Red Sox opt for Nunez instead of Hanley ahead of Game 1
Shanna Lockwood / Reuters
Hanley Ramirez will not start Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Thursday against the Houston Astros.
When the Boston Red Sox released their lineup, manager John Farrell opted to go with the versatile Eduardo Nunez as the designated hitter instead of the veteran Ramirez.
| ORDER | PLAYER | POSITION |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xander Bogaerts | SS |
| 2 | Eduardo Nunez | DH |
| 3 | Andrew Benintendi | LF |
| 4 | Mookie Betts | RF |
| 5 | Mitch Moreland | 1B |
| 6 | Dustin Pedroia | 2B |
| 7 | Rafael Devers | 3B |
| 8 | Sandy Leon | C |
| 9 | Jackie Bradley Jr. | CF |
Nunez has only appeared in one game since Sept. 10 because of an issue with his knee, which he aggravated while running the bases on Sept. 25.
Prior to his injury, the 30-year-old Nunez hit .321/.353/.539 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs during 38 games with the Red Sox. He was acquired in a trade from the San Francisco Giants in July.
Ramirez, on the other hand, slashed .242/.320/.429 with 23 home runs and 62 RBIs.