UPDATE, 6:35 p.m. ET: Brock Holt has been scratched from the Boston Red Sox’s starting lineup Saturday night against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park with left oblique tightness.
Josh Rutledge will start at second base in Holt’s absence. This marks the fourth consecutive start at second base for Rutledge, who was acquired last month in exchange for Shane Victorino.
The Red Sox’s updated lineup is below.
Mookie Betts, CF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Travis Shaw, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, LF
Blake Swihart, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., RF
Josh Rutledge, 2B
ORIGINAL POST: The Boston Red Sox have had the Kansas City Royals’ number of late.
The Red Sox got the best of Royals ace Johnny Cueto in a 7-2 win at Fenway Park on Friday night, improving their record against the defending American League champs to 10-2 since the beginning of last season.
Brock Holt sat out that contest with what interim manager Torey Lovullo said were some minor bumps and bruises, but the utility man is back in the lineup batting seventh and playing second base for Saturday night’s contest against Kansas City.
Jackie Bradley Jr. also will return to the lineup after sitting in favor of Rusney Castillo and Mookie Betts on Friday night. He’ll play right field and bat ninth, while Betts will start in center and bat leadoff.
After pitting rookie Henry Owens against Cueto on Friday night, Boston will roll out another young arm in 25-year-old right-hander Matt Barnes. Barnes will make just the second start of his major league career after allowing six runs in five innings in a loss to the Cleveland Indians on Monday night.
The Royals will counter with 24-year-old flamethrower Yordano Ventura.
Check out the lineups below.
RED SOX (56-66)
Mookie Betts, CF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Travis Shaw, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, LF
Brock Holt, 2B
Blake Swihart, C
Jackie Bradley, Jr. RF
Matt Barnes, RHP (3-3, 6.59 ERA)
ROYALS (73-48)
Alcides Escobar, SS
Ben Zobrist, LF
Lorenzo Cain, CF
Eric Hosmer, 1B
Kendrys Morales, DH
Mike Moustakas, 3B
Salvador Perez, C
Alex Rios, RF
Omar Infante, 2B
Yordano Ventura, RHP (7-7, 4.82 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
