Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers had sore shoulders much of last season and has spent spring training trying to strengthen them. Steven Senne/Associated Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers, who was expected to make his spring training debut Tuesday against the Pirates, pushed it back after telling Boston manager Alex Cora that he did not feel ready while taking live batting practice.

Cora did not say when the three-time All-Star will play but suggested it might not be until this weekend.

Devers hit .272 with 28 homers and 83 RBI last season, despite complaining of soreness in both of his shoulders. He had spent the first couple of weeks of spring training trying to strengthen them for the rigors of a 162-game regular season.

Exactly where Devers will play once he returns remains another question.

The Red Sox signed two-time All-Star Alex Bregman to a $120 million, three-year contract this winter, giving them a Gold Glove winner at third base, where Devers has posted poor fielding metrics over the years. Devers has led or been tied for the American League lead in errors three times in the past seven seasons.

Devers has balked at moving to DH, though, saying last month: “Third base is my position.” So it’s possible that he could remain at third base while Bregman moves to second, where he has played in just nine games over eight big league seasons.

“The decisions that are going to be made here about roster construction and about what we’re going to do in the future, we’re going to make sure we have the best team possible out there,” Cora said. ”(Devers) has a lot of pride. We know that. He feels like he’s a third baseman. He’s going to work out as a third baseman and then we’ll make decisions accordingly.

“I think here it’s not about Bregman or Devers or Cora. It’s about the Red Sox.”

NATE EATON HIT a grand slam and Trayce Thompson had a two-run home run to lift the Red Sox to a 12-4 win over the Pirates in a spring training game in Bradenton, Florida.

Abraham Toro added a three-run triple for Boston. Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 3

Starting pitcher Quinn Priester pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out four and walked one. Michael Fulmer pitched three innings in relief, allowing one run on two hits and striking out three.