Red Sox vs. Orioles lineups: 732 days later

Chris Motherfucking Sale makes his first start for Boston in more than two years when the Red Sox square off with the Orioles this afternoon at Fenway Park (4:10 p.m., NESN).

The last time Sale stepped on the rubber for Sox was August 13, 2019, a 7-6 win over. Cleveland. In the lineup that day were Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mitch Moreland, among others. Well… times change! As you well know, between Sale’s injury and eventual surgery up until now the Sox have turned over most of their lineup and nearly the entirety of their pitching staff, along with their front office. The PawSox moved to Worcester. Some big things happened in the world at large, too.

The constant, one hopes, is that Sale is his nasty self for the rest of the year on mound for a Sox team desperately needing him to be that dude. Backing him up today is J.D. Martinez, back in the lineup for burly boy Kyle Schwarber, he of two runs scored last night. Also Christian Vázquez is playing again, here to be Sale’s regular catcher for the first time, well, ever, as that used to be Sandy León’s job. I think they’ll live. I know I will. I might even... be happy? Perish the thought!

Here are the full lineups: