The Boston Red Sox are hoping Andrew Benintendi can turn the page in June.
The rookie left fielder started the season strong, turning in a .333 average and .870 OPS in April, but May was not the same story, as those numbers dipped to .204 and .602, respectively. Benintendi sat Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles with left-hander Wade Miley on the mound, but he’s back in the lineup and batting second for Friday’s matchup.
Three other Red Sox return to the lineup for the second game against the O’s, too, including first baseman Mitch Moreland, who’s batting cleanup. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval will bat eighth, while Sandy Leon will catch for starter Rick Porcello and bat last.
Porcello also will look to make things right this month, as the reigning American League Cy Young winner has had very mixed results so far in 2017. The right-hander is coming off an outing during which he gave up just two earned runs to go with six strikeouts and one walk over 6 1/3 innings in a 5-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners, but he allowed 11 hits in the process. Porcello won’t be able to do that against the homer-happy Orioles, who hit four off Eduardo Rodriguez in Thursday’s 7-5 loss.
Here are the lineups for Friday night’s Red Sox-Orioles matchup.
RED SOX (29-24)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Josh Rutledge, 2B
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Sandy Leon, C
Rick Porcello, RHP (3-6, 4.21 ERA)
ORIOLES (28-24)
Seth Smith, RF
Adam Jones, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Mark Trumbo, DH
Chris Davis, 1B
Jonathan Schoop, 2B
Hyun Soo Kim, LF
J.J. Hardy, SS
Caleb Joseph, C
Alec Asher, RHP (1-3, 3.77 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
