Red Sox sit Masataka Yoshida again (5th time in 6 games under Chad Tracy) as role decreases

BOSTON — Before he was fired last Saturday, Alex Cora spent the first few weeks of the Red Sox season trying to find ways to get Masataka Yoshida into the starting lineup. Chad Tracy’s early lineup choices tell a different story.

For the fifth time in six games since Tracy took over as interim manager, Yoshida is out of the lineup Saturday against the Astros. Friday hero Jarren Duran is once again leading off and is the designated hitter with Roman Anthony, after a three-hit game, playing left field. Yoshida is the odd man out with Ceddanne Rafaela (center) and Wilyer Abreu (right) starting against right-hander Spencer Arrighetti.

Yoshida started 12 of Boston’s first 27 games with Cora at the helm, playing left field twice and getting 10 starts at DH. Tracy has started him just once, on Tuesday vs. Toronto. Yoshida has hit .265 with three doubles, five RBIs and a .716 OPS in 59 plate appearances so far.

“It’s not an easy situation. He’s a good hitter, but we’re in the same spot we were. He can hit, but then you look at hte other four guys, too, with the speed and versatility and what they bring to the table. They’ve got to play, so it’s not an easy situation.

I do think one thing is clear: You’re not always gonna use him, but when Masa’s sitting there on the bench and available, if there’s a lane with a righty where they can’t make a move, that’s a good thing for us. Not ideal, but we’ve just got to manage what we have.”

It’s not a whole lot different, the role. If I was going to use somebody drastically differently than how they were being used before I got here, I’d probably have that (conversation). It’s similar to how it was.

Boston will use a similar lineup to Friday’s, though Connor Wong is catching in place of Carlos Narváez. On the mound is lefty Connelly Early, who will look to continue his very strong start to the season after allowing two runs and striking out four batters in 6 ⅔ innings in his last start, which was Tracy’s managerial debut Sunday in Baltimore.

The Red Sox will look to win their second in a row after a 3-1 win Friday night. First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m. ET.

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HOUSTON ASTROS (12-21) vs. BOSTON RED SOX (13-19) · FENWAY PARK · BOSTON, MA · GAME 33

FIRST PITCH: 4:10 p.m.

TV CHANNEL: NESN

RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM

PITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Spencer Arrighetti (3-0, 2.00 ERA) vs. LHP Connelly Early (2-1, 2.84 ERA)

RED SOX LINEUP:

1. Jarren Duran DH
2. Willson Contreras 1B
3. Roman Anthony LF
4. Wilyer Abreu RF
5. Trevor Story SS
6. Marcelo Mayer 2B
7. Ceddanne Rafaela CF
8. Connor Wong C
9. Caleb Durbin 3B

ASTROS LINEUP:

1. Carlos Correa SS
2. Yordan Alvarez DH
3. Isaac Paredes 3B
4. Christian Walker 1B
5. Jose Altuve 2B
6. Yainer Diaz C
7. Brice Matthews CF
8. Cam Smith RF
9. Dustin Harris LF

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