MINNEAPOLIS — Alex Bregman was originally in the Red Sox’ batting order for Wednesday’s rubber match against the Twins. But a corrected lineup, sent out 27 minutes after the original, has the slugging third baseman sitting after all.
Early Wednesday, Bregman texted Cora to let him know he could use a day.
“He was in there last night. I told him, ‘Let me know in the morning how you feel,’” Cora said. “He feels good with the quad, but a little bit tired. We told Toro there’s a chance he’d play third and he’ll play third.
On Tuesday, Cora said Bregman — who is 13 games into his return from a quad strain that sidelined him for seven weeks — might not play Wednesday because of the early start (12:10 p.m. local) at Target Field. That will be the case as the club looks to get him two days of rest in a row (the team is off Thursday).
“That was the thought process but we gave him the chance to be honest with me in the morning,” Cora said. “He texted me in the morning like, ‘I can go, but I’m a little bit tired.’”
Bregman, who played two of three games in his first three series back, has played five in a row, hitting .381 (8-for-21) with two doubles, two homers and six RBIs since Friday. In his place Wednesday is Abraham Toro, who is playing third base and hitting second against Twins righty Zebby Matthews.
Elsewhere, Romy Gonzalez is at first base and Connor Wong is catching. It’s Wong’s first start since Friday and Gonzalez’s first since Saturday. Carlos Narváez is out of the lineup; Ceddanne Rafaela is back at second base after playing center Tuesday night.
Alex Cora also dropped the scuffling Masataka Yoshida in the order, from fifth to seventh. Wilyer Abreu is hitting fifth behind Trevor Story.
The Red Sox will try to capture the series against the Twins with an early start before Thursday’s off day, which is the MLB trade deadline. The club might look much different when play resumes Friday and the Sox open up a six-game homestand against the Astros. For now, though, Craig Breslow has yet to make a move on a slow-moving market.
On Wednesday, it’s Brayan Bello on the hill for Boston. The righty has changed the narrative about his struggles in day games so far this year, posting a 3.19 ERA in nine games (eight starts) so far. Bello is 4-4 with a 3.00 ERA in his last 10 games since June 3.
Boston is 5-6 since the All-Star break and will get its second half record back to .500 with a win Wednesday.
BOSTON RED SOX (58-51) @ MINNESOTA TWINS (51-56) · TARGET FIELD · MINNEAPOLIS, MN · GAME 110
FIRST PITCH: 1:10 p.m. ET
TV CHANNEL: NESN
RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM
PITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Brayan Bello (6-5, 3.32 ERA) vs. RHP Zebby Matthews (2-2, 4.97 ERA)
RED SOX LINEUP:
1) LF Roman Anthony
2) 3B Abraham Toro
3) CF Jarren Duran
4) SS Trevor Story
5) RF Wilyer Abreu
6) 1B Romy Gonzalez
7) DH Masataka Yoshida
8) 2B Ceddanne Rafaela
9) C Connor Wong
TWINS LINEUP:
1) DH Trevor Larnach
2) SS Brooks Lee
3) 1B Kody Clemens
4) C Ryan Jeffers
5) 2B Willi Castro
6) 3B Royce Lewis
7) RF Matt Wallner
8) CF Harrison Bader
9) LF DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
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