John Farrell might have just tipped his hand on the Boston Red Sox’s Opening Day lineup.
Xander Bogaerts returned to camp Thursday after playing for Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. Farrell immediately inserted the shortstop into the No. 6 spot in the Red Sox’s starting lineup for their spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at JetBlue Park.
This is notable because Farrell has been tinkering with his lineup card in the Red Sox’s first spring training without David Ortiz since 2002, and the skipper acknowledged Thursday’s alignment, which features Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts batting second and third, respectively, behind Dustin Pedroia, could be a template for when Boston opens its 2017 campaign on April 3.
“This was the dilemma with David (Ortiz) hitting three or four, a year ago or previous years,” Farrell told reporters Thursday in Fort Myers, Fla., per the Boston Herald. “You’re looking for your most complete hitter, or your most productive hitter, to come up in that first inning. And that case right now, that would be Mookie.
“There’s some balance to all that. The fact is that this is a pretty good problem to have with the different alignments and who might not come in the first, and worst-case scenario. More than anything, you’re looking at five or six guys capable of being in those top three slots.”
Bogaerts, who batted sixth just twice last season, batted third for 105 games and second for 50 games. But he’s a right-handed hitter. Having him bat in one of the top three spots along with Betts and Pedroia in an Ortiz-less lineup this season would give Boston four consecutive right-handed hitters atop the order, assuming Hanley Ramirez is the cleanup hitter.
Thus, it’s likely that Benintendi, a left-handed hitter, will bat either second or third despite having just 118 major league plate appearances under his belt. And while Bogaerts theoretically could bat fifth behind Ramirez, assigning that spot to Mitch Moreland, another left-handed hitter, gives the lineup a little more left-right balance.
The bottom three, assuming Bogaerts bats sixth, would consist of center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., third baseman Pablo Sandoval and catcher Sandy Leon.
Below is Thursday’s complete lineup, which also could be Boston’s Opening Day lineup. The only change is that Leon, not Blake Swihart, still projects to be the Red Sox’s starting catcher to open the season.
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Mookie Betts, RF
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Blake Swihart, C
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
