Red Sox lineup: Trevor Story with his first day off since return, Yoshida and Casas back
Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story will get the day off on Tuesday, his first one since coming off the 60-day injured list on Saturday. Story has hits in his last two games and is 3-for-11 with a run scored and an RBI during that stretch.
Boston is coming off a 12-3 opening series win over the Orioles on Monday night. Tyler O’Neill and Rob Refsnyder both hit two home runs, going back-to-back both times, once in the third inning and again in the eighth inning.
O’Neill is back in the lineup and playing left field. Refsnyder has the day off with the Orioles starting right-handed pitcher Albert Suárez (7-5, 3.49 ERA). The Canadian slugger has four homers in the last three games.
Masataka Yoshida and Triston Casas are penciled back into the lineup after getting the series opener off. It was large in part due to the Orioles starting southpaw Cade Povich. For Casas, he has been in a slump going 3-for-31 (.097)., dating back to Aug. 28. Prior to that, he was 15-for-42 (.357) in his first 11 games coming off the 60-day injured list.
Kutter Crawford will make his 30th start this season and his fifth career against the Orioles. The righty is 0-3 with a 6.58 ERA, surrendering 19 earned runs over 26 innings pitched with 24 strikeouts (six games). With his 30th start, he becomes the first Red Sox pitcher since Nick Pivetta (33, 2022) to achieve that milestone.
Pregame roster moves and notes
The Red Sox outrighted infielder Bobby Dalbec to Triple-A Worcester after he cleared waivers following being designated for assignment earlier this week. Dalbec is now eligible to become a minor league free agent this offseason, but only if he remains off the Red Sox 40-man roster.
The Red Sox officially released Rich Hill on Monday after he was designated for assignment to make room for flamethrowing reliever Luis Guerrero.
Richard Fitts will remain with the Red Sox, and there is a possibility he could start again this week because Tanner Houck’s shoulder isn’t bouncing back like it typically has this season. Alex Cora told the media that Houck’s availability this weekend will determine whether Fitts will make another start. Houck is in line to start against the Yankees; if Fitts starts in his place, he will face the organization that traded him as part of the Alex Verdugo trade last December.
Bryan Mata is back with the WooSox and will make a rehab appearance pitching in the resumed game with the Syracuse Mets. He is beginning another 30-day rehab assignment; Mata has been sidelined with right elbow inflammation.
Key stats and Red Sox lineup
Orioles vs. Crawford: Colton Cowser 0-5, Gunnar Henderson 1-10, Jackson Holliday 0-4, Eloy Jiménez 1-8, Nick Maton 0-2, James McCann 0-1, Cedric Mullins 3-11, Ryan O’Hearn 0-10, Emmanuel Rivera 1-2, Adley Rutschman 3-10, Anthony Santander 4-11
Suárez threw six scoreless frames in a win against the Red Sox in Baltimore on Aug. 18. This will be his 21st start and 29th appearance this season. He is 5-4 with a 3.90 ERA (26 ER/60.0 IP) and 48 strikeouts to 21 walks across 12 night starts this season.
Jackson Holliday is batting eighth and playing second base. He is hitless in his last six at-bats, dating back to Sept. 7.
Red Sox vs. Suárez: Wilyer Abreu 0-3, Triston Casas 2-3, Rafael Devers 1-3, Jarren Duran 0-3, Tyler O’Neill 0-3, Ceddanne Rafaela 0-2, Trevor Story 1-4, Connor Wong 0-3, Masataka Yoshida 2-3
Red Sox (73-71) lineup vs. the Orioles (82-63):
Jarren Duran CF
Rafael Devers 3B
Wilyer Abreu RF
Tyler O’Neill LF
Masataka Yoshida DH
Connor Wong C
Triston Casas 1B
Enmanuel Valdez 2B
Ceddanne Rafaela SS
SP: RHP Kutter Crawford (8-13, 4.08 ERA)
The first pitch is at 7:10 p.m. and can be seen on NESN, FuboTV, or Sling, and it can be heard on WEEI 93.7 FM.
