The Boston Red Sox are electing to go with an “opener” for Sunday afternoon’s game against the Texas Rangers.
Manager Alex Cora has decided to use Austin Davis as the visitors’ starter for the series finale at Globe Life Field. The left-hander starts instead of Tanner Houck, who hasn’t appeared in a game since last Sunday’s loss to the Chicago White Sox.
This will mark the first Major League Baseball start for Davis, who broke into the big leagues in 2018. Davis’ longest outing in the top flight to date is three innings.
The 29-year-old will be opposed by former Red Sox southpaw MartÃn Pérez. Sunday will be Pérez’s first start against Boston following his two seasons with the Sox.
As for Boston’s lineup, Alex Verdugo is back in left field after sitting out Saturday’s win. Other lineup returners are Christian Arroyo and Kevin Plawecki, who will man right field and do the catching for Davis, respectively.
Here are the full lineups for Sunday’s Red Sox-Rangers game:
RED SOX (13-20)
Kiké Hernández, CF
Rafael Devers, 3B
J.D. Martinez, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Trevor Story, 2B
Christian Arroyo, RF
Alex Verdugo, LF
Bobby Dalbec, 1B
Kevin Plawecki, C
Austin Davis, LHP (0-1, 2.70 ERA)
RANGERS (13-19)
Eli White, LF
Marcus Semien, 2B
Corey Seager, SS
Jonah Heim, C
Adolis GarcÃa, CF
Kole Calhoun, RF
Nathaniel Lowe, 1B
Andy Ibáñez, 3B
Brad Miller, DH
MartÃn Pérez, LHP (1-2, 2.10 ERA)
