After a 9-4 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox gear up for the series finale on Wednesday night. In this crucial matchup, Boston will send Kutter Crawford to the mound, while Toronto counters with Yariel Rodriguez.
Here’s how Alex Cora’s lineup shapes up for Game 3, which notably excludes Ceddanne Rafaela:
- Jarren Duran CF
- David Hamilton SS
- Wilyer Abreu RF
- Rafael Devers 3B
- Rob Refsnyder LF
- Masataka Yoshida DH
- Enmanuel Valdez 2B
- Dominic Smith 1B
- Reese McGuire C
Crawford has been a solid contributor for Boston this season, boasting a 3.59 ERA (ranked 40th in baseball) and a 1.14 WHIP (ranked 29th), with 95 strikeouts (tied for 22nd). His recent outing against the Cincinnati Reds saw him allow five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings. Notably, several Blue Jays hitters have found success against him: Bo Bichette (2-for-9, including a home run and three RBIs, plus one walk), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (4-for-9 with two RBIs), Danny Jansen (1-for-4), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (1-for-9 with a home run and two RBIs), and George Springer (4-for-9 with a home run and two RBIs).
On the other hand, Rodriguez has struggled in his five starts for Toronto this season, posting a 5.94 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP. In his last appearance, he surrendered five runs (four earned) on two hits and three walks in just 1 1/3 innings. None of the Red Sox hitters have faced the 27-year-old Rodriguez before, presenting a unique challenge and opportunity for both sides in the decisive game of the series.
