Xander Bogaerts gave the Boston Red Sox a scare Thursday night when he exited the club’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays after taking a pitch to the hand in the first inning, but they can breathe a sigh of relief Saturday.
The Red Sox shortstop is back in the lineup for Game 3 of Boston’s four-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field after missing Friday’s contest and will bat in the No. 3 spot. Tzu-Wei Lin, who played shortstop Friday for Bogaerts, will remain in the lineup at third base and bat ninth.
Rick Porcello will be on the mound for Boston amid a season that’s seen him struggle mightily to reproduce the numbers that won him the American League Cy Young Award in 2016. The right-hander already has two losses to Tampa this season, including one on April 14 that saw him give up eight runs on eight hits with two walks, five strikeouts and a whopping four home runs over just 4 1/3 innings. Porcello has a 9.58 ERA in those two starts, however, both were at Fenway Park.
Here are the Red Sox’s and Rays’ lineups for Saturday’s game.
RED SOX (50-37)
Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Andrew Benintendi, CF
Chris Young, LF
Sandy Leon, C
Tzu-Wei Lin, 3B
Rick Porcello, RHP (4-10, 5.01 ERA)
RAYS (45-43)
Mallex Smith, CF
Corey Dickerson, DH
Evan Longoria, 3B
Logan Morrison, 1B
Steven Souza Jr., RF
Brad Miller, 2B
Adeiny Hechavarria, SS
Shane Peterson, LF
Jesus Sucre, C
Alex Cobb, RHP (6-6, 4.01 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
