Why Filling Out Red Sox Lineup Will Be Different For Alex Cora In 2019

Ever since the ban on legal sports gambling was struck down last year, one of the biggest questions has been how it would impact the games themselves.

For Major League Baseball managers, it means a change in how they submit their game-day lineup cards.

The MLB’s new gambling deal with MGM requires managers to submit daily lineups to the commissioner’s office at least 15 minutes before they are released publicly, The Athletic’s Peter Gammons reported Wednesday. For Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, that’s going to require some extra planning to make sure the lineups are submitted on time and correctly.

“This whole thing is serious,” Cora said, via MassLive.com. “It’s serious stuff. For us to send the lineup, and if something happens, we have to re-send the lineup and keep doing it. Hopefully I don’t forget, honestly. There’s stuff that happens, like somebody gets sick or somebody pulls something swinging the bat … and you scratch somebody five minutes before the game. You just have to be alert with people and pay attention to that.”

Cora added that he will be more proactive in monitoring his lineup due to the change.

If any lineup tweaks are made before the game, the team also must inform the league of those changes. The league’s new gambling deal will have a direct impact on managers throughout baseball, and Cora told MassLive.com the Red Sox will do their best to follow the guidelines.

MLB reached a deal with MGM in November to become its exclusive gambling partner. The league also has a deal with DraftKings, an online daily fantasy site.