Red Sox vs, Braves: Tanner Houck looks to rebound from first start, McGuire behind the plate, lineup
The Red Sox will play the Braves on Tuesday night from CoolToday Park, in North Port, Florida. First pitch will be at 6:05 p.m., ET and the game can be seen on NESN and heard on WEEI 850 AM.
Boston will feature Tanner Houck on the mound for his second start of the spring. Houck's first appearance last week against the Phillies saw him deal with command issues. The righty lasted 1 2/3 innings, throwing 42 pitches and walking four Phillies batters. His start against the Phils was his first time on the mound facing hitters since last August.
Houck is trying to secure is spot in the Red Sox rotation due to James Paxton’s hamstring injury, Garrett Whitlock slowly being worked back from hip surgery and Brayan Mata improving following forearm tightness at the beginning of camp.
Red Sox lineup versus the Braves:
The pitchers that are expected to pitch against the Braves: RHP Tanner Houck, RHP John Schreiber, RHP Bryan Mata, LHP Matt Dermody, LHP Ryan Sherriff
Reese McGuire looks to build off his grand slam versus the Twins
Reese McGuire is back behind the plate for the Red Sox. McGuire is currently a lock on the Opening Day roster as catchers are concerned.
He showed off some power in his last game against the Twins, hitting a grand slam.
McGuire broke the game open against the Twins in the top of the third crushing a grand slam off reliever Emilio Pagan. The 395-foot blast changed the landscape of the game giving the Red Sox a 7-2 lead.
Boston has not announced who will join McGuire behind the plate just yet as the club inches closer to Opening Day. Jorge Alfaro has been sizzling hot at the plate, hitting .700 with seven hits in 10 at-bats. He owns a .727 OBP and a 1.627 OPS, which is making a case for him to be with the club beyond the spring.
Connor Wong is still out rehabbing his Grade 1 hamstring injury he sustained last week. Alex Cora said on Monday that, “Wong has been running in the pool. He did a few agility drills yesterday. Better than what we expected but we have to be cautious about it.”
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