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It’s a beautiful afternoon for some baseball! After last night’s walk-off win, the Sox kept pace in the division with the Rays, staying only a game behind. The Rays are facing the Orioles in an easy season at home, so every win this series serves to keep a lead the Rays are in position to build up this weekend short.
Xander Bogaerts remains out of the lineup with a sore left knee. Manager Alex Cora in a pregame presser said that he was getting treatment and may be able to play Sunday, but he’s not looking to rush him back. It seems obvious but there are still organizations out there with the mentality that you should gut out your injuries and return as soon as possible so it’s nice to hear our manager preach caution, particularly with a player as good as Bogy.
As for the lineup, it’s a carbon copy of yesterday’s with Marwin Gonzalez and Bobby Dalbec flipped which means Enrique Hernández and his .288 OBP are leading off. Despite the fact that the Sox are 9th in OBP (.317) they have the 4th worst leadoff OBP in baseball (.297) only better than the anemic Rangers offense and historically bad Mariners and Indians offenses.
Towing the rubbers will be Nick Pivetta and Steven Matz. Matz is pretty much posting his line from New York in previous years but with a few more strikeouts.
Game 65
| Lineup spot | Blue Jays | Red Sox |
|---|---|---|
| Lineup spot | Blue Jays | Red Sox |
| 1 | Marcus Semien, 2B (R) | Enrique Hernández, CF (R) |
| 2 | Bo Bichette, SS (R) | Alex Verdugo, LF (L) |
| 3 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B (R) | J.D. Martinez, DH (R) |
| 4 | Teoscar Hernández, LF (R) | Rafael Devers, 3B (L) |
| 5 | Randal Grichuk, CF (R) | Hunter Renfroe, RF (R) |
| 6 | Rowdy Tellez, DH (L) | Christian Vázquez, C (R) |
| 7 | Joe Panik, 3B (L) | Christian Arroyo, 2B (R) |
| 8 | Calvin Biggio, RF (L) | Bobby Dalbec, 1B (R) |
| 9 | Reese McGuire, C (L) | Marwin Gonzalez, SS (S) |
| SP | Steven Matz, LHP | Nick Pivetta, RHP |