaining middle infielders on the free-agent market. He split the 2022 season with the Athletics, with whom he hit .237/.301/.373 across 106 games, and 43 games for the White Sox, hitting .271/.309/.464.
Evidently, the White Sox liked him enough to bring him back; he has a one-year, $3 million contract. Meanwhile, it looks as though the Red Sox will put together an infield with the players they already have.
Wilson returns
Outfielder Marcus Wilson has a minor-league deal to return to the Red Sox. The 26-year-old, who was part of the Blake Swihart trade in 2019, debuted with the Mariners in 2022.
His deal does not include an invitation to major-league spring training, and he’s been assigned to Double-A Portland.
Mike Lowell celebrates
Last, but certainly not least, 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell celebrated a significant milestone on Sunday. He tweeted that he’s officially 24 years cancer-free. “To all those battling this disease stay positive,” he wrote, “To all those medical professionals that help in this cause, a big thank you from the bottom of my heart.”