In the spirit of sending out vital press releases for events such as the departure of the equipment truck to spring training, the Red Sox Monday sent out one regarding the status of Jon Lester as the opening day starter on April 5 in Detroit. Such an announcement was surely seen as one that all of New England, perhaps much of the free world, was clamoring to read. Tomorrow, presumably, the Sox will release information on the status of the No. 9 batter.

Undoubtedly, the opening day starter is regarded as an honor among many major leaguers, but Josh Beckett didn’t seem to have much of a problem with it, just as he didn’t last season. Manager Bobby Valentine, in Fort Myers, Fla., Monday, expressed relief that Beckett felt that way, and did admit that the decision had weighed on him in recent days.

For Lester, it’s a relief, because as he said Monday, he can get his first start out of his mind and he can get right into the season. It’s an honor because he becomes the first left-hander since Mel Parnell (three years, 1952-54) to make back-to-back opening-day starts.

It’s just that there are 162 games in a season and somebody’s got to kick it off. Truthfully, the Sox want their best on the mound to oppose reigning American League MVP/Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, but was it such a big deal a year ago when Lester was also accorded the honor – and promptly gave up six hits and five runs in 51/3 innings at Texas? This isn’t like Jacoby Ellsbury leading off so he can get extra at-bats over the course of a nine-inning game. A pitcher who starts opening day isn’t likely to accumulate many more starts over the course of the season than the fifth starter, given injuries, rest, etc.

So that brings us to the real concern for Valentine and the Sox: Who’s going to start in succeeding days? Beckett will likely follow, which also puts him in line to pitch the Red Sox’ home opener April 13 against the Rays. That might be an even bigger honor than starting on the road. Clay Buchholz will undoubtedly follow as the third starter.

After that is where the Red Sox rotation gets a little iffy. It’s pretty obvious at this time that Daniel Bard is being groomed as the fourth starter, and the former set-up man has looked mostly good thus far in spring training. If you look at general spring training stats, you might be tempted to dismiss pitchers such as Bard being able to get the starting job done. Bard had a tough go of starting his first season in professional ball and was immediately converted to a reliever, where he met with great success. His spring stats, though, indicate an 8.22 ERA, yet that was because, of his three appearances (two starts), he gave up seven runs in his third outing.

As in many spring training situations, though, there were extenuating circumstances. Often, pitchers will work on one or two particular pitches in a spring training game rather than use their entire repertoire. In Bard’s case, he was looking at a rain-delayed game against St. Louis last Thursday and he didn’t start.

The real problem that Valentine faces is finding a fifth starter … or perhaps a sixth. The most competent starters could be Alfredo Aceves, who had also pitched in three games, starting one (four innings, one run). But Aceves was so valuable last season in a variety of jobs that Valentine seems to be leaning toward keeping him in that utility pitching role.

The fifth starters could come down to a couple of options. Felix Doubront, the hard-throwing, young left-hander, might have the inside track off his 3.00 spring training showing thus far. He started against the Twins Monday, but he gave up two runs on eight hits, needing 79 pitches to escape jams in 42/3 innings. Former Dodgers starter Vicente Padilla has been fascinating, as well, but he hadn’t started in four spring appearances.

The Sox also have former Rockies starter Aaron Cook in the wings. Cook has been set back and will start the season in Triple-A Pawtucket, but could be seen as an option down the road. An even greater option could be Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is showing great signs of progress as he rehabs from last season’s Tommy John surgery. A healthy Matsuzaka would certainly shore up the starting unit somewhere around June.

So, it’s nice that Lester is starting opening day, and that everyone’s happy with the honor, but until the Sox can establish a solid, complete rotation, opening day is just another blip on the season-long radar screen.

Mike Fine may be reached at mikefine@ledger.com.

After working on offspeed pitches in a simulated game, Clay Buchholz focused on them some more Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Relying on his curveball and changeup, Buchholz allowed one run and four hits in five innings as the Boston Red Sox won 8-4.

His lone run allowed came on Evan Longoria’s second-inning homer.

“You’ve got a bunch of big-name guys in this lineup, and they’ve been really good for the last three or four years,” Buchholz said. “So, it’s definitely tough to go out there and try to work on things and make good pitches consistently to these guys.”

Jarrod Saltalamacchia caught Buchholz and downplayed the bursitis on his left hip that sidelined him for a few days.

“It’s honestly something that just flared up a little bit,” Saltalamacchia said. “If this was during the season I’d be playing, but with spring training you don’t want to take a chance.”

Buchholz struck out four and walked none. New Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said thought his pitcher and catcher worked well together.

“You know, at first they didn’t. They weren’t on the same page because they didn’t realize that Clay just wanted to throw more changeups today and less curveballs in the first inning,” Valentine said. “He worked real good, and other than the back-to-back changeups to Longoria and the fastball that everybody knew was coming, I thought he was perfect. Real good outing.”

Rays left-hander Matt Moore, back from a mild abdominal strain, gave up four runs, two hits and three walks in 2 1-3 innings, leaving after he walked the bases loaded in the third.

“For me right now, I’m trying to feel a lot of stuff and just to get a clean arm stroke with each pitch and I wasn’t too clean today with especially my changeup,” Moore said. “The breaking ball was there, so I was pretty happy about that. That pitch felt good. The fastball felt good, just wasn’t locating too good, especially early. “

Moore allowed solo homers to Cody Ross and Josh Kroeger, and threw just 26 of 52 pitches for strikes.

“He’s got electric stuff,” Ross said. “His fastball has a lot of life to it, some movement. He’s got a good breaking ball. He was struggling a little bit with his changeup, and he’ll probably tell you that. He’s got a ton of upside. To be as young as he is, to be competing like he is, is pretty neat to see.”

Ross, who has a history of struggling in spring training, homered for the second straight day and is hitting .455. With Carl Crawford recovering from a wrist injury, Ross likely will get playing time at the start of the season.

“It’s nice to feel good and give me confidence going into the season and it’s a grind when you feel terrible in spring training and then you don’t have to play catch up at the beginning of the season,” Ross said.

Longoria’s homer was his first hit of spring training. He was 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI.

“Clay threw the ball well,” Longoria said. “I just spot up a couple of good pitches, changeups and curveballs, and eventually got him to throw a fastball that I can handle. It’s about adjustments and really just getting it back to underneath our belts and getting comfortable so I thought today overall was pretty good for everybody.”

Rays leadoff man Desmond Jennings upped his spring average to .381 with two hits.

“I thought in general we had good at-bats today,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “The guys, the varsities, really, I thought their at-bats were much better.”

NOTES: Rays CF B.J. Upton (sore back) could play Tuesday when the Rays travel to Jupiter to play the Miami Marlins but more than likely will play in a minor league game. … Rays LHP David Price threw in a minor league game on the back fields of Charlotte Sports Park. He gave up three runs, six hits and one walk in 4 1-3 innings with one strikeout. … Rays SS Tim Beckham was reassigned to minor league camp. Rays RHP Dane De La Rosa, RHP Matt Bush, C Steven Vogt and OF Brandon Guyer were optioned to the minors.