BOSTON — Red Sox manager Alex Cora continues to defend the Red Sox’s 2019 spring training plan.

Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi and David Price all had minimal workloads during Grapefruit League action, then all three spent significant time on the injured list. Eovaldi missed 78 games on the IL, Sale 39 games and Price 22 games.

Price would have missed more time in September but expanded rosters made it unnecessary to place him on the injured list again.

Sale, Eovaldi and Price each made just two starts during spring training. Sale threw 9 innings, Eovaldi only 7 innings and Price just 6 ⅔ innings.

Rick Porcello made three starts (12 innings). Eduardo Rodriguez — who enjoyed his best season as a major leaguer — hurled 15 innings (five outings, four starts).

“Our plan was the right one,” Cora said Monday at Fenway Park. “What those guys did in (the postseason last) October was very unique. Was very special. We did what we thought they needed going into the season. I hate comparing us to other organizations. But if you look around and some of the guys that had great seasons, they tapered their use in spring training. That’s the nature of the sport. There’s a lot of information that goes more than pitches and innings or bullpens and all that we use to make decisions. We thought it was the right plan. We felt very strongly about it. We did the same in (’18). We were just short by two or three innings compared to this year. So we’ll do the same thing.

"We’ve got certain situations that came up through the season with Nate and Chris and David. So (head trainer) Brad (Pearson) and the medical staff will put a plan together. And we’ll use it the way we think it’s going to work next year.”

Were the workloads of some of MLB’s top pitchers tapered during spring training? Were their workloads even comparable to Sale, Price and Eovaldi’s workloads?

No, not exactly.

Twenty major league starters posted an ERA under 3.50 this season.

Nineteen of the 20 starters pitched during spring training. Braves’ Mike Soroka (2.68 ERA) missed spring training because of a shoulder injury.

Sixteen of the 19 starters pitched 10 or more innings this spring. Thirteen of the 19 starters pitched 15 or more innings during spring training. Six of the starters pitched more than 20 innings.

Eighteen of the 19 starters pitched during spring training 2018. Half the starters saw their workloads increase from 2018 to ’19.

But some of the decreased and increased workloads were extremely minimal. For example, Dodgers’ Hyun-Jin Ryu recorded just one fewer out during spring training 2019 than he did in 2018. Nationals’ Max Scherzer recorded just two more outs in 2019 than during spring training 2018.

Cora and the Red Sox can continue to defend the plan if they want, but the team should rethink workloads for spring training 2020. Spring training is about building strength for the regular season. Strength usually decreases during the regular season.

TWENTY STARTERS WITH ERA UNDER 3.50:

Mike Soroka, Braves: (no spring training stats for 2019)

Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dodgers: five starts (15.0 innings) in 2019;

~ Ryu’s workload decreased from 15 ⅓ innings in 2018.

Jacob deGrom, Mets: five starts (15.0 innings);

~ deGrom’s workload increased from 7 ⅔ innings in 2018.

Gerrit Cole, Astros: five starts (16.0 innings).

~ Cole’s workload decreased from 21 innings in 2018.

Justin Verlander, Astros: five starts (17 ⅓ innings).

~ Verlander’s workload decreased from 22 innings in 2018.

Jack Flaherty, Cardinals: 5 games, 3 starts (17 innings)

~ Flaherty’s workload increased from 15 ⅔ innings.

Sonny Gray, Reds: three starts (10 innings)

~ Gray’s workload decreased from 13 ⅔ innings in 2018.

Max Scherzer, Nationals: six starts (26 ⅔ innings)

~ Scherzer’s workload increased from 26 innings in 2018.

Zack Greinke, Dbacks/Astros: three starts (9 ⅔ innings)

~ Greinke’s workload increased from 8 ⅔ innings in 2018.

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers: six starts (21 ⅓ innings)

~ Kershaw’s innings decreased from 24 innings in 2018.

Charlie Morton, Rays: four starts (10 ⅔ innings)

~ Morton’s workload decreased from 18 ⅓ innings in 2018.

Marcus Stroman, Jays/Mets: four starts (12 ⅓ innings)

~ Stroman’s workload increased from 7 ⅓ innings from 2018.

Patrick Corbin, Nationals: six starts (24 innings)

~ Corbin’s workload increased from 11 in 2018.

Walker Buehler, Dodgers: one start (2 ⅔ innings)

~ Buehler’s workload decreased from 4 innings in 2018.

Shane Bieber, Indians: six starts (24 innings)

--- no ST in 2018

Stephen Strasburg, Nationals: five starts (21 ⅓ innings)

~ Strasburg’s workload increased from 15 ⅓ innings from 2018 +

Dakota Hudson, Cardinals: six outings, four starts (21 ⅔ innings)

~ Hudson’s increased from 9 ⅔ innings in 2018.

Luis Castillo, Reds: four outings, two starts (8 ⅔ innings)

~ Castillo’s decreased from 13 ⅓ innings in 2018.

Lucas Giolito, White Sox: five outings, four starts (18 ⅓ innings)

~ Giolito’s workload increased from 17 ⅔ innings in 2018.

Kyle Hendricks, Cubs: five starts (16 ⅓ innings)

~ Hendrick’s workload decreased from 19 innings in 2018.