We’re 55 games into the season, and the Red Sox are sitting two games ahead of New York in the AL East at 37-17. While it seems like they’re coasting through with decent pitching and stellar offensive production, I’m honestly very confused about how this allegedly well-oiled machine is still running.
It’s almost as though before the season began, manager Alex Cora consciously decided that he would switch the lineup around as much as possible. Now, I’m not sure if there’s a statistic for how many different configurations of the batting order there have been, but I’d posit that Boston would be leading the charge in that metric.
"I mean, it's not only the hot part of it, it's the matchups, not only today but the upcoming matchups and trying to get other people hot, too." -Alex Cora on lineup decisions (via MLB.com)
With Pedroia back in the lineup and Hanley gone, there really seems to be no clear-cut answer to the question of what the “right” batting order is day in and day out. However, the first four hitters of the order are pretty much solidified right now: Betts (RF), Benintendi (LF), Bogaerts (SS), Martinez (DH). After that, it becomes a little murkier, but based on who’s hot, I would put Moreland (1B), Pedroia (2B), Devers (3B), Vazquez (C) and then Bradley (CF).
I know what you’re saying, and yes, you’re right--I do hate JBJ and Vazquez in the lineup. However, I’m not in the Red Sox front office, and the only way I can keep Bradley (as the Red Sox manager) out of the lineup is if he’s not on the active roster. In an ideal world, I’d alternate Nuñez and Martinez between DH and LF, move Benintendi to center field permanently, and give Swihart a chance behind the plate.
That said, here’s my ideal lineup:
Betts (RF)
Benintendi (CF)
Bogaerts (SS)
Martinez (LF)
Moreland (1B)
Pedroia (2B)
Devers (3B)
Nunez (DH)
Swihart (C)
I guess lineup flexibility is a good thing, but let’s just hope Cora figures out what works best by October.
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