BOSTON — Brock Holt immediately finds himself in the Red Sox’s starting lineup.
Holt was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday after Will Milddebrooks was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured right index finger. Holt will play third base and bat ninth Saturday against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park.
Holt also spent time with the major league club last month when Middlebrooks landed on the DL with a calf injury. The 25-year-old utility infielder played well, hitting .348 (8-for-23) with a .429 on-base percentage in seven games while sparking a sputtering Red Sox offense.
Xander Bogaerts will join Holt on the left side of the infield despite getting drilled in the wrist by a 96 mph fastball in the seventh inning of Friday’s series opener. Bogaerts’ wrist is a little tender, but the 21-year-old checked out fine after undergoing several tests.
Jackie Bradley Jr. will get a breather Saturday. Bradley said after Friday’s 0-for-3, two-strikeout performance — which dropped his average to .200 — that he feels “lost” at the plate, and Red Sox manager John Farrell thought it would be wise to give his young outfielder a chance to regroup. Bradley is hitting .128 (6-for-47) in 14 May games after seemingly making strides toward the end of April.
Grady Sizemore will play center field in Bradley’s absence. Shane Victorino, who missed the last two games because of a left knee issue, returns to the lineup in right field. Mike Carp starts in left field for the second straight game with a right-hander on the hill in Rick Porcello.
Saturday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (20-21)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Shane Victorino, RF
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Grady Sizemore, CF
Mike Carp, LF
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Brock Holt, 3B
John Lackey, RHP (5-2, 3.57 ERA)
Detroit Tigers (25-12)
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Torii Hunter, RF
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Victor Martinez, DH
Austin Jackson, CF
Nick Castellanos, 3B
Alex Avila, C
Andrew Romine, SS
Rajai Davis, LF
Rick Porcello, RHP (6-1, 3.22 ERA)
