Xander Bogaerts will be in the Red Sox dugout for the first time Monday night in San Francisco, but he’ll have to wait a bit longer before he sees the field.
Bogaerts is not in the starting lineup for the team’s series opener against the Giants, though he will be available to play if called upon.
Will Middlebrooks, who has hit safely in all eight games since his own call-up from Triple-A, will get the start at third and bat eighth, with Stephen Drew hitting a spot ahead of him and starting at shortstop.
Since the game is being played under National League rules, starting pitcher Jon Lester (10-7, 4.31 ERA) will get a chance to swing the lumber for the first time this season, with David Ortiz shifting from designated hitter to first base. Ortiz has spent very little time in the field this season, as 10 of the Red Sox’ 12 games against NL opponents have been played at Fenway Park.
The defending World Series champions, the Giants are far from even sniffing the playoffs this season. San Francisco enters the week trailing the rival Dodgers by 17 games in the NL West, and Tim Lincecum, Monday night’s starter, continues to struggle after a subpar 2012 campaign.
Lincecum (6-12, 4.38 ERA) has shown flashes of his former Cy Young self — tossing a 148-pitch no-hitter on June 13 and holding the Brewers to one hit over eight scoreless innings two weeks ago — but fails to perform on a consistent basis. He’s allowed three or more runs in seven of his last 10 starts, including six in six innings to the light-hitting Nationals his last time out.
Check out the full starting lineups for both teams below.
Boston Red Sox (73-53)
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Shane Victornio, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, 1B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Daniel Nava, LF
Stephen Drew, SS
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Jake Peavy, RHP
San Francisco Giants (55-68)
Andres Torres, CF
Marco Scutaro, 2B
Brandon Belt, 1B
Buster Posey, C
Hunter Pence, RF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Jeff Francoeur, LF
Brandon Crawford, SS
Tim Lincecum, RHP
