The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will wrap up their four-game series Thursday at Fenway Park.
It will be another new face on the mound for the Red Sox in the series finale. Kyle Hart, a 19th-round pick by Boston in the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft, is slated to make his first big league start. It will be a battle of pitching giants on the hill, as the 6-foot-5 Hart will be opposite Rays fireballer Tyler Glasnow, who stands at 6-foot-8.
As for Boston’s lineup, Jose Peraza will start at shortstop in place of Xander Bogaerts. Manager Ron Roenicke noted Thursday afternoon he simply wanted to give Bogaerts some rest, though he’d be available to come off the bench. Kevin Plawecki will do the catching for Hart’s MLB debut.
Here are the full lineups for Thursday’s Rays vs. Red Sox game:
RED SOX (6-12)
Alex Verdugo, LF
Rafael Devers, 3B
J.D. Martinez, DH
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Kevin Pillar, RF
Kevin Plawecki, C
Jonathan Arauz, 2B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Jose Peraza, SS
Kyle Hart, LHP (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
RAYS (11-8)
Mike Brosseau, 3B
Jose Martinez, 1B
Yandy Diaz, DH
Hunter Renfroe, RF
Brandon Lowe, 2B
Willy Adames, SS
Manuel Margot, CF
Yoshi Tsutsugo, LF
Mike Zunino, C
Tyler Glasnow, RHP (0-1, 5.56 ERA)
