Red Sox Vs. Angels Lineups: Alex Verdugo Returns For Series Opener

The Boston Red Sox are back home and looking to use their series with the Los Angeles Anaheim to get back on track.

After going 3-7 on their recent road trip, the Red Sox open their six-game homestand Tuesday night at Fenway Park with the matchup against the Los Angeles Angels.

Alex Verdugo returns to Boston’s starting lineup in the most-notable change from the lineup Alex Cora deployed Sunday in the Red Sox’s 9-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Back from two days’ rest, Verdugo plays left field and bats fifth.

Catcher Kevin Plawecki also returns to the lineup, giving Christian Vázquez another day off rest. Plawecki bats eighth.

First baseman Franchy Cordero and right fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. stay in the lineup but drop down to places in the batting order to seventh and ninth, respectively.

Michael Wacha is Boston’s starting pitcher. The right hander is 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA this season. He also is the only pitcher in Red Sox history to allow two runs or fewer and four hits in each of his first four starts.

The Angels counter with hard-throwing right hander Noah Syndergaard.

NESN will air Red Sox-Angels in full, with pregame coverage starting at 6 p.m. ET with “Red Sox First Pitch,” followed by “Red Sox Gameday Live” at 6:30 p.m. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Remember, if you’re on the go you can stream all the action online at Watch NESN Live.

Here are the full lineups for Tuesday’s Red Sox-Angels game:

RED SOX (9-14)
Trevor Story, 2B
Rafael Devers, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
J.D. Martinez, DH
Alex Verdugo, LF
Kiké Hernández, CF
Franchy Cordero, 1B
Kevin Plawecki, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., RF

Michael Wacha, RHP (2-0, 1.77 ERA)

ANGELS (15-9)
Taylor Ward, RF
Mike Trout, CF
Shohei Ohtani, DH
Anthony Rendon, 3B
Jared Walsh, 1B
Jack Mayfield, LF
Max Stassi, C
David Fletcher, 2B
Andrew Velasquez, SS

Noah Syndergaard, RHP (2-0, 2.12 ERA)