UPDATE (6:30 p.m. ET): Dustin Pedroia has been scratched from the Red Sox’s starting lineup.
The team said Pedroia has been scratched because of the wet playing conditions at Progressive Field. Pedroia, of course, isn’t far removed from a hamstring injury, so the Sox clearly are playing it safe.
Josh Rutledge will play second base and bat second in Pedroia’s absence.
Here’s the Red Sox’s new starting lineup.
RED SOX (78-82)
Mookie Betts, RF
Josh Rutledge, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Travis Shaw, 1B
Rusney Castillo, LF
Brock Holt, DH
Deven Marrero, 3B
Sandy Leon, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Craig Breslow, LHP (0-3, 4.22 ERA)
ORIGINAL POST: CLEVELAND — David Ortiz will begin the middle game of the Boston Red Sox’s three-game series against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on the bench.
Ortiz, who has reached all of his contract incentives for this season, played Friday night and homered in Boston’s 8-2 loss. But the slugger has dealt with some general soreness of late, according to Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo, so it isn’t surprising to see him out of the starting lineup Saturday night.
It’s unclear at this point whether Ortiz will play Sunday as the Red Sox slap a bow on their 2015 slate.
“We want to win games. We want to win (Saturday) and we want to win (Sunday), and he gives us that best chance and he’s fully aware of that, as evident of him playing (Friday),” Lovullo said. “He wanted to help us win a baseball game. That’s important to us right now. So that’s been outlined, he understands that and so we’ll address his health and see where he’s at (Saturday night) for (Sunday afternoon).”
Brock Holt will serve as Boston’s designated hitter in Ortiz’s absence. Deven Marrero will play third base, where Holt was stationed for Friday’s series opener against the Tribe.
Mookie Betts, who’s played five straight games in center field, will shift back to right field. Jackie Bradley Jr. and Rusney Castillo will play center field and left field, respectively, as the Red Sox continue to evaluate their outfield plans for 2016.
Sandy Leon will be behind the dish with Craig Breslow starting for the Red Sox.
The complete lineups for Saturday’s Red Sox-Indians matchup are below.
RED SOX (78-82)
Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Travis Shaw, 1B
Rusney Castillo, LF
Brock Holt, DH
Deven Marrero, 3B
Sandy Leon, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Craig Breslow, LHP (0-3, 4.22 ERA)
INDIANS (79-80)
Francisco Lindor, SS
Mike Aviles, LF
Jason Kipnis, 2B
Ryan Raburn, DH
Carlos Santana, 1B
Yan Gomes, C
Giovanny Urshela, 3B
Abraham Almonte, CF
Jerry Sands, RF
Corey Kluber, RHP (8-16, 3.62 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Evan Habeeb/USA TODAY Sports Images
