Dustin Pedroia’s finally back, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Boston Red Sox.
The veteran second baseman will return to his usual leadoff spot Thursday night against the New York Yankees, playing for the first time since Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado took him out with a hard slide last Friday.
Boston lost two out of its three games without Pedroia and scored just one run in Wednesday night’s series-opening loss to New York.
Fans at Fenway Park also will be treated to a pitchers’ duel between Red Sox ace Chris Sale and Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. Sale has been virtually unhittable through four starts, allowing a total of three runs over 29 2/3 innings while striking out a major league-best 42 batters. Tanaka was roughed up on Opening Day but has given up three or fewer runs in three consecutive outings.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts slides to sixth in Boston’s lineup after batting lead-off in Pedroia’s absence. Marco Hernandez remains in the order batting ninth and playing third base while Pablo Sandoval recovers from a sprained knee.
Here are the lineups for Thursday’s Red Sox-Yankees showdown.
RED SOX (11-9)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Mookie Betts, RF
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Sandy Leon, C
Marco Hernandez, 3B
Chris Sale, LHP (1-1, 0.91 ERA)
YANKEES (12-7)
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Aaron Hicks, LF
Chase Headley, 3B
Matt Holliday, DH
Starlin Castro, 2B
Aaron Judge, RF
Chris Carter, 1B
Austin Romine, C
Ronald Torreyes, SS
Masahiro Tanaka, RHP (2-1, 6.00 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
