Tomase: Red Sox Opening Day roster coming into focus

With Opening Day only two weeks away, the Red Sox roster is finally taking shape.

The Sox opened camp with most of the 26 spots accounted for, save for a bench slot and the last arm or two in the bullpen.

Injuries to outfielder Franchy Cordero and right-hander Ryan Brasier have created additional openings, however, much to the benefit of a player like Michael Chavis, who came to camp in tremendous shape and has been hitting the heck out of the ball, but probably would be the odd man out if Cordero were healthy.

So how might the roster shake out? Let's take a look.

Catchers (2): Christian Vazquez, Kevin Plawecki

Vazquez has quietly become one of the better offensive catchers in baseball, a nice bonus for such a strong defender. Manager Alex Cora said this spring that clubs no longer have interest in offense-only backstops, which makes Vazquez doubly valuable. He can control the running game and hit the ball out of the park. Plawecki, meanwhile, is a solid backup who has even shown an ability to pitch on occasion.

Tomase: Best- and worst-case scenarios for every Sox starter

First basemen (1): Bobby Dalbec

The slugging Dalbec slammed six homers in his first 10 games last year and has continued exhibiting good pop this spring. He still strikes out a ton -- Cora has said on multiple occasions that he can't K in 40 percent of his at-bats again -- but the Red Sox will take the bad with the good, especially considering that he'll be hitting low in the order.

Second basemen (2): Enrique Hernandez, Michael Chavis

It's fair to say the Red Sox have never built a roster quite like this one. Hernandez may be the starting second baseman, but he should also see his share of time in center field, and he's capable of spelling pretty much anyone. Wherever he plays, the plan is to have his bat in the leadoff spot as much as possible. While Chavis could see time at first or third, too, we'll pencil him in primarily as Hernandez's backup. He has already forced his way into the lineup once as a rookie, and he's going to try to do so again.

Hey, @MichaelChavis11, where is dead center? pic.twitter.com/ybcjAERvAU

— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 15, 2021

Shortstop (1): Xander Bogaerts

One of the under-the-radar stories of camp has been Bogaerts' delayed start after arriving with a sore shoulder. He recently returned to game action in the field, but that doesn't leave a lot of time to be 100 percent when the season starts on April 1 vs. Baltimore. The Red Sox need Bogaerts because he's one of the most impactful bats on the roster, and they're thin at short.

Third basemen (1): Rafael Devers

Devers has superstar potential, and Cora is just the man to unlock it after a disappointing 2020. Devers once again led AL third basemen in errors, and he once again started slow. Time ran out on the 60-game season before he could fix either problem, which makes 2021 about redemption. The Red Sox fully expect a return to his .300-30-100 benchmarks of 2019.

Outfielders (2): Alex Verdugo, Hunter Renfroe

No, the Red Sox aren't planning to play a two-man outfield. All of that versatility across the roster has left them without a starting left fielder. Verdugo should primarily play center, although he could see some time in right at home. Wherever Verdugo doesn't start, Renfroe probably will. Verdugo is a spray hitter with some pop and All-Star potential. Renfroe is an underrated athlete with plus power. Utilityman Marwin Gonzalez looks like the everyday left fielder until Cordero is healthy, with J.D. Martinez capable of taking a turn out there as well.

Tomase: Casas keeps reminding us he could one day be special player for Sox

DH (1): J.D. Martinez

Many of us expected that Martinez would've been gone by now via his multiple opt-outs, but a pandemic and weak market have kept him in Boston. He's looking to bounce back from a horrific 2020 that he admitted he wasn't mentally prepared to play. Assuming his problems against fastballs were simply mental or mechanical, and not a sign of overall decline, he should bounce back in a big way this summer.

Utility (2): Marwin Gonzalez, Christian Arroyo

Gonzalez is clearly one of Cora's favorite players in baseball, a jackknife capable of starting and playing well virtually anywhere. The switch hitter could see time at first, second, third and left, but he's a capable defender pretty much everywhere, and he's a leader, too. After a strong start to camp, Arroyo has slowed over the last week, but he has still done enough to find a home on the roster.

Starting pitchers (5): LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, RHP Nathan Eovaldi, RHP Garrett Richards, LHP Martin Perez, RHP Nick Pivetta

Rodriguez has been one of the stories of camp, throwing strikes, getting results, and looking like the 19-game winner of two years ago that the Red Sox had hoped could front their rotation. He was officially named Opening Day starter this week, and he takes the responsibility seriously.

The next two spots could make or break the season, depending on how healthy and effective the oft-injured Eovaldi and Richards remain. Former Phillies castoff Nick Pivetta showed outstanding velocity this spring and will be given every chance to prove he's not just a reliever. Perez is what he is -- a solid back-end starter who's unlikely to give you much more than that.

How key Red Sox players are trending ahead of 2021 season

Relievers (9): RHP Matt Barnes, RHP Adam Ottavino, RHP Hirokazu Sawamura, LHP Darwinzon Hernandez, LHP Josh Taylor, RHP Matt Andriese, RHP Garrett Whitlock, RHP Austin Brice, RHP Phillips Valdez

The bullpen is full of intriguing arms, starting with Barnes, who should get his first full crack at closing. He has openly, unabashedly campaigned for the job, and if it's not him, then it will likely be former Yankees right-hander Ottavino, a seventh- and eighth-inning mainstay in New York. The closer with the most experience on the roster is Japanese right-hander Hirokazu Sawamura, who saved over 70 games between 2015 and 2016 in Japan, but he'll open the season as a setup man.

From there, Cora can hand the ball to either of a pair of hard-throwing left-handers in Hernandez or Taylor. Andriese is a swingman who'd like a chance to start, while rule 5 pick Whitlock looks like he could be a  weapon against right-handed hitters. Cora will likely round out this group with Brice and Valdez, a pair of veterans who should benefit most from Brasier's absence.