We still don’t know whether J.D. Martinez will make a living in the middle of the Boston Red Sox lineup, but we do know what the top of the order will look like March 29 and beyond.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora on Thursday revealed he plans on using right fielder Mookie Betts as the full-time leadoff hitter in 2018 with left fielder Andrew Benintendi following him in the lineup.
“At least out of all the lineups I made, there was something very consistent in the top two spots: Betts, Benintendi, Betts, Benintendi,” Cora told reporters Thursday. “Regardless of who we are throughout the spring and the decisions that we make, I’m gonna see those two guys — if they’re healthy — March 29, (Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Chris) Archer will be throwing the first pitch to Mookie Betts.”
Betts, who finished sixth in American League MVP voting last season, has hit leadoff for the majority of his career. In 2017, however, a combined 322 of his 712 plate appearances came from somewhere other than the leadoff spot.
Betts gave his approval of the move Thursday.
“I’ve hit leadoff my whole life, so I don’t think it’s anything different than what I’ve always done. The difference was when I was batting in the middle of the order, that was the different part for me. So batting leadoff for me is kind of like going back home.”
Benintendi, in his first full season, found a home batting second as the season progressed.
It will be interesting to see what this means for second baseman Dustin Pedroia when he returns from a knee injury. The veteran has spent a good chunk of his career batting second, but he’s also displayed the flexibility to hit from other spots in the lineup.
