Playing Brock Holt in left field is matchup issue for the Red Sox. Putting Marco Hernandez at third base is more of a Pablo Sandoval issue.
“I think for Panda, just a little bit of a breather,” manager John Farrell said. “I think he’s shown a tendency to be even more aggressive than he normally is where he’s expanded the strike zone a little bit maybe too regularly, and then just the rotation of guys to give a little breather along the way.”
Sandoval is out of the lineup for the first time this season. He’s sitting out even though the Red Sox are facing a right-handed pitcher, which is generally a strength for the switch-hitting third baseman.