Red Sox Lineup: Anthony Serves as DH for Third Straight Game

Manager Alex Cora explains decision to keep Roman Anthony in designated hitter role

Apr. 5, 2026 at 5:06pm

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The Boston Red Sox will look to left-hander Ranger Suárez to pitch them to a series victory on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Suárez struggled in his season debut, but manager Alex Cora is confident he can bounce back. Meanwhile, Roman Anthony will serve as the designated hitter for the third consecutive game, as Cora looks to manage the Red Sox's outfield rotation.

Why it matters

The Red Sox are looking to build momentum after a mixed start to the season, and getting strong performances from Suárez and Anthony will be key to their success. The team's use of the new Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS) is also an interesting subplot, as Cora discusses how it is impacting his pitching staff.

The details

Suárez, who signed a five-year contract with the Red Sox in January, struggled in his March 30 season debut against the Houston Astros, lasting just 4 1/3 innings and allowing four earned runs. Cora believes Suárez can improve by being more precise with his pitches, especially his cutter and two-seam fastball. As for the ABS, Cora says he hasn't seen a major change in the game, with teams being more cautious about challenging calls. The Red Sox entered Sunday 4-3 in batter challenges and 2-4 in fielding challenges, ranking near the bottom of the MLB leaderboard. Cora expects the ABS to become more impactful in later innings as the season progresses.

  • Suárez struggled in his March 30 season debut against the Houston Astros.
  • The Red Sox entered Sunday 4-3 in batter challenges and 2-4 in fielding challenges.

The players

Ranger Suárez

A left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox who signed a five-year contract in January. He struggled in his season debut, but manager Alex Cora believes he can bounce back.

Alex Cora

The manager of the Boston Red Sox, who discussed Suárez's performance and the team's use of the new Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS).

Roman Anthony

A Red Sox player who will serve as the designated hitter for the third consecutive game, as the team manages its outfield rotation.

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What they’re saying

“'There were two pitches that, if he can take away he (would),' the cutter to (Yordan) Alvarez, and actually he tried to like, throw a two-seamer to (Jose) Altuve for a strikeout to freeze him there. You're not going to do that with him. … Just keep throwing strikes. He wasn't too good in the edges of the strike zone, and that's where he lives. He found his rhythm halfway through it, but then after that he left a cutter in the middle, too.'”

— Alex Cora, Manager

“'I think he was precise anyways, so I don't,' Cora said. 'Honestly I haven't seen a change in the game. There's certain calls here and there, but as you can see teams have been very cautious, especially in this series.'”

— Alex Cora, Manager

What’s next

The Red Sox will look to Ranger Suárez to pitch them to a series victory on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The takeaway

The Red Sox are still adjusting to the new Automatic Ball-Strike System, but manager Alex Cora believes it will become more impactful as the season progresses. The team's focus is on getting strong performances from Suárez and Anthony as they look to build momentum in the early part of the season.