The Boston Red Sox had to act quickly ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Alex Cora moves catcher Connor Wong straight into the starting lineup for the series-opening tilt at Fenway Park. The Red Sox recalled Wong from Triple-A Worcester on Sunday after they placed Kevin Plawecki on the COVID-19 related injured list. Wong likely would have been Boston’s backup catcher, but the Red Sox then placed Christian Vázquez on that COVID list Tuesday, prompting Cora to turn to Wong for the first time in the 2022 season.
Trevor Story returns to the Red Sox lineup after sitting out Monday morning’s Boston-Minnesota Twins game. He’ll bat second for the first time this season, and his return moves third baseman Rafael Devers, shortstop Xander Bogerts, designated hitter J.D. Martinez and left fielder Alex Verdugo each down one spot in the batting order to third, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
Christian Arroyo stays in the lineup, but he’ll move from second base to right field — where he replaces Jackie Bradley Jr. — and drops in the batting order from sixth to eighth.
Wong bats ninth and catches for starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who threw five innings in both of his starts in 2022.
Lefty Yusei Kikuchi opposes Eovaldi for the Blue Jays.
NESN will broadcast Red Sox versus Blue Jays in full, with pregame coverage starting at 6 p.m. ET. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Postgame coverage immediately will follow the final out. Be sure to live stream the game on Watch NESN Live if you’re on the go.
Here are the full lineups:
BOSTON RED SOX (5-5)
Kiké Hernández, CF
Trevor Story, 2B
Rafael Devers, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
J.D. Martinez, DH
Alex Verdugo, LF
Travis Shaw, 1B
Christian Arroyo, RF
Connor Wong, C
Nathan Eovaldi, RHP (1-0, 4.50 ERA)
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (5-5)
George Springer, CF
Bo Bichette, SS
Vladimir Guerrero, 1B
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., LF
Zack Collins, DH
Matt Chapman, 3B
Alejandro Kirk, C
Ramiel Tapia, RF
Santiago Espinal, 2B
Yusei Kikuchi, LHP (0-1, 5.40 ERA)
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