Boston Red Sox

Betts returns as Red Sox chase clinch at Yankee Stadium

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:15 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) — Mookie Betts is back in Boston's lineup, hitting leadoff as the designated hitter while the Red Sox try to clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night.

Betts was pulled from a game Sunday with a left side injury. After the team's day off Monday, Betts was held out of the lineup Tuesday night against New York.

Manager Alex Cora originally had Betts slated to play center field Tuesday, but when rain pushed back the scheduled first pitch about six hours, Cora sat the AL MVP candidate to keep him away from the soggy conditions.

Boston can lock up the division with a victory. It would mark the second time in three years the Red Sox celebrated a division title in the Bronx.

Betts leads the majors with a .337 average and also has 29 homers, 28 steals and 72 RBIs as Boston's leadoff man.