La Russa might have Moncada in the middle
While we shouldn’t expect new manager Tony La Russa to get locked into one primary batting order with his new collection of hitters, it’s apparent he is leaning toward Yoan Moncada batting fourth, which would be a new wrinkle.
Moncada has batted fourth 32 times during his career, and fifth and sixth 36 and 38 times, respectively. He primarily has been a top-of-the-order hitter, leading off in 108 games and batting second in 145.
La Russa said he likes having a switchhitter in the 4-hole, and Moncada “has the ability to rise to the occasion, and that’s what you look for a lot in the middle of the lineup.”
La Russa will bat Jose Abreu third, and Moncada, he said, will provide more than adequate protection, allowing the reigning MVP to see good pitches.
“I think he likes a challenge,” La Russa said. La Russa said he’s not opposed to hitting Moncada second, as well.
“He’s just a very talented guy, and I think the more you ask him, the more he’s going to produce,” La Russa said.
Tim Anderson will be the leadoff man, Eloy Jimenez figures to bat fifth and Nick Madrigal ninth, which is where they often batted under former manager Rick Renteria.
Andrew Vaughn batted second Sunday against the A’s, a spot Moncanda, Luis Robert and Yasmani Grandal have hit this spring.
La Russa said he’ll tweak the order during the season based on who’s hot, who’s not, who’s hurt and matchups.
“It’s a talented group,” he said. “I mean, I’m having fun with it.”
Foster’s groin
Matt Foster made his debut when Jimmy Lambert went down with a forearm strain last season and it turned into a find for the Sox. Foster posted a 2.20 ERA in 23 appearances and it’s his spot to lose in the bullpen.
A groin issue delayed his first Cactus League appearance until Saturday, and he was less than sharp, recording only one out while allowing two runs on two hits and two walks. Foster said he was over amped up and overthinking trying to implement a slider into his customary fastball-changeup mix.
“I was getting a little ahead of myself, trying to work on some stuff and then put myself
in kind of a bad position, which I really didn’t do great of getting out of,” Foster said.
Foster said the groin issue was something he dealt with last season and called it “nothing major.”
Grandal’s knee
Grandal (right knee inflammation) hasn’t caught a Cactus League game yet, although an undisclosed target day is circled. He appeared in his first game Saturday as a designated hitter.
“The break he caught and we caught is it was really early in the camp,” La Russa said of the injury. “This amount of games, if he can take the starts planned for him, not only as a hitter, as a DH, but catching, with his experience, he’ll be fine.”
Grandal stopped short of saying he’ll definitely be ready to catch April 1 in Anaheim for the season opener, but La Russa is hopeful.
“The thing we have to look at is Mother Nature, will she cooperate and keep him healthy,” La Russa said. “In two weeks, he can really get sharp.”