BOSTON — The top of the Red Sox’s batting order has a new look.
As a way to possibly get the Red Sox back to scoring runs at their usual rate, Boston manager John Farrell moved Mookie Betts to the No. 3 spot in the lineup against the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Betts has shown a lot of power out of the leadoff spot this season with 23 home runs, 74 RBIs and a .544 slugging percentage, so second baseman Dustin Pedroia will bat first instead ahead of Xander Bogaerts. The rest of the lineup remains unchanged.
“Just trying to see if there’s a way that with the same guys in a slightly different order can we be more productive, more efficient,” Farrell said. “All three are very good on-base guys. If they’re on base ahead of Bogey, does that possibly change anything? We’re all living that the last three or four weeks we haven’t scored runs at the clip we have previous, so if this is a little bit of a jump start or a newness for some guys at the top of the order, that might be a side effect.”
On the mound, lefty Drew Pomeranz is searching for his first win in a Red Sox uniform. He went six innings with two earned runs in his last start against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 4 but earned a no-decision when Boston won 3-2 in extra innings.
Here are the Red Sox’s and Yankees’ lineups for Wednesday.
RED SOX (61-50)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mookie Betts, RF
David Ortiz, DH
Hanley Ramirez, 1B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Travis Shaw, 3B
Sandy Leon, C
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Drew Pomeranz, LHP (8-9, 3.09 ERA)
YANKEES (56-56)
Brett Gardner, LF
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Chase Headley, 3B
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Starlin Castro, 2B
Didi Gregorius, SS
Gary Sanchez, DH
Austin Romine, C
Aaron Hicks, RF
Nathan Eovaldi, RHP (9-8, 4.80 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
