Bogaerts expects to be in Red Sox’s Opening Day lineup

The Boston Red Sox have plenty of questions heading into the season, and shortstop Xander Bogaerts doesn’t want to be one of them.

“I will be completely ready for Opening Day,” Bogaerts said after going 0 for 2 with one strikeout in Boston’s 8-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, his first spring training game this year. “I feel completely ready right now.”

Bogaerts, 28, is coming off a season when he batted .300 with 11 homers and 28 RBI while earning AL MVP votes for the third year in a row. But he reported to the Red Sox complex in Fort Myers with a sore shoulder, which manager Alex Cora attributed to Bogaerts pushing himself too hard at home in Aruba during the offseason.

He was in the lineup at designated hitter on Friday because he hasn’t been cleared to play the field yet.

“Everything felt good. I’m looking forward to getting in there more often,” he said. “It’s all about me getting in the routine with baseball activities. Looking forward to being in the lineup

Opening Day.”

Bogaerts said he hoped to appear in the field next week. Cora said that hadn’t been decided yet.

“Obviously, Xander has some ideas; we probably have some others,” Cora said. “The goal is for him to be ready for Opening Day. On that one, we are probably on the same page.”

ELSEWHERE

Cubs: First baseman Anthony Rizzo is prepared to focus solely on baseball once the regular season starts — regardless of his contract situation.

Teammate and fellow impending free agent Javier Baez suggested earlier this spring he likely would set a deadline for extension talks. Rizzo indicated before Friday’s exhibition against the Milwaukee Brewers he will be taking the same approach.

When asked if he is giving the Cubs an Opening Day deadline, Rizzo said, “Sure, if that’s how you want to look at it.”

Rizzo is “very optimistic” about where contract talks stand with the Cubs, noting “we’ve had really good conversations from top to bottom.” He added that his agents and wife, Emily, are discussing everything that is going on.

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