DETROIT — As the Red Sox look to bounce back from a brutal blowout loss in Monday’s series opener against the Tigers, they’ll do so without their scuffling shortstop in the lineup Tuesday.
Trevor Story isn’t starting Tuesday for just the fourth time in 44 games this season. Instead, David Hamilton will play shortstop and hit eighth. Story has been in a prolonged slump over the last three weeks, hitting just 9-for-74 (.122) with 28 strikeouts and a .350 OPS in his last 18 games. His OPS has dropped from .894 on April 21 to .645 now.
“Better swings in Kansas City toward the end,” said manager Alex Cora. “Hit the ball to right field, got a few hits, hit the homer. But yeah. He’s working. Working hard with (hitting coach) Pete (Fatse) in the group. Hopefully, detaching himself from the action today will help him tomorrow.”
Hamilton is 9-for-50 (.180) with a .212 on-base percentage this season in 20 games. The Red Sox will start Nick Sogard at first base (he’s hitting sixth) and Carlos Narváez behind the plate Tuesday after Connor Wong played Monday night. Brayan Bello is starting for Boston.
The Red Sox, who are 2-2 on their road trip thus far, are a gave above .500 at 22-21. They are 10-10 in their last 20 games and 11-12 on the road so far this year.
Lefty reliever Tyler Holton will serve as the opener for Detroit and righty Keider Montero, who has made four starts in the majors so far this year, will pitch behind him in the bulk role.
Bello, who has a 2.01 ERA through four starts since his delayed season debut, walked five batters in 4 ⅔ innings in his last outing against the Rangers.
First pitch from Comerica is set for 6:40 p.m. ET.
BOSTON RED SOX (22-21) @ DETROIT TIGERS (27-15) · COMERICA PARK · DETROIT, MI · GAME 44
FIRST PITCH: 6:40 p.m. ET
TV CHANNEL: NESN, TBS
RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM
PITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Brayan Bello (2-0, 2.01 ERA) vs. LHP Tyler Holton (2-2, 3.12 ERA)
RED SOX LINEUP:
1) LF Jarren Duran
2) DH Rafael Devers
3) 3B Alex Bregman
4) 2B Kristian Campbell
5) RF Wilyer Abreu
6) 1B Nick Sogard
7) C Carlos Narváez
8) SS David Hamilton
9) CF Ceddanne Rafaela
TIGERS LINEUP:
1) DH Kerry Carpenter
2) 2B Gleyber Torres
3) RF Zach McKinstry
4) LF Riley Greene
5) 1B Spencer Torkelson
6) SS Trey Sweeney
7) C Dillon Dingler
8) 3B Jace Jung
9) CF Javier Báez
