Red Sox Opening Day Lineup Vs. Yankees: Devers Batting Second, Story In The Six-Spot
BOSTON (CBS) -- Red Sox Opening Day has arrived, albeit a day later than planned. But the Red Sox and the Yankees will finally open their regular seasons in the Bronx on Friday afternoon.
With that comes the first of 162 lineups that Alex Cora will post during the regular season. Here is who Boston is sending out at Yankee Stadium, with a whole lot of pop in heart of the order:
1. Enrique Hernandez, CF
2. Rafael Devers, 3B
3. Xander Bogaerts, SS
4. J.D. Martinez, DH
5. Alex Verdugo, LF
6. Trevor Story, 2B
7. Bobby Dalbec, 1B
8. Jackie Bradley Jr., RF
9. Christian Vazquez, C
-- Nathan Eovaldi, SP
No real surprises there, as Cora said last week that he wants to have Devers hit second against righties. And that is what Boston will be facing with Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole on the bump. Devers is just 4-for-19 with eight strikeouts in his career against Cole, but three of those hits left the yard.
Hernandez owns the best career numbers against the New York ace, bringing a .455 career average (5-for-11 with a pair of doubles and a homer) against Cole. Newcomer Trevor Story is just 2-for-12 against Cole, but one of those hits was a home run.
As for Eovaldi, he is making his third straight Opening Day start for Boston, the first pitcher to do that since Jon Lester (2011-14) and Pedro Martinez (1998-2004). He was 2-2 with a 3.71 ERA in his six starts against New York last season, and earned the victory in Boston's Wild Card win over New York in the postseason.
Here is the Yankees lineup Eovaldi will be facing on Friday:
1. Josh Donaldson, 3B
2. Aaron Judge, RF
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Giancarlo Stanton, DH
5. DJ Lemahieu, 2B
6. Joey Gallo, LF
7. Aaron Hicks, CF
8. Kyle Hidashioka, C
9. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS
-- Gerrit Cole, SP
New York slugger Aaron Judge has hit Eovaldi well in his career, going 8-for-20 against the righty with a homer and two doubles.
Boston was 10-9 against New York during the 2021 regular season before winning their Wild Card showdown, 6-2, at Fenway Park. After their three-game set to open the season, the rivals will not meet again until early July.
