Dustin Pedroia will return to the Boston Red Sox’s starting lineup Wednesday night in Chicago.
Pedroia, who missed Sunday’s game against the New York Yankees because of a sore left wrist, didn’t find his way into Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox until the ninth inning — he entered as a pinch runner for Mike Napoli, who dislocated his finger while sliding into second base. But Pedroia is penciled into manager John Farrell’s starting nine Wednesday, and the second baseman will hit atop Boston’s order for the second time this season.
Pedroia has been scuffling at the plate, hitting just .236 and failing to draw a single walk so far this season. The 30-year-old has shown an ability to hit his way out of slumps throughout his career, though, and it’s encouraging to see him return to action so quickly after an MRI performed Monday showed no structural damage in his wrist, which he injured April 4 when Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez took him out on a slide at second base.
Napoli will not be in the Red Sox’s starting lineup Wednesday because of his finger injury. Napoli is listed as day to day, according to Farrell, and Daniel Nava will start at first base against the White Sox. Mike Carp, who couldn’t scoop shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ throwing error in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game, will not be in the Red Sox’s starting lineup.
The Red Sox’s outfield will consist of Grady Sizemore (left field), Jackie Bradley Jr. (center field) and Jonny Gomes (right field) against White Sox left-hander John Danks. Boston is trying to avoid its first four-game losing streak since 2012.
Wednesday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (5-9)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Jonny Gomes, RF
Grady Sizemore, LF
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Daniel Nava, 1B
Ryan Roberts, 3B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Clay Buchholz, RHP (0-1, 6.97 ERA)
Chicago White Sox (8-6)
Adam Eaton, CF
Marcus Semien, 2B
Conor Gillaspie, 3B
Jose Abreu, 1B
Adam Dunn, DH
Dayan Viciedo, RF
Alejandro De Aza, LF
Alexei Ramirez, SS
Adrian Nieto, C
John Danks, LHP (1-0, 4.15 ERA)
