Refsnyder brings veteran’s perspective into camp

FORT MYERS, Fla. — It’s different for Rob Refsnyder now.

The outfielder was a nonroster invitee to Red Sox camp last spring, then spent mostofhistimeinworcester before injuries and underwhelming play by other outfieldersledthesoxtocall on the 31-year-old veteran.

He made the most of it, batting .307/.384/.497 with an .881 OPS and 6 homers in 177 plate appearances, earningacontractforthisseason.

He’s secure in his role, but satisfied? Not in the slightest. The game can humble you. If anyone knows that, it’s Refsnyder. Plus, with advanced technology and pitchers having so much access to video, Refsnyder wants to make sure he stays on his toes.

“I feel like scouting and video is just so good now that even if you get into a rhythm, people understand that better,” Refsnyder said Thursday.“like,whichareas you’re hitting well and what areas you’re not. So I think it’s always just going to be changing. You have to be versatile enough to adapt.”

Refsnyder credits hitting coach Pete Fatse and the rest of the staff for helping him unlock his skill set at the plate. He also credits a change to his mind-set. In earlier years, being utilized solely as a matchup guy — mainly when lefties were on the mound — might have gotten to Refsnyder a little more. Not seeing righties got him out of his rhythm a bit, too.

Now, he has a different perspective.

“You can either take it poorly or understand it,” Refsnyder said. “For me, I learned that ‘Hey, there’s somebody on the bench that hitsrighthandersbetterthan you, and we’re trying to win a game.’”

Huskies return

For the first time since 2020, the Sox will renew their spring training series against Northeastern with a 1:05 p.m. game Friday at Jetblue Park.

The teams did not meet in 2021 because of pandemic protocols. The 2022 game was canceled by the MLB lockout.

Northeastern is planning to start redshirt junior lefthander James Quinlivan, a Medway, Mass., native who played at Milton Academy.

Progress report

Brayan Bello (forearm soreness) continued his progression Thursday, playing catch up to 90 feet. The next step is a bullpen session, which will likely take place Sunday … Chris Sale will throw live batting practice Saturday. It will mark the first time that he faces hitters since being hit on the hand with a comebacker last August against the Yankees.