Impact This was a surprise maneuver by Boston manager Ron Roenicke, who a day earlier had tagged Rafael Devers as the team's likely No. 2 hitter. But the manager is apparently reconsidering deploying two lefties in a row at the top of the order. "The reason being simply because we have [Andrew] Benintendi followed with Devers and we know that gives the opponent the opportunity to bring in a left-hander against them, and this breaks it up and makes it tough now," Roenicke said. Martinez, who has batted third or fourth since joining Boston, stepped in behind left-handed-hitting leadoff batter Andrew Benintendi against Toronto right-hander Nate Pearson. It's unclear if Martinez will occupy the two-hole every game or only when a lefty hitter is leading off, but the move is in line with a trend of having a team's most dangerous hitter batting second. "This is something that I don't know for a fact, but this is something that the analytics people tell me," said Roenicke. "For whatever reason, the second spot in your lineup is the most important spot in your lineup."
JULY 22, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
