As Opening Day approaches, the Boston Red Sox have one big pitching question to answer.

There’s plenty of drama yet to unfold on the position player side of the roster, and the bullpen depth chart also has to shake out. But the biggest competition unfolding over the next two weeks is for the number-five starter role, at least on a temporary basis.

With Brayan Bello lagging slightly behind in his buildup after shoulder soreness, it’s unlikely the Red Sox will have their full complement of rotation options ready to go. The main combatants duking it out for Bello’s spot are a pair of righties acquired in relatively recent trades: Quinn Priester and Richard Fitts.

Fitts has been turning heads so far this spring, having added a significant amount of velocity over the offseason. But Priester bulked up and added velocity as well, and he may very well hold the tiebreaker over Fitts if the race turns out to be close.

On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter projected every team’s Opening Day rotation, and he predicted that the 24-year-old Priester would narrowly win the final rotation spot over the 25-year-old Fitts.

“The Red Sox rotation might have the widest range of potential outcomes of any staff in baseball,” Reuter wrote. “Will Walker Buehler return to his pre-injury form? Can Lucas Giolito make a smooth return from Tommy John surgery? Does Garrett Crochet have the durability to live up to being staff ace?

“They also have a camp battle between Quinn Priester and Richard Fitts to sort out now that Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford are both starting the year on the injured list.”

Priester has pitched 6 2/3 innings so far this spring, surrendering just two earned runs on a pair of solo home runs. He’s struck out five batters, allowed eight hits, and walked four. Meanwhile, Fitts has allowed just one run in 6 1/3 innings, struck out nine, allowed six hits, and walked four.

Here’s the potential tiebreaker: While Fitts has all three of his minor-league options remaining, Priester has just one. That means if Fitts gets the rotation spot, Priester likely goes to Triple-A, and the Red Sox would be unable to demote him again if he earns a call-up later in the season.

There’s still time left for both young righties to make their case. And both would do well to cut down on their respective WHIPs over their final few spring training outings.

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