CHICAGO — In an effort to break out of a week-long offensive slump, the Red Sox will turn to a lineup that looks nothing like its regular one Saturday against the White Sox.
Jarren Duran, who started 160 games last year and the first 15 of this season, is not in Boston’s lineup Saturday. In his place, Romy Gonzalez, playing first base, is leading off against lefty Martín Pérez.
In 2024, the Red Sox aimed to have Duran, then their breakout star, start all 162 games in the outfield. That didn’t happen only because Duran was suspended two games in August for directing a homophobic slur at a fan. In spring training, manager Alex Cora said things would be different this year in an attempt to keep Duran fresh for the stretch run. It took just over two weeks for Cora to stay true to his word. Saturday made sense for Duran to be off because there’s a lefty on the mound for the opponent and it will allow Duran to play just four games in a six-day span (the team has Thursday off).
“I said in spring training that wasn’t gonna happen,” Cora said Sunday. “We’re playing the long game here. Having today… we got here late Thursday, it was a big week with Opening Day, doubleheaders and all that stuff. It’s smart to do now.”
Duran, who pushed to try to play every game in 2024, said he didn’t fight Cora’s decision.
“A.C. talked earlier in the year about giving me more rest this year,” Duran said. ?He’s just following the plan he has for me and I trust everything he does. I just accepted it. I was good for this one.
“I’m going to figure out what I’m gonna do today. Probably just lift and twiddle my thumbs all day.”
With Gonzalez playing, the scuffling Triston Casas is once again out of the lineup against a lefty starter. The same can’t be said for Wilyer Abreu, who is hitting seventh against Pérez, the former Red Sox southpaw. Lefty-masher Rob Refsnyder is the cleanup hitter and left-fielder. Carlos Narváez is catching Richard Fitts after Blake Sabol started Friday’s series opener.
Boston’s bats are looking to get things going fast after scoring just nine runs in the last five games (an average of 1.8). The Red Sox have lost four of their last five following a five-game winning streak.
First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m. ET on Saturday.
BOSTON RED SOX (7-8) @ CHICAGO WHITE SOX (3-10) · RATE FIELD · CHICAGO, IL · GAME 16
FIRST PITCH: 4:10 p.m. ET
TV CHANNEL: NESN (Watch on FUBO)
RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM
PITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Richard Fitts (0-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. LHP Martín Pérez (1-0, 0.73 ERA)
RED SOX LINEUP:
1) 1B Romy Gonzalez
2) DH Rafael Devers
3) 3B Alex Bregman
4) LF Rob Refsnyder
5) SS Trevor Story
6) 2B Kristian Campbell
7) RF Wilyer Abreu
8) C Carlos Narváez
9) CF Ceddanne Rafaela
WHITE SOX LINEUP:
1) 3B Miguel Vargas
2) DH Nick Maton
3) CF Luis Robert Jr.
4) 1B Andrew Vaughn
5) RF Joshua Palacios
6) SS Chase Meidroth
7) 2B Lenyn Sosa
8) C Omar Narváez
9) LF Michael A. Taylor
