BOSTON — Travis Shaw is hoping a return to Fenway Park can help cure his recent hitting woes.
The Red Sox third baseman will return to the lineup Tuesday night when Boston kicks off a three-game series against the American League East rival Baltimore Orioles. He’ll bat eighth, his lowest position in the batting order this season.
Shaw pinch-hit in Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Twins but went 0-for-2 and bunted into a double play. He has just one hit in his last 22 at-bats.
“I think the most important thing (for Shaw) is to stay with a disciplined strike zone,” manager John Farrell said before Tuesday’s game. “I think there’s a pretty clear book on the way opposing pitchers are attacking him, and (he needs) to stay with the strike zone that’s defined and not expand when he’s capable.”
Christian Vazquez will bat behind Shaw in the No. 9 hole and catch for Red Sox ace David Price, who has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last six starts.
It should be a good pitching matchup at Fenway, as the Orioles will counter with right-hander Chris Tillman, who sports a team-best 8-1 record with a 3.01 ERA.
Here are the starting lineups for both teams.
RED SOX (36-26)
Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Hanley Ramirez, 1B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Chris Young, LF
Travis Shaw, 3B
Christian Vazquez, C
David Price, LHP (7-3, 4.63 ERA)
ORIOLESÂ (36-26)
Adam Jones, CF
Joey Rickard, RF
Manny Machado, SS
Chris Davis, 1B
Mark Trumbo, DH
Matt Wieters, C
Jonathan Schoop, 2B
Nolan Reimold, LF
Ryan Flaherty, 3B
Chris Tillman, RHP (8-1, 3.01 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Nick Turchiaro/USA TODAY Sports Images
