BOSTON — For the first time in what feels like months, the sun is shining in Boston this week. And for the first time since late September, Fenway Park is ready to host a baseball game.
The vibes are a bit more positive this time, as the Red Sox are returning home from a 7-3 West Coast trip as opposed to playing out the string in a last-place season.
The pitching matchup will feature both the Red Sox’ and Orioles’Opening Day starters, with Baltimore sending Corbin Burnes to the mound, opposed by Boston’s Brayan Bello.
And on Tuesday morning, ahead of the first pitch at 2:10 p.m., manager Alex Cora filled out the following lineup for the Red Sox:
1. Jarren Duran, LF
2. Rafael Devers, 3B
3. Tyler O’Neill, RF
4. Triston Casas, 1B
5. Masataka Yoshida, DH
6. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
7. Enmanuel Valdez, 2B
8. Reese McGuire, CF
9. David Hamilton, SS
Duran has batted leadoff in every game thus far, while Devers has batted second against right-handed starters and third against lefties. Trevor Story’s injury has taken a top-of-the-order bat away from Cora, but it also allows the manager to slide Tyler O’Neill and his five home runs into the three spot.
Casas has started every game thus far, batting cleanup in six of Boston’s 10 games, but he hasn’t gotten off to the strongest start, with a .237 average and .668 OPS with two extra-base hits and three RBIs. The rookie Rafaela is making his ninth start of the season, fresh off agreeing to a contract extension. And Hamilton, who was called up as Story’s injury replacement, will bat ninth after launching his first career home run on Sunday in Anaheim.