When the Boston Red Sox revealed their starting lineup for Tuesday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, it came with a little bit of a surprise.
Third baseman Rafael Devers was absent from the starting nine and it will be the first game Devers hasn’t played in all season.
It was a calculated move by acting Red Sox manager Will Venable, as the team is trying to give Devers a day off to rest, just like it did for second baseman Trevor Story in the opening game of the series on Monday.
“I think he could really use it like a lot of our guys could use it,” Venable told reporters, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “Especially playing these games on the turf, I think he’ll take full advantage of having a day off for sure.”
Like much of Boston’s lineup, Devers hasn’t been swinging a hot bat as of late. In his last 20 at-bats, Devers has recorded only three hits.
The day off could help Devers get back on track, but not having him in the middle of the order certainly makes the job tougher for a Red Sox offense that is trying to get out of a funk and regain its form.
Outfielder Alex Verdugo is now the only member of the Red Sox to suit up in all of the team’s games this season.
