Game 1 starting lineups
Red Sox starter Payton Tolle is a lefty with reverse splits (i.e. he's better against righties), but Yankees manager Aaron Boone went with his righty heavy lineup anyway. Left-handed hitters Jazz Chisholm Jr., Luis Gárcia Jr., and Ryan McMahon are on the bench to start this one. Here is New York's Game 1 starting lineup:
1. 1B Paul Goldschmidt, RHB
2. DH Ben Rice, LHB
3. RF Heliot Ramos, RHB
4. LF Cody Bellinger, LHB
5. SS George Lombard Jr., RHB
6. 3B Amed Rosario, RHB
7. 2B Anthony Volpe, RHB
8. CF Spencer Jones, LHB
9. C Austin Wells, LHB
SP Cam Schlittler, RHP
That Rosario/Volpe lane is ripe for pinch-hitters. I would expect Chisholm to pinch-hit for Volpe (or Rosario) against a righty at the first opportunity, and if Chisholm has to face a lefty later in the game, the Yankees could pinch-hit Giancarlo Stanton and then put José Caballero on the infield. McMahon will come in to play third base for defensive purposess if the Yankees have the lead.
Here now is the starting nine Red Sox manager Chad Travy will deploy Tuesday:
1. DH Roman Anthony, LHB
2. C Adley Rutschman, SHB
3. 1B Willson Contreras, RHB
4. RF Wilyer Abreu, LHB
5. CF Ceddanne Rafaela, RHB
6. 2B Nick Sogard, SHB
7. LF Jarren Duran, LHB
8. SS Trevor Story, RHB
9. 3B Caleb Durbin, RHB
SP Payton Tolle, LHP
This is only the third time this season the Red Sox have had Anthony, Rutschman, Contreras, Abreu, and Rafaela in the lineup together. Anthony missed a chunk of the season with a wrist injury, Rutschman's been banged up basically all year (dating back to his time with the Orioles), Contreras had a sore hand for a bit after being hit by a pitch in September, and Rafaela missed time with a quad injury. Good time for them all to be on the field together.
