FORT MYERS, Fla. — Because of lingering soreness in his throwing shoulder, Hanley Ramirez will not participate in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, Red Sox Manager John Farrell said Thursday.

“The most succinct way I can say it is they’re looking to replace Hanley on their roster,” Farrell said. “He still needs rehab with his shoulder. The throwing program will continue to progress as tolerated. So as of now, Hanley will not be joining Team Dominican.”

The Red Sox talked with Manager Moises Alou on Wednesday about the situation. Ramirez was part of the call.

“He’s on board with it. He has physical needs and feels the best way to allow him to be ready for the start of our season is to be in here with us,” Farrell said. “He’s prioritizing what his needs are currently and being ready for our season.”

Ramirez has been in the lineup during the Grapefruit League as a designated hitter, as was again on Thursday against the Rays, going 2 for 3 with five RBI. But he has yet to play first base and he has yet to initiate his throwing program.

 Jackie Bradley Jr. hit two home runs and drove in five runs to help Boston defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 19-2 in their spring training game at Fort Myers on Thursday.

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Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez pitched two perfect innings with a pair of strikeouts.

Rays starter Jose De Leon allowed four runs, two hits and two walks, getting only two outs.

MAJOR LEAGUE Baseball and the players’ association announced their agreement on pitchless intentional walks, and the change took effect with exhibition games starting Thursday.

If a manager signals the plate umpire for an intentional walk, the umpire will tell the batter to take first base.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred had hoped for more radical pace-of-game changes, but the union did not agree to raising the bottom of the strike zone, pitch clocks or limits on trips to the mound. MLB can make unilateral changes to playing rules only with one year advance notice.

Two other rule changes were announced Thursday. An addition to rule 5.07 formalizes an umpire interpretation and prohibits a pitcher from resetting his pivot foot or taking a second step toward home plate during his delivery. If the pitcher violates the rule with a runner on base, a balk should be called. If there are no runners, a violation should be considered an illegal pitch under rule 6.02(b).

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A change to rule 5.03 requires base coaches to remain behind the line of the coach’s box closest to the plate and the front line parallel to the foul line prior to each pitch. A coach may leave the box to signal a player after a ball is put in play.

In addition, video review regulations were changed to establish a 30-second limit for a manager to make a challenge and a conditional two-minute guideline for the replay umpire to make a decision. When a manager is out of challenges, an umpire crew chief may ask for a review of a non-home run call starting in the eighth inning, one inning later than last year.

MLB also announced the prohibition of field markers to create references for positioning fielders.

WHITE SOX: First baseman Jose Abreu is free to return to spring training in Arizona now that he’s concluded his testimony in the trial of two men accused of illegally smuggling Cuban ballplayers to the United States.

Abreu testified for a second day Thursday in the trial in Miami. On Wednesday, he testified that he ate a chunk of a fake passport while flying to the U.S. to cover up his illegal travel.

On trial are Florida sports agent Bartolo Hernandez and baseball trainer Julio Estrada on charges of conspiracy and alien smuggling.

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Abreu testified Wednesday he ordered a beer on a flight from Haiti to Miami and consumed the page containing a false name and his photo.

Abreu says he traveled illegally because he was worried about losing his $68 million contract with Chicago.

NATIONALS: Setup man Joe Blanton finalized a $4 million, one-year contract.

The 36-year-old right-hander was a free agent after pitching for the Dodgers in 2016, when he went 7-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 80 innings across 75 regular-season appearances.

Washington doesn’t have an experienced closer after Mark Melancon left as a free agent to sign with San Francisco.

Blanton has a 4.35 ERA in 376 games over 12 seasons.

ORIOLES: Backup catcher Caleb Joseph ended a year-long RBI drought with a long home run.

Joseph, who lost his salary arbitration case earlier this year after setting major league records for at-bats and plate appearances in a season with no RBI, hit a third-inning drive to left off Yankees starter Adam Warren on Thursday night.

It was his first RBI since spring training last year.


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