Mookie Betts’ time on the shelf was short-lived.
The Boston Red Sox right fielder will return to the lineup Wednesday for Boston’s series finale matinee against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. Betts left Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays after tweaking his hamstring, causing him to miss a few games. He did, however, enter the game off the bench late in Tuesday’s extra-innings loss.
Betts’ bat is an important one for the Red Sox to have at the top of their order; the 25-year-old is hitting .337 this season with eight home runs and a league-leading 29 runs scored.
Drew Pomeranz will start on the mound for Boston, with Sandy Leon doing the catching. The lefty has struggled in his two starts this season since returning from the disabled list with a flexor strain in his pitching arm. In his most recent outing, Pomeranz was tagged for four runs on six hits (three home runs) over five innings of work Friday against the Rays.
Lefty Danny Duffy will oppose Pomeranz.
Here are the full lineups for Wednesday’s Red Sox-Royals game:
RED SOX (21-8)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Hanley Ramirez, 1B
J.D. Martinez, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Rafael Devers, 3B
Eduardo Nunez, 2B
Sandy Leon, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Drew Pomeranz, LHP (0-1, 7.27 ERA)
ROYALS (8-21)
Whit Merrifield, 2B
Jorge Soler, RF
Mike Moustakas, 1B
Salvador Perez, DH
Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B
Jon Jay, LF
Alcides Escobar, SS
Alex Gordon, CF
Drew Butera, C
Danny Duffy, LHP (0-3, 5.40 ERA)
