BOSTON -- Red Sox's Brandon Phillips worked out at first base before Saturday's Red Sox-Astros game just like he did Friday.

The Red Sox will face lefty Dallas Keuchel on Sunday. The right-handed hitting Phillips might play first base for the first time in his major league career. He also never played first base in the minor leagues.

"It might be a good chance that Brandon plays first tomorrow or DH's and he'll be in the lineup," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said here Saturday.

Cora said Phillips "looked good" taking grounders Friday.

"We went through this in '08 with (Mark) Kotsay," Cora said. "Not too many people felt he was going to be able to play first base and then he was playing first base in Game 7 of the ALCS. It's about repetitions. He has good instincts. It's not as easy as what people think."

The Red Sox promoted the 37-year-old Phillips, a three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover, as a September callup Tuesday. He started Wednesday against the Braves. He went 1-for-3 with two walks and the go-ahead two-run homer in the ninth as Boston won 9-8.

"Obviously he's going to play second," Cora said. "We can put him at third. See what we have at first. We have to find out how we can fit him in the roster right now in September and get him at-bats."