Most of the seats at Fenway Park were empty on Saturday afternoon when David Price walked out to the mound to start warming up.

But the lefthander still drew a crowd to watch him pitch a two-inning simulated game.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski watched from behind the plate with bench coach Gary DiSarcina­. Manager John Farrell and pitching coach Carl Willis were behind a protective screen on the infield.

Many of Price’s teammates were on the field or in the dugout to watch him pitch.

Price did not disappoint. He threw 32 pitches to Tzu-Wei Lin, Deven Marrero, and Chris Young with what appeared to be his usual command and velocity. There were a few pitches lined to the outfield but more that were swung through or taken for strikes.

It was the first time Price faced hitters since July 22. He has been on the disabled list since with a strained triceps.

“He got through today fine,’’ Farrell said before the Sox’ 9-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. “A good step obviously in his progression to game activity . . . All four pitches with good intensity; actually kind of felt from a repetition and rhythm standpoint better the second inning. Today was a productive day.’’

Price will throw another simulated game on Wednesday or Thursday. The Sox will then decide whether to prepare Price as a starter or relief pitcher.

“After the next sim game, we’ll have a chance to sit down and talk and what’s the best path in terms of what the role could be,’’ Farrell said. “We’re not at that point yet.’’

If Price returns as a reliever, it would obviously take less time for him to build up the required arm strength. Counting the postseason, Price has six games of relief experience in his career.

What role Price prepares for will be influenced by how the Sox intend to build their postseason roster. In a best-of-five Division Series, only four starters would be needed at most. In Chris Sale, Drew Pomeranz, Rick Porcello, and Doug Fister, the Sox have sufficient rotation depth.

Price could fit best in relief, at least for the first round. As a rookie in 2008, Price pitched in relief five times for Tampa Bay in the postseason and allowed one earned run on two hits over 5⅔ innings while striking out eight.

Price was not made available to the media after his session.

Hurricane plans

The Red Sox remain scheduled to play a three-game series at Tampa Bay starting Friday. Farrell said Major League Baseball has not given the Red Sox any indication the games will be moved because of Hurricane Irma.

“Not yet,’’ Farrell said. “We just don’t know what the effect of the storm will be and how severe once it moves through.’’

The storm is expected to hit Fort Myers, Fla., hard on Sunday. The Red Sox have opened JetBlue Park as a shelter for team personnel and their families to ride out the storm if needed.

A number of Sox players, coaches, and staff members have homes in Florida, particularly in the Fort Myers area, and were busy before the game checking on their families, friends, and property.

“There’s concern, there’s attention to be paid,’’ Farrell said. “I know Hanley [Ramirez] has gotten his family up here. You try and understand what they’re going through. There’s obviously some kind of compassion that’s got to be given in those situations. Hopefully they will be able to avoid something severe.’’

The Rays’ flagship radio station, WDAE in St. Petersburg, dropped coverage of the team until further notice so it could provide hurricane updates.

Players from the Red Sox, Rays, Bruins, and Florida Panthers will collect donations for those affected by the hurricane at the Fenway Park gates before the game on Sunday.

Donations will support Red Cross relief efforts that may be needed in the Florida area.

Brief break

Eduardo Nunez started at shortstop, which left slumping Xander Bogaerts out of the lineup for the fourth time in seven games.

But Nunez left the game in the second inning after he had trouble running and was replaced by Bogaerts.

Nunez was initially injured on a steal of second in the first inning but stayed in the game. He then came out after an infield single with what was described as a bruised right knee.

Farrell held Bogaerts out of the lineup from Sept. 1-3 in New York to give him a chance to reset and further recover from injuries. He was 2 of 17 over the three games that followed with one extra-base hit and one RBI. He went 2 for 3 Saturday night, scoring twice.

“You see some good swings; you see some good balance; you see him addressing pitches that are in the strike zone,’’ Farrell said before the game. “Then you’ll see at-bats where he’ll come out of the strike zone.

“Doing what we can to gain a little momentum with him offensively.’’

Dustin Pedroia started at second base on consecutive days for the first time since coming off the disabled list. He homered in the first inning, his seventh.

He is scheduled to get a day off on Sunday.

Remy returns

Jerry Remy was back in the NESN booth for the second consecutive day. On Friday, he worked his first game since taking leave for lung cancer treatments 11 weeks ago . . . Through Friday, the Sox were fifth in the majors and third in the American League with 97 stolen bases. The Sox were 43 of 52 (83 percent) since the All-Star break. Since 1920, only seven Red Sox teams have stolen 100 or more bases . . . The Rays named Alex Cobb their starter for Sunday. The righthander has faced the Sox three times this season and allowed seven earned runs over 19 innings. Sox starter Rick Porcello is 1-3 with a 5.18 ERA in four starts against the Rays. But in the last two meetings he allowed three earned runs over 14 innings . . . Tampa Bay’s Evan­ Longoria has 31 career home runs against the Sox. Among active players, only Toronto’s Jose Bautista (42) has more . . . The Sox outfielders played long toss before the game, part of a program to maintain arm strength. Jackie Bradley Jr. was able to throw to the base of the wall in left on a line while standing in front of Canvas Alley.

Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @peteabe.