The Boston Red Sox are inserting one of their most electric bats back into the lineup, but simultaneously are taking another one out of it.
After a two-game break, Mookie Betts will go back to the leadoff spot and will play right field as the Red Sox and Cleveland Indians meet Sunday night in the rubber match of a three-game set at Progressive Field. J.D. Martinez, meanwhile, gets the night off after playing in the first two games of the series.
Though some reshuffling took place, there aren’t too many new names back in Boston’s lineup between Saturday and Sunday’s games. Steve Pearce will serve as the designated hitter and hit fifth, while Christian Vazquez will start at catcher and hit ninth.
Hector Velazquez will get the ball for the Red Sox, who with a win can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and set the franchise record for victories in a regular season. The right-handed long reliever/spot starter is 2-2 with a 4.00 ERA in seven starts this season. He’ll be opposed by Adam Plutko.
Here are the full lineups for Sunday’s Red Sox-Indians game:
RED SOX (105-50)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Rafael Devers, 3B
Steve Pearce, DH
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Christian Vazquez, C
Hector Velazquez, RHP (7-2, 3.18 ERA)
INDIANS (86-66)
Francisco Lindor, SS
Michael Brantley, LF
Jose Ramirez, 2B
Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Yonder Alonso, 1B
Melky Cabrera, RF
Jason Kipnis, CF
Roberto Perez, C
Adam Plutko, RHP (4-5, 5.27 ERA)
