The Red Sox biggest obstacle at the beginning of the 2017 season could be their immune systems.
Well, that didn’t take long. The Boston Red Sox are already working their way down the depth chart in game number 2 of 162.
Illness is sweeping through the Boston clubhouse, and it will leave the Red Sox shorthanded when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
They’ll be without Brock Holt, while Mookie Betts and Robbie Ross are also absent from John Farrell’s lineup card.
The Red Sox picked up a 5-3 Opening Day win against the Pirates on Monday. Holt and Robbie Ross did not play in the Boston victory. Betts went 1-3 at the plate. The Red Sox will look a little different tonight.
With Betts removed from the starting lineup, Boston fans will get their first look this year at right fielder Chris Young. The journeyman outfielder spent the first seven years of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks. A season with Oakland and another with the New York Mets was followed by two years with the Yankees. Young arrived in Boston last season, appearing in 76 games and batting .276 with nine home runs.
Holt’s absence may remind some Red Sox fans of an incident that occurred during a Toronto Blue Jays game almost three years ago. Holt, who had recently been recovering from the flu, collided with Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia while pursuing a ground ball. At the time Holt shook off the collision and finished the game. He even played two more weeks despite what he thought were flu-like symptoms. It was later determined that he had suffered a concussion.
Next: 30 best outfielders in MLB history
Shortly before game time, there was no indication how long Holt, Betts, and Ross would be unavailable. First pitch between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:10 pm ET. Jameson Taillon and Chris Sale are slated to start.