TORONTO — As one Red Sox rookie returns to the lineup, another sits as the Red Sox look to secure a series sweep and their fifth straight win Wednesday night against the Blue Jays.
After not starting Tuesday due to left side discomfort, shortstop David Hamilton is back in the Sox’ lineup, hitting second. Ceddanne Rafaela, who is hitting .377 so far in June and had the game-winning hit in Tuesday’s comeback win, has the night off. The Red Sox are trying to get him off his feet for 48 hours with Thursday an off day.
“Running around a lot lately and hopefully, we stay away from him tonight and tomorrow with the off day,” said manager Alex Cora. “He’ll be ready for Friday.”
With Rafaela not playing, the Red Sox are starting Romy González in center field for the first time this season. The utility man has played just one inning in center as a major leaguer and two innings in the outfield for the Red Sox this season. He’ll hit ninth.
Elsewhere in the lineup, the Sox have Jarren Duran and Tyler O’Neill in the corners with Reese McGuire catching for the second straight day. Cora said the team wants to get Connor Wong a couple of days off before he plays three days in a row in hot weather in Cincinnati this weekend.
The Sox have won six of seven and seven of nine to get back to four games above .500 for the first time since May 2. They’ve won three straight series and are looking for their fourth road sweep of the season (Oakland, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay) in Tuesday’s finale opposite perennial Cy Young contender Kevin Gausman.
Brayan Bello is on the mound for the Red Sox, looking to bounce back from a poor showing last time when he allowed five runs (four earned) in 4 ⅔ innings against the Yankees. He has a 5.00 ERA in 12 starts this year.
First pitch is at 7:07 p.m. ET.
BOSTON RED SOX (39-35) @ TORONTO BLUE JAYS (35-38) · ROGERS CENTRE · TORONTO, ON · GAME 75
FIRST PITCH: 7:07 p.m. ET
TV CHANNEL: NESN / MLB Network (out of market)
LIVE STREAM: fuboTV – If you have cable and live in the New England TV market, you can use your login credentials to watch via NESNon mobile and WiFi-enabled devices. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the game via fuboTV, in New England | Watch NESN
RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM
PITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Brayan Bello (6-4, 5.00 ERA) vs. RHP Kevin Gausman (5-5, 4.08 ERA)
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RED SOX LINEUP:
1. LF Jarren Duran
2. SS David Hamilton
3. RF Tyler O’Neill
4. 3B Rafael Devers
5. DH Masataka Yoshida
6. 2B Enmanuel Valdez
7. C Reese McGuire
8. 1B Dominic Smith
9. CF Romy González
BLUE JAYS LINEUP:
1. 2B Spencer Horwitz
2. DH Justin Turner
3. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
4. LF Daulton Varsho
5. C Danny Jansen
6. RF George Springer
7. 3B Addison Barger
8. SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa
9. CF Kevin Kiermaier
