Even with every player in the Boston Red Sox lineup recording a hit during Sunday’s matinee victory over the Oakland Athletics, manager John Farrell decided to shake up the bottom of the order against 2010 Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.
Stephen Drew, who’s in an 0-for-16 slump and sat out Sunday’s game in favor of Jonathan Herrera, returns to the order hitting eighth and playing shortstop. In 10 plate appearances against King Felix, Drew is hitting .333 with an RBI.
Also returning to the lineup are A.J. Pierzynski, who will bat seventh and catch, and Daniel Nava, who’s in the six-hole and playing left field.
The Red Sox kept the top of the lineup intact. The team is 7-5 when its top five hitters feature Brock Holt, Xander Bogaerts, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli in that order.
Ortiz will be interesting to watch Monday night because he’s had his way with Hernandez throughout his career, hitting .323 with one home run and five RBIs in 38 plate appearances. On the flip side, Napoli is ice cold against King Felix, hitting just .167 with one home run and two RBIs in 42 plate appearances.
Here are the full lineups:
Boston Red Sox (35-41)
Brock Holt, RF
Xander Bogaerts, 3B
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Daniel Nava, LF
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Stephen Drew, SS
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
John Lackey, RHP (8-4, 2.96 ERA)
Seattle Mariners (40-36)
Endy Chavez, RF
James Jones, CF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Kyle Seager, 3B
Logan Morrison, 1B
Mike Zunino, C
Dustin Ackley, LF
Brad Miller, SS
Willie Bloomquist, DH
Felix Hernandez, RHP (8-2, 2.22 ERA)
