The Boston Red Sox are coming off another win against the Toronto Blue Jays, and they’re going with a fresh lineup for Thursday afternoon’s game at Fenway Park.
The series finale gets going at 1:35 p.m. ET, and a couple of Boston’s regular starters will get a break after Wednesday night’s 5-1 victory. Both left fielder Andrew Benintendi and first baseman Mitch Moreland will take a seat, putting Chris Young in front of the Green Monster, while designated hitter Hanley Ramirez takes the field. Young will bat second, and Ramirez will bat out of the cleanup spot.
Young usually slots into the DH spot, so Dustin Pedroia will take over there and bat third. Brock Holt will assume Pedroia’s duties at second base and bat last in the meantime.
Doug Fister will be on the mound for Boston, but he has yet to show the Red Sox a truly solid performance. The right-hander pitched 6 1/3 innings in his last two starts combined and doesn’t have a win to his name yet. However, Fister might have a good chance at a W on Thursday, as Blue Jays starter Francisco Liriano is having a tough season, too. The left-hander gave up five earned runs on seven hits with three walks and just four strikeouts over six innings in a loss to the Red Sox on July 1.
Here are both teams’ lineups for Thursday afternoon’s finale.
RED SOX (54-42)
Mookie Betts, RF
Chris Young, LF
Dustin Pedroia, DH
Hanley Ramirez, 1B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Sandy Leon, C
Deven Marrero, 3B
Brock Holt, 2B
Doug Fister, RHP (0-3, 6.75 ERA)
BLUE JAYS (43-51)
Jose Bautista, RF
Russell Martin, C
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Justin Smoak, 1B
Kendrys Morales, DH
Steve Pearce, LF
Ezequiel Carrera, CF
Ryan Goins, SS
Darwin Barney, 2B
Francisco Liriano, LHP (5-5, 6.04 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
