The Seattle Mariners face the Boston Red Sox in their home opener at 4:10 p.m. Thursday at T-Mobile Park. Here are the lineups:
BOSTON
1) Andrew Benintendi (L), LF
2) Mookie Betts (R), RF
3) Rafael Devers (L), 3B
4) J.D. Martinez (R), DH
5) Xander Bogaerts (R), SS
6) Mitch Moreland (L), 1B
7) Eduardo Nunez (R), 2B
8) Jackie Bradley Jr. (L), CF
9) Christian Vazquez (R), C
SP) Chris Sale (L)
Notes: This is pretty much the same lineup the Red Sox won 108 games and the World Series title with last year. Betts was the American League Most Valuable Player last season while batting .346 with 32 home runs and a 1.078 OPS, while Martinez was fourth in the MVP voting after batting .330 with 43 homers and a 1.032 OPS. There’s plenty of depth to the lineup as well, with Benintendi and Bogaerts in particular being proven offensive threats. On the mound Boston goes with one of the best in the business in Sale, who struck out 237 in 158 innings last season and has been in the top six in AL Cy Young Award voting for seven straight years. So the Mariners have their hands full in this one.
SEATTLE
1) Mitch Haniger (R), RF
2) Domingo Santana (R), LF
3) Edwin Encarnacion (R), 1B
4) Jay Bruce (L), DH
5) Ryon Healy (R), 3B
6) Tim Beckham (R), SS
7) Mallex Smith (L), CF
8) David Freitas (R), C
9) Dee Gordon (L), 2B
SP) Marco Gonzales (L)
Notes: Seattle has a bit of an advantage in that the Mariners have already played two games that count, having swept their two-game set against the Oakland Athletics last week. Gonzales is that rare pitcher who gets to make his second start of the season on what’s ostensibly opening day — he tossed six innings and got the win in Japan on March 20. The Mariners load up the top of their lineup with right-handers in anticipation of facing a tough lefty. For five players — Santana, Encarnacion, Bruce, Beckham and Smith — this is their first home games as Mariners.
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