The Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation has gotten off to a hot start in the second half of the Major League Baseball season, and the pitching staff will welcome back a familiar face Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez will make his first start since June 1 when he dislocated his right kneecap after slipping in the bullpen at Camden Yards before a start against the Baltimore Orioles. Rodriguez will come off the disabled list Monday to open a four-game series against the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.
Boston’s rotation is coming off a four-game series against the New York Yankees in which it allowed only five earned runs in 27 2/3 innings.
The Red Sox’s offense, however, scuffled during the series against the Yankees, scoring only nine runs in the four games combined and earning a series split. Despite the lack of offensive production, manager John Farrell has elected to keep the lineup relatively the same for Monday’s game.
Brock Holt will get the start at third base and bat ninth after being activated from the 10-day disabled list on Sunday. Christian Vazquez will do the catching for Rodriguez and hit eighth.
The Blue Jays, who currently are tied for last place in the American League East, will send Marcus Stroman to the mound opposite Rodriguez.
Here are the complete lineups for Monday’s Red Sox vs. Blue Jays game.
RED SOX (52-41)
Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Christian Vazquez, C
Brock Holt, 3B
Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP (4-2, 3.54 ERA)
BLUE JAYS (42-49)
Jose Bautista, RF
Russell Martin, C
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Justin Smoak, 1B
Kendrys Morales, DH
Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Steve Pearce, LF
Kevin Pillar, CF
Darwin Barney, 2B
Marcus Stroman, RHP (9-5, 3.28 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports Images
