Pablo Sandoval is back in the Boston Red Sox’s lineup Thursday after leaving Wednesday’s game in the fifth inning due to dehydration. He’ll bat seventh and man third base in the finale of a four-game set against the Chicago White Sox.
Blake Swihart is back behind the dish Thursday and represents the only change to Wednesday’s starting lineup.
Swihart has struggled at the plate in five games since returning from a foot injury that led to a stint on the disabled list earlier this month, gathering just three hits in his last 19 at-bats (.167 batting average). The 23-year-old backstop also struggled catching Steven Wright’s knuckleball last week in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing four passed balls. Wright takes the mound Thursday for the Red Sox.
For the Chicago White Sox, shortstop Alexei Ramirez — who hit his fifth home run of the season Wednesday night — and catcher Tyler Flowers move up a spot in the batting order to Nos. 6 and 8, respectively. J. B. Shuck replaces Avisail Garcia in right field and is batting seventh.
Chris Sale gets the nod in the finale for Chicago. The 26-year-old southpaw leads the American League with 170 strikeouts, averaging just under nine punchouts (8.95) per game.
Here are both teams’ lineups for Thursday.
RED SOX (44-58)
Brock Holt, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Hanley Ramirez, LF
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Rusney Castillo, RF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Blake Swihart, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Steven Wright, RHP (3-4, 4.78 ERA)
WHITE SOX (49-50)
Adam Eaton, CF
Tyler Saladino, 3B
Melky Cabrera, LF
Jose Abreu, 1B
Adam LaRoche, DH
Alexei Ramirez, SS
J.B. Shuck, RF
Tyler Flowers, C
Carlos Sanchez, 2B
Chris Sale, LHP (9-5, 2.85 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports Images
