Fresh off a rain-shortened affair in Baltimore, the Red Sox are back in Boston, set to begin their longest homestand of the season starting Thursday.
The Red Sox first will welcome the American League Central’s second place squad, the Minnesota Twins, for a four-game set at Fenway Park.
With Wednesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles making it just into the top of the second inning before getting delayed and then postponed, the Red Sox will roll with a similar lineup in Thursday’s contest. Steve Pearce remains the first baseman, hitting fifth, and Brock Holt will bat eighth and play second.
The only personnel change will be Blake Swihart in at catcher for Sandy Leon, with Swihart hitting seventh. He’ll catch Brian Johnson, who has become something of a temporary fixture in the rotation due to a slew of injuries. This will be the second time in his career Johnson has faced the Twins, with Thursday marking the southpaw’s first start against Minnesota.
The Twins will counter with righty Kyle Gibson.
Here are the lineups for both teams:
RED SOX (71-32)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
J.D. Martinez, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Steve Pearce, 1B
Rafael Devers, 3B
Blake Swihart, C
Brock Holt, 2B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Brian Johnson, LHP (1-3, 3.81 ERA)
TWINS (47-53)
Joe Mauer, 1B
Eddie Rosario, LF
Brian Dozier, 2B
Eduardo Escobar, 3B
Mitch Garver, DH
Robbie Grossman, RF
Max Kepler, CF
Ehire Adrianza, SS
Bobby Wilson, C
Kyle Gibson, RHP (4-7, 3.57)
