SARASOTA, Fla. — Craig Hansen wasn’t going to make the Red Sox’ 25-man roster to begin the season, but yesterday may have been an indication of how far he has to go to contribute to the major-league team this season.

Inheriting a 0-0 game in the seventh inning, Hansen struck out former teammate Alex Gonzalez on a called third strike, then fell apart. A broken-bat infield single followed before Hansen hit two batters, walked two others and was charged with all five runs in the Red Sox’ 5-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

“Hansen was throwing the ball,” said manager Terry Francona. “He didn’t nurse it up there. The problem was, he was doing more throwing than pitching. A lot of balls got away from him. I’m sure he’s frustrated.”

This spring, Hansen has a 15.43 ERA, with 8 hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Jonathan Papelbon followed Daisuke Matsuzaka to the mound and pitched a scoreless sixth.

Papelbon has been working on the side to try to correct a drop in his arm slot that had affected the plane of his split-finger fastball.

“My mechanics are getting there,” he said, adding that his arm slot was “a little different ... not much.”

Ochoa to PawSox?

The Sox have 36 players in camp, but three of them — Alex Ochoa, Bobby Scales and Joe McEwing — have been told they won’t be making the team out of spring training.

Ochoa was told Sunday as a courtesy to give him time to plan. Unlike Scales and McEwing, he will not be joining the team in Philadelphia.

As a spring training invitee, Ochoa has an out in his contract if he can catch on with another club, but that seems unlikely. If Ochoa agrees to go to Pawtucket, that will give the PawSox three veterans.

“That’s off the charts in terms of mentors,” said Francona. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen three players come into major-league camp with more professionalism.”

That leaves seven players who still must be returned to camp, optioned or released.

Things to come

The Sox will leave a handful of players in Fort Myers when the club travels to Philadelphia Thursday night.

Josh Beckett will throw a minor-league game Friday while Tim Wakefield will throw an intrasquad game on Sunday.

Curt Schilling, who makes his final start tomorrow night against Minnesota, will have a bullpen session Saturday, then fly to Kansas City that night. Catcher Doug Mirabelli will stay back to catch most of the pitchers.

Around the bases

Former Seattle reliever Kaz Sasaki, who pitched for the Mariners from 2000 to 2003, was in attendance, serving as a commentator for a Japanese TV network. … The Sox host Pittsburgh today, with Wakefield making his final exhibition start. … Julian Tavarez, preparing for his inclusion into the starting rotation, tossed five innings for Double-A Portland yesterday, giving up two hits and an unearned run over five innings while walking two and fanning one. Meanwhile, Jon Lester pitched three innings for Pawtucket and gave up three runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout. … Mirabelli and Wily Mo Pena got at-bats in minor-league games yesterday with Pawtucket. Pena was 2-for-5 with a homer while Mirabelli was 1-for-5 with a double. … The game attracted a crowd of 7,663, the largest ever at Ed Smith Stadium. Yesterday marked the fifth time this spring that the Sox had attracted a record crowd at an away ballpark. ... The Sox managed just three hits — all singles — off Reds pitchers.

smcadam@projo.com