After a brief scare, Alex Verdugo will be back in the Boston Red Sox lineup Thursday against the Detroit Tigers.
The rubber match of the three-game set is set to take place Thursday afternoon at Fenway Park. Verdugo will be back in the lineup for the Sox after getting scratched Wednesday due to a back issue.
Verdugo will be in left field and batting second. Boston will, for now, continue to stay away from Christian Arroyo.
Elsewhere in the Sox lineup, Marwin Gonzalez will move over to second base, with Kiké Hernández going to center field and Bobby Dalbec playing first. The struggling Franchy Cordero sits as a result.
Christian Vazquez gets the afternoon off, with Kevin Plawecki behind the plate and hitting eighth.
As for the Tigers, Harold Castro is replaced Willi Castro at second base, while Wilson Ramos catches in place of Grayson Greiner. Akil Baddoo plays left field, with Miguel Cabrera moving to the bench.
Nathan Eovaldi gets the ball for the Red Sox. He'll be opposed by Spencer Turnbull. First pitch from Fenway Park is set for 1:10 p.m. ET, with pregame coverage beginning on NESN at noon.
Here are the lineups for Thursday afternoon.
RED SOX (18-13)
Kiké Hernández, CF
Alex Verdugo, LF
J.D. Martinez, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Rafael Devers, 3B
Hunter Renfroe, RF
Marwin Gonzalez, 2B
Kevin Plawecki, C
Bobby Dalbec, 1B
Nathan Eovaldi, RHP (4-2, 3.63 ERA)
TIGERS (9-22)
Robbie Grossman, DH
Jonathan Schoop, 1B
Jeimer Candelario, 3B
Wilson Ramos, C
Niko Goodrum, SS
Harold Castro, 2B
Jacoby Jones, CF
Victor Reyes, RF
Akil Baddoo, LF
Spencer Turnbull, RHP (1-2, 4.50 ERA)
