BOSTON — Two injured Red Sox will make their returns to action Monday at Fenway Park.
Left fielder Hanley Ramirez and third baseman Pablo Sandoval both were penciled into the starting lineup for the opener of Boston’s three-game series with the Cleveland Indians. Ramirez had been unavailable for the Red Sox’s previous six games after fouling a pitch of his foot Aug. 8 in Detroit, and Sandoval left Saturday’s game early after being hit by a pitch and sat out Sunday’s contest.
“First, Hanley was outside (Monday) afternoon at 1:30 running, testing his foot, followed up by some batting practice, and he said he’s ready to go,” acting manager Torey Lovullo said before Monday’s game. “There still is a little bit of discomfort there, but he wants to play. He wants to be in the lineup. He wants to contribute. And based on all the reports from the medical team here, he’s not going to put himself in any more harm’s way. All systems are go for him.”
Ramirez’s return shifted Jackie Bradley Jr. to right field and pushed Rusney Castillo out of the lineup for Monday’s meeting with the Tribe. Castillo went 2-for-6 with a home run Sunday as the Red Sox fell to the Seattle Mariners 10-8 in 12 innings.
Lovullo added that Sandoval volunteered to pinch-hit during that extra-innings loss — a gesture Boston’s interim skipper appreciated.
“Here’s a guy who had a pretty good contusion and a lot of swelling in that elbow area, and I really appreciated that,” Lovullo said. “I told him, ‘There’s no way you’re playing today. Everyone said you can’t. I know you’re personally coming to me and letting me know you can play.’ So, I knew (Monday) would be a good sign. I knew (Monday) he would start leaning toward playing, and it didn’t surprise me at all when he came in and said he was ready to go.”
Here are the Monday’s starting lineups:
RED SOX (52-65)
Mookie Betts, CF
Brock Holt, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Hanley Ramirez, LF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Travis Shaw, 1B
Ryan Hanigan, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., RF
Matt Barnes, RHP (3-2, 5.64 ERA)
INDIANS (54-62)
Jose Ramirez, 2B
Francisco Lindor, SS
Michael Brantley, DH
Carlos Santana, 1B
Abraham Almonte, CF
Yan Gomes, C
Lonnie Chisenhall, RF
Jerry Sands, LF
Mike Aviles, 3B
Danny Salazar, RHP (10-6, 3.26 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Nick Turchiaro/USA TODAY Sports Images
