Red Sox Announce Lineup for First Game of Showdown With Yankees
By Parker White
The Boston Red Sox will begin an important series against the New York Yankees Friday night (thanks to the rain), and manager Alex Cora has decided to shuffle the lineup a bit against their bitter rival.
It is not raining today.
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) May 31, 2019
Red Sox at New York: Betts RF, Benintendi LF, Martinez DH, Bogaerts SS, Devers 3B, Pearce 1B, Núñez 2B, Bradley CF, León C, Sale P
Cora has moved reigning AL MVP Mookie Betts to the leadoff spot and moved Andrew Benintendi down to the two-hole. Even though Rafael Devers has been Boston's best hitter, he's been moved to the fifth spot, and fellow sluggers J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts will hit third and fourth, respectively.
Red Sox lineup: Alex Cora changes things up, has Mookie Betts batting lead off vs. Yankees https://t.co/OiV7LdQUS3 pic.twitter.com/usZnhmvJsV
— WEEI (@WEEI) May 30, 2019
The Yankees are giving the ball to left-hander J.A. Happ, so Steve Pearce will get the start at first base and Eduardo Nunez will start at second base in place of Michael Chavis. Something tells me, however, that Chavis will find his way into this game by the time it's over.
Sandy Leon will be behind the plate and bat ninth with Chris Sale on the mound.