Boston will try to take game two of a four-game set between the Red Sox and Blue Jays tonight, after the Sox took game one Monday night, 5-4.
Xander Bogaerts is out of the lineup for the second consecutive day — he got the day off yesterday which wasn’t injury related, but is getting another day as he’s been dealing with a wrist issue, according to manager Alex Cora.
“One more day,” Cora said. “You guys know about the wrist last week in New York — this kid didn’t have an All-Star Break — and we’ve been grinding for a while. And one more day, it doesn’t hurt anybody. He’ll be in the lineup tomorrow. I know there is some people who think (there’s) something going on with the wrist — yeah, it’s there. We know that but having another day off is not a big deal. So I wasn’t lying to you guys yesterday.”
Jarren Duran will get the night off. Cora stated early on that the left-handed bat of Duran will get limited plate appearances against lefties, as with Boston facing a tough left-hander in Robbie Ray, Cora opted to sit the youngster. Lefty hitters have hit just .174/.224/.348 this season off Ray.
The Red Sox, who sit at 62-39 on the season, own the second best win percentage in the majors (.614), only behind the Giants (.626), who have a league-best 62-39 record.
Garrett Richards has a crucial start tonight, as he makes his 20th and final start before the trade deadline. Richards, while he hasn’t had the greatest season, has given the Red Sox at least five innings in 13 of his last 15 starts, while Boston has won five of his last six starts in which he goes at least five innings. Although lot of that can be because of the fact that he has an overpowering offense behind him.
Here are your lineups, as Garrett Richards seeks his seventh win while the Sox will go for their 63rd victory.
RED SOX LINEUP:
- SS Kike Hernandez
- 3B Rafael Devers
- LF J.D. Martinez
- RF Hunter Renfroe
- C Christian Vazquez
- CF Alex Verdugo
- DH Kevin Plawecki
- 1B Bobby Dalbec
- 2B Michael Chavis
BLUE JAYS LINEUP:
- CF George Springer
- 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- 2B Marcus Semien
- SS Bo Bichette
- DH Teoscar Hernandez
- LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
- RF Randal Grichuk
- 3B Cavan Biggio
- C Alejandro Kirk
STARTING PITCHERS:
Red Sox: RHP Garrett Richards (6-5, 4.99 ERA)
Blue Jays: LHP Robbie Ray (8-5, 3.12 ERA)
(Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)