Game 161: Rays at Red Sox: The Return of Eovaldi, Hosmer, and Bogaerts

Here we are. The second to last game of the 2022 season. But the Sox are pulling out all the stops for tonight!

Xander Bogaerts is back in the lineup hopefully not for curtain calls ending his career in Boston.

Nathan Eovaldi is back on the mound, looking to keep the Sox interested in his services as he enters free agency.

Eric Hosmer returns to first base. Remember him? He’s...probably back for 2023 as part of his Padres contract. And making the Major League minimum salary with a good glove and OK bat that at times is better than that he might be worth it. Except the Red Sox have a starting first baseman in Triston Casas now.

After bottoming out at a .079 batting average he’s hit .300/.462/.550 over the last 13 games. Small sample size applies for sure. But the Sox waited and waited (also hindered by injury) until they thought Casas was ready to play in the big leagues. Would he and Hosmer split time as a left-left platoon? Maybe. Could Hosmer fill in at other positions? Outside of DH it’s unlikely. Hosmer has played 5 games in right field in his career - none since 2015. It’ll be a story to watch.