The Boston Red Sox will be without two of their most potent bats as they look to avoid a sweep at Camden Yards.
Neither shortstop Xander Bogaerts nor center fielder Mookie Betts was in the starting lineup Wednesday for the finale of a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles.
The day off was a long time coming for the two young stars. Bogaerts and Betts had started every game for the Red Sox since Aug. 19, when both sat out a game against the Cleveland Indians.
Bogaerts leads all Red Sox with a .321 batting average, with Betts — who’s expected to start in right field Friday in Toronto — not far behind at .288. Betts also ranks third on the team in both home runs (15) and RBIs (71).
In their absence, Jackie Bradley Jr. shifts from right field to center, and infielder Deven Marrero was penciled in as Boston’s starting shortstop for the first time in his major league career.
Henry Owens will take the mound for the Red Sox in search of his first win since Aug. 21. The 23-year-old left-hander went 0-1 with two no-decisions in his last three starts and has yet to face the Orioles in the month-and-a-half since his first big league call-up.
Here are the full starting lineups for both teams:
RED SOX (68-76)
Brock Holt, RF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Travis Shaw, 1B
Rusney Castillo, LF
Blake Swihart, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Deven Marrero, SS
Henry Owens, LHP (2-2, 5.28 ERA)
ORIOLES (71-73)
Nolan Reimold, DH
Manny Machado, 3B
Chris Davis, 1B
Adam Jones, CF
Jonathan Schoop, 2B
Steve Pearce, LF
Gerardo Parra, RF
J.J. Hardy, SS
Caleb Joseph, C
Mike Wright, RHP (2-4, 5.45 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
