Red Sox Vs. Rays Lineup: Chris Sale Starts, Xander Bogaerts Sits

The Boston Red Sox take on the Tampa Rays in the second game of a three-game series Saturday night at Fenway Park.

Boston will give the pall to ace left-hander Chris Sale, who will look to notch his 16th win of the season. The presumed leader in the race for the American League Cy Young Award, Sale hasn’t been his usual, dominant self since the calendar turned to August. But a matchup with the Rays might be just what he needs, as he’s 3-1 against Tampa Bay this season and has recorded at least 12 strikeouts in each of his four starts.

As for the lineup, slumping shortstop Xander Bogaerts will get a breather, with Eduardo Nunes filling in and batting leadoff. After batting leadoff in the Sox’s 9-3 win over the Rays on Friday, second baseman Dustin Pedroia slides down to to the two-hole. Sandy Leon will bat eighth and, once again, catch for Sale.

Here’s the Red Sox lineup for Saturday’s game against the Rays:

RED SOX (80-61)
Eduardo Nunez, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Mookie Betts, RF
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Rafael Devers, 3B
Sandy Leon, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF

Chris Sale, LHP (15-7, 2.85 ERA)

RAYS (70-72)
Kevin Kiermaier, CF
Cesar Puello, LF
Evan Longoria, 3B
Logan Morrison, 1B
Trevor Plouffe, DH
Wilson Ramos, C
Adeiny Hechavarria, SS
Peter Bourjos, RF
Danny Espinosa, 2B

Matt Andriese, RHP (5-2, 3.78 ERA)

Thumbnail photo via Kevin Sousa/USA TODAY Sports Images