Impact Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke made the surprising decision to sit lefty-hitting Alex Verdugo against left-hander Tommy Milone, opting instead for the right-handed-hitting Pillar. The decision proved to be a sage one. Verdugo slashed .327/.358/.485/.843 over 109 plate appearances last year, so it's hard to believe he'll be platooned after what the Red Sox sent to the Dodgers to acquire him. Pillar is expected to start whenever a lefty is on the mound, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com, but he could replace Andrew Benintendi or Jackie Bradley, not just Verdugo.
JULY 25, 2020 • ROTOWIRE