The Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros are shaking things up with the American League Championship Series tied at a game apiece.
Both clubs will make changes to their lineups for Tuesday afternoon’s Game 3 at Minute Maid Park. Red Sox manager Alex Cora will start Eduardo Nunez at third base over Rafael Devers, despite Devers’ strong offensive and defensive performance in Game 2. Christian Vazquez and Jackie Bradley Jr. also will flip-flop at the bottom of the order.
Aside from those changes, Boston’s lineup largely is the same as it was for Game 2. The Astros, however, are different story.
Houston manager A.J. Hinch will start Jose Altuve as the designated hitter and put Marwin Gonzalez, who played the outfield in Games 1 and 2, at second base. Tyler White — you know, the guy with the huge beard — will begin the game on the bench.
Elsewhere, right fielder Josh Reddick will move up in the order and bat sixth, while veteran catcher Brian McCann will start in place of MartÃn Maldonado and bat eighth. Tony Kemp will start in left field and bat ninth.
On the bump, the Red Sox will turn to right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who will look to offer a worthy sequel to his one-run, seven-inning gem against the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. The Astros will counter with lefty Dallas Keuchel, who gave up two runs in five innings in his ALDS Game 3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
Here are the full lineups for Tuesday’s Red Sox-Astros Game 3:
RED SOX
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
J.D. Martinez, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Steve Pearce, 1B
Eduardo Nunez, 3B
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Christian Vazquez, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Nathan Eovaldi, RHP (2018 playoffs: 1-0, 1.29 ERA)
ASTROS
George Springer, CF
Jose Altuve, DH
Alex Bregman, 3B
Yuli Gurriel, 1B
Marwin Gonzalez, 2B
Josh Reddick, RF
Carlos Correa, SS
Brian McCann, C
Tony Kemp, LF
Dallas Keuchel, LHP (2018 playoffs: 0-0, 3.60 ERA)
