Cora confirms conversations with Montgomery

FORT MYERS, Fla. — With Cody Bellinger returning to the Cubs, is Scott Boras ready to make a deal for his other high-profile free agent clients?

It only takes one phone call. But apparently not one Zoom.

On Monday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora happily confirmed reports that the Sox met with lefthander Jordan Montgomery over video. But that meeting was more than two weeks ago.

“I’m not going to get into specifics,” Cora said. “It’s part of the process … We’ve been doing that with a lot of [free agents].”

An industry source said the Sox have maintained their interest in Montgomery, but to date, it has been more keeping in touch with Boras to monitor what it would take to sign the 31-year-old lefthander.

Cora acknowledged the Sox would like to improve their rotation.

“We’re working hard towards that,” he said. “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. But we’ve been working hard the whole offseason. It’s not a lack of trying, I’m telling you. A lot of meetings; a lot of conversations.

“We’re still engaged with position players, with pitchers. We’re trying to improve if there’s an opportunity to do that.”

The Sox have added only one starter since last season’s mound meltdown, righthander Lucas Giolito.

Tourist trip: Brayan Bello will travel with the Red Sox to his native Dominican Republic for the two-game exhibition series against Tampa Bay on

March 9-10, but he won’t take the mound because it won’t be his turn. The righthander is lined up to pitch the first or second game of the season and the Sox don’t want to adjust his schedule because of the trip.

“I had a conversation with him. Just stay the course,” Cora said. “He wants to pitch so bad at Quisqueya Stadium, but it’s not going to happen.

“He understands. He’ll go with us and obviously see his family and all that stuff. He’ll throw a bullpen over there and enjoy the festivities. Those two days there should be fun.”