Red Sox Home Opener Lineup: Mookie Leading Off, Martinez DHing Against Rays
BOSTON (CBS) -- New Red Sox manager Alex Cora has filled out his first lineup card at Fenway Park.
The Boston lineup is set for their home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, with Mookie Betts back in the leadoff spot after getting the night off on Tuesday in Miami. J.D. Martinez will make his Fenway debut as a member of the Red Sox, hitting cleanup as the team's DH.
Martinez has expressed his desire to play the outfield, but this will be the third time he'll serve as Boston's DH in six games. He's off to a rough start at the plate, hitting just .200 (4-for-20) with just one extra-base hit and seven strikeouts. Maybe playing in front of his new home fans will get his bat going, though the Fenway faithful will probably let him hear it if he puts up another oh-for.
Here's the full Red Sox lineup for Thursday's Fenway Park opener:
1. Mookie Betts, RF
2. Andrew Benintendi, LF
3. Hanley Ramirez, 1B
4. J.D. Martinez, DH
5. Xander Bogaerts, SS
6. Rafael Devers, 3B
7. Eduardo Nunez, 2B
8. Jackie Bradley, Jr., CF
9. Christian Vazquez, C
Maybe some home cooking will get the Red Sox offense going after scoring just 20 runs and hitting .240 on their six-game road trip to start the season. Despite those struggles, Xander Bogaerts (.357, six extra-base hits), Betts (.333/.440/.524), Rafael Devers (.318, three doubles), and Hanley Ramirez (.304/.333/.502) are all off to solid starts at the plate.
David Price will toe the rubber for Boston, making his second start of the season against the Rays. He tossed seven shutout innings with five strikeouts last Friday night at Tropicana Field to lead Boston to their first win of the season.
The Rays are starting reliever Yonny Chirinos, who threw four scoreless innings out of the bullpen against the Red Sox on Sunday.
