The Boston Red Sox will be without two of their most potent offensive players to start the day on Wednesday.
Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz are both getting the day off for the second game of a two-game series with the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon. In fact, only three players in Boston’s starting lineup were in the club’s Opening Day lineup. That’s to be expected to some degree, of course, given all of the turnover and call-ups along the way.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts will be in the lineup, one night after snapping an 0-for-13 skid with a pair of hits on Tuesday night. The Sox are hoping Jackie Bradley Jr. can do the same on Wednesday, as he’s back in the lineup and looking to break out of a brutal 0-for-35 slump. Bradley’s last hit came on July 26, and he has 18 strikeouts in those 35 at-bats.
The Red Sox will also have a relatively fresh face on the mound, too. Anthony Ranaudo will make his second career start after picking up a win over the New York Yankees on Aug. 1. Ranaudo went six innings and allowed three runs in his debut.
The Reds will send Mike Leake to the mound, as they look for a split. The Arizona State product is 9-10 this season with a 3.42 ERA. He’s on a bit of a roll, however, as he’s allowed just three runs in his last three starts (20 2/3 innings) with 20 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .176 batting average.
Here are both lineups for Wednesday’s matinée.
Red Sox (53-65)
Brock Holt, 2B
Daniel Nava, RF
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Mike Napoli, 1B
Kelly Johnson, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackie Bradley J. CF
Dan Butler, C
Anthony Ranaudo, P
Reds (60-59)
Billy Hamilton, CF
Jay Bruce, RF
Todd Frazier, 3B
Devin Mesoraco, C
Brayan Pena, 1B
Kristopher Negron, 2B
Skip Schumaker, LF
Zack Cozart, SS
Mike Leake, P
