Winckowski is starting Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates after Kutter Crawford (undisclosed) was scratched, Mac Cerullo of The North Andover Eagle-Tribune reports.
Winckowski was scheduled to pitch Thursday in a relief role, but with Crawford unavailable, the right-hander will instead pitch in a tradional starting role. A strong outing for the 24-year-old might make him the favorite to win a spot in the rotation for the Red Sox, but he also may have locked up that role if there's any sort of injury plaguing Crawford.