After taking the first two games of their series against the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox will send their top pitcher, Sonny Gray, out to the mound on Saturday night to win the series.
As for the lineup and defense behind him, interim manager Chad Tracy is mixing things up both defensively and with his lineup. One notable change Tracy is making surrounds right fielder Wilyer Abreu.
Boston Red Sox Move Wilyer Abreu Up in Batting Order Against Orioles on Saturday Night
In the first two games of the series on Thursday and Friday night at Camden Yards, Abreu was batting fourth for Tracy. On Saturday night against Chris Bassitt, Tracy is moving his Gold Glove-winning outfielder to the third spot in the lineup. It is a much different-looking lineup for Boston. Here is the order that Tracy is sending out against the Orioles.
Roman Anthony DH
Mickey Gasper 1B
Wilyer Abreu RF
Trevor Story SS
Nick Sogard 3B
Isiah Kiner-Falefa 2B
Jarren Duran LF
Eli White CF
Connor Wong C
Abreu had five hits in 10 at-bats against the Seattle Mariners in the last two games of the series earlier this week at Fenway Park, but he’s been hitless in his first two games in Baltimore. This year, Abreu is slashing .257/.336/.466 with 23 home runs and 70 runs driven in.
As for the rest of the lineup, there are some more notable changes. Trevor Story is batting fourth, which slides Abreu up to third. Caleb Durbin is out of the lineup, as is Ceddanne Rafaela, who will miss his third straight game. Newly acquired Eli White will play in center again. Connor Wong is back behind the plate for Adley Rutschman. The red-hot Mickey Gasper remains in the lineup, batting second. His solo home run Friday night in the first inning was the only run needed in Boston’s 1-0 victory.
Boston Red Sox Go for Series Win Over Baltimore Orioles
Sonny Gray will make the start after being skipped in his normal spot in the rotation on Tuesday night against the Mariners. Tracy said it was nothing major and wanted to give his veteran a break. Boston is in the second American League wild-card spot and still chasing the New York Yankees for home-field advantage for the wild-card series later this month.
Baltimore had closed the gap on the Cleveland Guardians in the race for the third and final AL wild-card spot. However, after dropping the last two games of their series in Denver to the Colorado Rockies, and now have dropped the first two games to the Red Sox. They signed Bassitt to bolster their rotation over the winter and need him to try to match Gray on Saturday night.
Boston is 42-31 on the road this season, a game behind the Yankees, who are 43-30 away from the Bronx. The Red Sox picked up a game on New York on Friday night. The Yankees were walked off by the San Diego Padres in 10 innings, 3-2. Boston is 3.5 games behind New York for the first wild-card spot, but the Yankees own the season series, which is the tiebreaker.
Boston Red Sox Announce Wilyer Abreu Change Before Orioles Game