Jansen, Martin racing clock to be ready for Opening Day

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- With a week to go before Opening Day in Seattle, Boston’s trusted late-inning duo of Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin started their race against the clock on Thursday night at JetBlue Park against the Orioles.

For closer Jansen, a sharp 13-pitch inning in which he reached 95 mph in just his second Grapefruit League outing seemed like a significant boost of momentum.

Jansen was slowed the first three weeks of camp by a right lat strain. And once he finally got going and pitched his first game, a sore back postponed his second outing by several days.

The big righty said earlier in camp he would need roughly five outings to be ready for the regular season. It looks like he will get four, as the current plan has him pitching on Saturday and again on Monday or Tuesday.

“Two more games,” Jansen said. “I feel great. After this outing, it’s like, ‘All right, we’re ready to go.’ So, I feel great. I’ve been working hard this offseason. Yeah, I was shut down for three weeks, but I think all that work that you’ve done is going to help you get through it. And I think I’m going to get through it and hopefully start the season healthy.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora will evaluate the two vets on a daily basis.

“Yeah, I mean, [Jansen] threw the ball well,” said Cora after his team’s 3-2 win. “Let’s see how he feels tomorrow. Tomorrow is the most important day. Same with Chris.”

The 37-year-old Martin had been taking it slow by design earlier in camp. But when he was ready to ramp up, he tweaked his groin in a live batting practice session.

Though he pitched in a Minor League game earlier this week, Thursday marked Martin’s first appearance on the big field.

Results-wise, it didn’t go so well, as Martin threw 20 pitches and got just one out.

“I mean, last year, he sucked [in Spring Training] and probably had his best season," said Cora. "Like I always say, this is Spring Training.”

Given how long Martin’s been around, and how aware he is of what he needs to do to get ready, don’t be surprised if the lanky righty is on the roster for Opening Day, even though the maximum amount of Spring Training games he will pitch in is three.

“I hope so,” Martin said. “Hopefully, I get a couple of more in. Physically, I felt good. Right now, I’m thinking of this as my first outing in Spring Training. Just got to do a little bit more work getting my timing and delivery. You can't do anything to mimic a real game, so I need to get into some more games.”

On a Boston team that is going young in a lot of areas this season, the Jansen-Martin combo represents the most veteran part of the club.

There is something to be said for the stability they provide. Jansen has 420 career saves and hopes to add another 30 to 40 this season.

Thursday was a big improvement over Jansen’s first outing six days ago, when the Twins belted two homers against him and he got just two outs.

“The results are great, they help you, but at the same time, you want to know how you’re feeling,” Jansen said. “I feel healthy today. I feel pain-free out there. This whole spring has been tough dealing with stuff. It seems like any day, I have something [that's] hurting, but I felt great today. The arm slot was in a better spot. The body was moving quicker.”

Jansen showed improved arm strength from where he was in live batting practices and his first Grapefruit League game, hitting between 93-95 mph on the gun on Thursday night.

“With the vert, everything was over 20,” Jansen said. “The slider was really good today. It’s a great day, man. Just got to soak it in. The results are good, but soak it in that I was consistent with the fastball and the slider was consistent. Two-seamer not as great yet, but going to keep working on that to sharpen it up.”

For Martin, the most stressful moment of the night came when an Anthony Santander line drive nearly scalded him in the head before it went into center field.

“I read 'Major League Baseball' [on the label of the ball] go by my face,” quipped Martin. “No, I’m kidding. Glad it didn’t hit me.”