Red Sox Announce Sudden Jahmai Jones Decision Before Rays Game

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The Red Sox announced a sudden decision involving Jahmai Jones ahead of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Boston Red Sox salvaged the final game of a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Thursday, with a dramatic eighth-inning three-run homer by veteran shortstop Trevor Story lifting them to a come-from-behind, 4-3 win.

The blast restored some momentum for the Red Sox who were faltering and appeared on the verge of a sixth loss in eight games until Story came through. Now, with a magic number of three to clinch a playoff berth, the Red Sox head into Tampa Bay to take on the American League East-leading Rays for three.

Before Friday’s game, the Red Sox suddenly announced late decision on platoon DH Jahmai Jones.

Jones is hitting third for the Boston Red Sox tonight against Tampa Bay, the 20th time this season Boston he has occupied that spot between the Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.

The matchup against Rays left-hander Ian Seymour explains the call, and it fits a pattern that has turned a discarded bench piece into a lineup fixture down the stretch.

Jones, a right-handed hitter, sits in the No. 3 hole as Boston’s designated hitter, sandwiched between Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu, with Nick Sogard and Trevor Story rounding out the top five, according to MLB.com‘s official lineup card.

Why Chad Tracy Hits Jones Against Lefties

Seymour, a 27-year-old lefty, comes in at 9-6 with a 4.27 ERA and 150 strikeouts. Against that kind of arm, stacking a right-handed platoon bat near the top of the order is standard Boston strategy this season, especially with Ceddanne Rafaela, Masataka Yoshida, Curtis Mead and Willson Contreras all banged up or unavailable.

Jones landed in Boston on July 14, claimed off Detroit’s roster after the Tigers designated him for assignment, with pitching prospect Jojo Ingrassia going back to Detroit as compensation, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

The version of Jones the Tigers cast aside hit .137 with a .221 slugging percentage in 105 plate appearances this year. In Boston, he has slashed .362/.464/.681 across 56 plate appearances, with three home runs and eight RBI, a turnaround dramatic enough to justify the spot in the heart of Boston’s order, at least in Tracy’s estimation.

Jones has batted third 19 times this season entering Friday, hitting .219 with a .661 OPS in those 35 plate appearances. Nearly all of that usage has come since the Red Sox revived his season; Detroit mostly buried him at the bottom of the order or used him as a pinch-hitter before cutting ties.

Jones’ Platoon Numbers and History Against Seymour

The larger platoon sample explains why Boston keeps writing his name in against left-handers. Jones owns a .223 average, a .333 on-base percentage and a .420 slugging mark against lefties this season, with five home runs, 14 RBI and 15 walks in 138 plate appearances, according to FanGraphs. Against right-handers, he has managed just a .130 average with no power in 23 at-bats. Every one of his five homers this year has come off a left-hander.

Jones already has a personal highlight against Seymour specifically. On July 18 at Fenway Park, he took the lefty deep for a two-run homer, a fly ball that carried to deep left field and turned a 2-0 Rays lead into a tie game.

The Red Sox enter the day at 83-70, sitting in the second American League Wild Card spot, five games ahead of Cleveland for the final playoff position. Their magic number to clinch a postseason berth stands at three, and NESN reports Boston closes with three games each against Tampa Bay, Cleveland and the Chicago Cubs. Nine games remain, tonight’s included, before Boston finds out whether this stretch of Jahmai Jones at-bats helped write its way into October.

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