UPDATE (5:05 p.m.): The Boston Red Sox’s series finale Thursday against the Cleveland Indians has been postponed due to rain. A makeup date has yet to be announced.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Boston Red Sox’s only true batterymates are in the lineup for the team’s final game against the Indians in Cleveland.
John Farrell said before the season began that Ryan Hanigan would catch every time Joe Kelly is on the mound, and that’s exactly the case Thursday. Blake Swihart will take a seat with Hanigan behind the plate, and Hanigan will slide into the 24-year-old’s No. 8 spot in the batting order. Otherwise, the rest of the lineup remains unchanged from Tuesday and Wednesday.
Kelly will be pitching with a chance to give the Red Sox their first series win of the 2016 Major League Baseball season after the teams split the first two games. The right-hander earned the No. 3 spot in the rotation after going 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 24 innings in spring training. Kelly is 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA in two previous career starts against the Tribe.
Here are both teams’ lineups for Thursday’s matchup.
RED SOX (1-1)
Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Hanley Ramirez, 1B
Travis Shaw, 3B
Brock Holt, LF
Ryan Hanigan, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Joe Kelly, RHP
INDIANS (1-1)
Francisco Lindor, SS
Jose Ramirez, LF
Jason Kipnis, 2B
Mike Napoli, 1B
Carlos Santana, DH
Yan Gomes, C
Marlon Byrd, RF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Tyler Naquin, CF
Danny Salazar, RHP
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
