Red Sox's First Second-Half Lineup Hints At Uncertain Future For Fan Favorite

The Boston Red Sox are finally beginning the second half of the season, and not a moment too soon.

After rolling into the All-Star break on a 10-game winning streak, the Red Sox had to take four days off before facing the first-place Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Their 2:20 p.m. EST game on Friday will be the first game any team plays after the Midsummer Classic.

So anticipation was already high for the Red Sox to release the lineup card for the Friday game, which pits Boston starter Lucas Giolito against Chicago's Colin Rea. Then, when the lineup actually dropped, there was an intriguing omission.

Friday's Boston lineup features rookie star outfielder Roman Anthony batting third in the designated hitter spot, and Masataka Yoshida, who returned from injury for the first time this season on Jul. 9, on the bench.

That's telling, because Rea is right-handed. Yoshida's opportunities figured to be against righties in the DH slot, with Rob Refsnyder spelling him whenever there's a lefty on the mound. But Boston also has four starting-caliber outfielders, and any game Yoshida plays is a game one of those studs is on the bench.

There was a point this season when it seemed like there was no pathway to Yoshida getting at-bats. But the highly controversial trade of former DH Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants cleared a lane for him to return. It's just turning out to be that the lane isn't as wide as some may have thought.

Yoshida has only started three of the six games the Red Sox have played since returning, even though all six have come against right-handed starters. That's because center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela has been hot as a pistol, and every other outfield bat the Sox have is left-handed (except Refsnyder, who barely counts as an outfielder at this point).

Manager Alex Cora essentially has to choose between sitting Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Anthony, or Yoshida on a daily basis, and so far, he's been going with Yoshida more often than not.

Sure, the Red Sox are probably trying to ease Yoshida in, because he didn't play a regular-season game for nine months. But the fact that he can't get regular playing time even in a post-Devers world could have much larger indications.

The Red Sox gave Yoshida $90 million three years ago. This offseason, they might be willing to swallow a decent chunk of the $36 million he's still owed to open up his spot for those other outfielders to get the full-time opportunities they deserve.