After going 3 for 4 with an RBI in his season debut on Wednesday, Masataka Yoshida will come off the bench for Thursday’s series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu will get the nod in the outfield amid the club’s current outfield crunch, with Roman Anthony starting as the designated hitter. The red hot Romy Gonzalez (.338 on the season) will also get the start at second base.
Walker Buehler (6-6, 6.25) will start for the Red Sox against Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley (5-6, 4.79).
Having won eight of their last nine, the Red Sox enter Thursday percentage points behind the Seattle Mariners for the last AL Wild Card spot. They also remain fourth in the AL East but only trail the Rays by 1.5 games, meaning this weekend’s series will have major ramifications heading into the All-Star Break.
Red Sox lineup
Jarren Duran LF
Roman Anthony DH
Abraham Toro 1B
Carlos Narvaez C
Wilyer Abreu RF
Trevor Story SS
Romy Gonzalez 2B
Marcelo Mayer 3B
Ceddanne Rafaela CF
Walker Buehler P
How to watch
When: 7:10 p.m.
Where: Fenway Park, Boston
Broadcast info: NESN, MLB Network (out-of-market only), WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish), WESX 1230 AM (Spanish)