Red Sox Shake Up Lineup Dom Smith Takes Third, Enmanuel Valdez Fifth Under Cora’s Direction

Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Shuffles Lineup: Dom Smith Takes Third, Enmanuel Valdez Batting Fifth

In a surprising move, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has rearranged the lineup for Saturday’s clash against the Detroit Tigers, with Dom Smith stepping into the coveted third spot in the batting order for the first time this season. Alongside him, Enmanuel Valdez, freshly recalled to fill Tyler O’Neill’s injured roster spot, will take on the fifth slot.

Valdez, who has seen limited action with Boston this year, holds a .154 batting average across 91 at-bats, while Smith, though struggling at .198 this season, is poised for a fresh opportunity in the lineup’s prime position.

The decision to place Smith and Valdez strategically in the lineup comes as part of Cora’s plan to optimize matchups against Tigers right-hander Reese Olson, who boasts an impressive 1.92 ERA over 10 starts.

Boston’s lineup features five left-handed batters, including Smith and Valdez, aimed at challenging Olson’s dominance on the mound. Meanwhile, righty Cooper Criswell, with a 4.19 ERA over nine outings, takes the starting role for the Red Sox.

After a split series start, with Boston clinching victory 7-3 on Friday following a 5-0 loss on Thursday, fans are eagerly anticipating how the adjusted lineup will fare in the third game of the four-game series at Fenway Park, slated for 4:10 p.m.

The complete Red Sox lineup for the game is as follows:

1. Jarren Duran LF
2. Wilyer Abreu RF
3. Dom Smith 1B
4. Rafael Devers 3B
5. Enmanuel Valdez DH
6. Vaughn Grissom 2B
7. Reese McGuire C
8. Ceddanne Rafaela CF
9. David Hamilton SS

Stay tuned for live updates as the Red Sox seek to secure victory with their reimagined lineup configuration.