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Masataka Yoshida Leading Off Red Sox Lineup vs. Nathan Eovaldi Sunday Night originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox earned a national draw on Sunday as they look for the series sweep over the Texas Rangers on "Sunday Night Baseball."
Boston has been tinkering with their lineup during this series. Most notably, season-long leadoff hitter Jarren Duran was replaced by designated hitter Mickey Gasper at the top of the order in Games 1 and 2.
Interim manager Chad Tracy is electing to give Gasper the day off on Sunday, but it isn't Duran sliding back into the leadoff spot.
Right-hander specialist Masataka Yoshida will lead off the Red Sox against longtime Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi.
Yoshida is a controversial bat in the Red Sox order. Contact is the calling sign of the left-handed batter who has only struck out 17 times this season.
He is traditionally a .280+ batter, although he is a little behind schedule this season, posting just a .238 average.
Yoshida is used almost exclusively against right-handed pitchers. Of his 130 at-bats this season, 112 have come against RHP, leaving only 18 against LHP.
He is no slugger. He's pieced together just eight extra-base hits this season, including one home run.
Fans like me love his ability to consistently string together quality at-bats. Critics point to his lack of power as a reason he should be buried lower in the order.
The rest of Boston's lineup is the same as it has been in the previous two games. Carlos Narvaez is batting ninth and catching rookie Connelly Early.
More MLB: Red Sox Jarren Duran Honest Assessment Of Play, 'I'm Playing Like (Expletive)'
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