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Red Sox sit Masataka Yoshida again (5th time in 6 games under Chad Tracy) as role decreases
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- Red Sox sit Masataka Yoshida again (5th time in 6 games under Chad Tracy) as role decreases
BOSTON — Before he was fired last Saturday, Alex Cora spent the first few weeks of the Red Sox season trying to find ways to get Masataka Yoshida into the starting lineup. Chad Tracy’s early lineup choices tell a different story.
For the fifth time in six games since Tracy took over as interim manager, Yoshida is out of the lineup Saturday against the Astros . Friday hero Jarren Duran is once again leading off and is the designated hitter with Roman Anthony , after a three-hit game, playing left field. Yoshida is the odd man out with Ceddanne Rafaela (center) and Wilyer Abreu (right) starting against right-hander Spencer Arrighetti .
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Yoshida started 12 of Boston’s first 27 games with Cora at the helm, playing left field twice and getting 10 starts at DH. Tracy has started him just once, on Tuesday vs. Toronto . Yoshida has hit .265 with three doubles, five RBIs and a .716 OPS in 59 plate appearances so far.
Tracy said he doesn’t think Yoshida’s role will change much from what it was earlier in the season, even if recent lineups suggest otherwise. He has not had a conversation with Yoshida about it since taking over.
“It’s not a whole lot different, the role,” Tracy said. “If I was going to use somebody drastically differently than how they were being used before I got here, I’d probably have that (conversation). It’s similar to how it was.
“It’s not an easy situation,” Tracy added. “He’s a good hitter, but we’re in the same spot we were. He can hit, but then you look at the other four guys, too, with the speed and versatility and what they bring to the table. They’ve got to play, so it’s not an easy situation.”
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Yoshida has only been used as a pinch-hitter five times this season, but the Red Sox like having him as an option off the bench.
“I do think one thing is clear: You’re not always gonna use him, but when Masa’s sitting there on the bench and available, if there’s a lane with a righty where they can’t make a move, that’s a good thing for us,” Tracy said. “Not ideal, but we’ve just got to manage what we have.”
Boston will use a similar lineup to Friday’s, though Connor Wong is catching in place of Carlos Narváez . On the mound is lefty Connelly Early , who will look to continue his very strong start to the season after allowing two runs and striking out four batters in 6 ⅔ innings in his last start, which was Tracy’s managerial debut Sunday in Baltimore .
The Red Sox will look to win their second in a row after a 3-1 win Friday night. First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m. ET.
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HOUSTON ASTROS (12-21) vs. BOSTON RED SOX (13-19) · FENWAY PARK · BOSTON, MA · GAME 33
FIRST PITCH: 4:10 p.m.
TV CHANNEL: NESN
RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM
PITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Spencer Arrighetti (3-0, 2.00 ERA) vs. LHP Connelly Early (2-1, 2.84 ERA)
RED SOX LINEUP:
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Jarren Duran DH
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Roman Anthony LF
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Wilyer Abreu RF
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Trevor Story SS
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Ceddanne Rafaela CF
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Connor Wong C
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Caleb Durbin 3B
ASTROS LINEUP:
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Jose Altuve 2B
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Cam Smith RF
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