Starting catcher Yasmani Grandal will likely be out for the first two Cactus League games as he recovers from right knee inflammation.
“(Grandal) came in great shape, working very hard, so there’s no reason to push him before he’s ready,” La Russa said during Saturday’s conference call. “And that’s good because there’s time for him.”
With Grandal out of the lineup, the Sox will get a closer look at the players competing for the open backup slot. The list includes Zack Collins, Yermin Mercedes, Seby Zavala, Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Perez.
“When (Grandal) doesn’t play it’s going to create opportunities,” La Russa said.