The Boston Red Sox continue to play it safe with their veteran second baseman.
Dustin Pedroia will be watching someone else man second base for the second straight night. He was a late scratch from yesterday’s lineup when his left knee began acting up, an issue that he’s had to deal with for most of the 2017 season. Red Sox manager John Farrell downplayed the severity of the issue prior to yesterday’s game, saying he hoped Pedroia would need just one day of rest, according to MassLive’s Christopher Smith.
In his absence, newly acquired infielder Eduardo Nunez will start at second base, after launching two home runs and collecting the walk-off RBI on a 6-3 groundout the night before. Since coming to Boston from the San Francisco Giants, Nunez has gone 5-for-9 with two home runs and 3 RBIs. He was expected to play a utility role when acquired, but has quickly been thrust into a starting role and thrived. He’ll look to carry add another spark in Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals.
Lineup wise, the Red Sox are sending out the same order after yesterday’s thrilling walk-off win in the 10th inning. Drew Pomeranz (3.59 ERA) will make his 21st start of the year and will try to build on an eight-game stretch in which he’s held opposing hitters to a .228 batting average with a 2.47 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 47.1 innings. He’s quietly become the second most reliable starter in the Red Sox rotation.
Here are the complete lineups for Sunday’s series finale against the Royals:
Boston Red Sox: Drew Pomeranz, LHP
- Mookie Betts, RF
- Eduardo Nunez, 2B
- Andrew Benintendi, LF
- Hanley Ramirez, DH
- Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
- Xander Bogaerts, SS
- Mitch Moreland, 1B
- Christian Vazquez, C
- Rafael Devers, 3B
Kansas City Royals: Jason Hammel, RHP
- Whit Merrifield, 2B
- Jorge Bonifacio, RF
- Lorenzo Cain, CF
- Eric Hosmer, 1B
- Salvador Perez, DH
- Alcides Escobar, SS
- Alex Gordon, LF
- Ramon Torres, 3B
- Drew Butera, C
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After the Royals leave town, the Red Sox will host the Cleveland Indians for a three-game series and the Chicago White Sox for four. They will then go on the road to play division rivals in the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees. The Red Sox are just half a game back of first in the American League East entering play on Sunday.