Red Sox switch outfield alignment with Jarren Duran, Nick Sogard an hour before game Monday
Nick Sogard is in right field for the Red Sox on Monday after all. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)MLB Photos via Getty Images
Jarren Duran hasn’t started a game in right field since 2022 and Nick Sogard hasn’t played left field all year at any level, so it was a bit surprising to see the Red Sox starting them at those spots in their original lineup Monday night. Then, just over an hour before first pitch, Boston flip-flopped their outfielders.
Duran will play left field against the Athletics and Sogard will play right field behind Garrett Crochet in the opener of a three-game series against the Athletics, according to a revised lineup put out by the team. Every hitter is in his original spot in the batting order. Duran is leading off for the first time in three games and Sogard, the offensive hero of Sunday’s win, is hitting eighth.
The original Sox lineup had Duran making his first start in right field since August 2022 and Sogard, while making his first career appearance in the outfield, playing a position he never played in Triple-A this season. The unusual configuration is a result of the Red Sox being without Roman Anthony (oblique) and Wilyer Abreu (calf), who are on the injured list, as well as Rob Refsnyder, who is day-to-day after slamming into the ground on a diving catch attempt Sunday.
Cora said that Sogard’s switch-hitting ability made him a good option against A’s righty Luis Morales and that the club was comfortable with him in the outfield despite limited exposure (just 27 innings in right) on the grass this year in Worcester.
“He’s a switch-hitter. He has done it before,” Cora said. “It’s not that I pull it out of a hat.”
“I asked (Duran), ‘I need you to play right field, and he said, ”Whatever you need.’ We put him there. Sogard has played left field. He’s back home (near his hometown) so go out there, get a few at-bats and get Nate (Eaton) late in the game to play defense.”
Refsnyder could be available as a pinch-hitter.
“Day-to-day. He’s available, but a little banged up,” Cora said. “He hit the ground very hard.”
UPDATED RED SOX LINEUP:
1) LF Jarren Duran
2) 3B Alex Bregman
3) SS Trevor Story
4) 1B Nathaniel Lowe
5) 2B Romy Gonzalez
6) DH Masataka Yoshida
7) CF Ceddanne Rafaela
8) RF Nick Sogard
9) C Carlos Narváez
BREAKING: Kerry Wood RETURNS TO THE CHICAGO CUBS AS CO-OWNER!
A new chapter in history has just been written — Chicago Cubs legend Kerry Wood has officially bought back his stake and become a CO-OWNER of the team where his name is etched in blood, sweat, and endless applause. From a legendary pitcher on the mound to a shaper of the future, Wood has returned, not to throw heat, but to lead the team with the heart of a champion who has never left the field. This reunion has left the entire city in awe.
In a move that feels more like a Hollywood script than MLB news, Wood’s return isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s about taking the Cubs to new heights. Now standing alongside the Ricketts family, he’s not only a legend but a powerful voice in shaping the next era of Cubs baseball.
“I’ve always been a Cub,” Wood shared emotionally. “But today, I come home not to throw strikes—but to help lead this team back to greatness in a new way.”
With his return, Wood will play a key role in strategic decisions, from player development to fan engagement. He’s bringing his championship mindset and unrivaled baseball IQ to the boardroom, working closely with Manager David Ross and the front office to elevate the Cubs to new heights.
This homecoming is more than just a business move; it’s deeply personal. Wood’s legacy is forever etched in Chicago’s baseball history, and now he’s back to ensure the Cubs' future is as bright as their glorious past. The champion has returned—not in cleats, but in power. And Chicago just became a lot stronger.
