It takes a lot to keep Dustin Pedroia out of a baseball game, but Saturday’s incident sure was enough.
The Boston Red Sox second baseman was forced to leave the game against the Tampa Bay Rays after taking a hard elbow to the head from baserunner Logan Forsythe.
Pedroia experienced concussion-like symptoms after the game, and as expected, he’s not in the lineup for the team’s matinee finale at Tropicana Field on Sunday.
As he’s done all year, Brock Holt will fill the vacancy, playing second base and batting leadoff for the Red Sox. Mookie Betts will be bumped to No. 2 in the batting order in Pedroia’s absence.
Mike Napoli and Will Middlebrooks both are back in the lineup after sitting out Saturday. Napoli will play first base and bat fifth, and Middlebrooks will hit seventh and play third base.
Christian Vazquez will start behind the plate and catch right-hander Clay Buchholz, who pitched well in his last outing against the Toronto Blue Jays but still is searching for his first win since July 18.
Check out both full lineups below.
Boston Red Sox (59-76)
Brock Holt, 2B
Mookie Betts, CF
David Ortiz, DH
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Mike Napoli, 1B
Daniel Nava, RF
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Christian Vazquez, C
Clay Buchholz, RHP (5-8, 5.77 ERA)
Tampa Bay Rays (66-70)
Kevin Kiermaier, CF
Brandon Guyer, LF
Matt Joyce, RF
Evan Longoria, 3B
James Loney, DH
Logan Forsythe, 2B
Yunel Escobar, SS
Jose Molina, C
Sean Rodriguez, 1B
Alex Cobb, RHP (9-6, 3.06 ERA)
