Masataka Yoshida set to make season debut as Red Sox host Rockies

Masataka Yoshida is expected to be in the lineup when the Boston Red Sox try to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Colorado Rockies on Wednesday.

Before Boston’s 10-2 triumph over Colorado on Tuesday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Yoshida will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list and in the lineup as the team’s designated hitter Wednesday night.

Yoshida and Rob Refsnyder are expected to platoon in Boston’s designated hitter spot, with Yoshida starting against right-handed pitchers.

“Mostly DH, but it’s not like last year where he’s not going to play the outfield,” Cora said. “He’s healthy, he is throwing the ball well and we’ll use him for whatever we need that day.”

Yoshida, 31, has not played for Boston this season. He had offseason shoulder surgery and completed a five-game minor league rehab assignment Monday. He played the first two games with Triple-A Worcester and the next three games with Double-A Portland.

Yoshida’s return creates a logjam in an outfield that includes Jarren Duran, Ceddane Rafaela, Roman Anthony, Rob Refsnyder and Wilyer Abreu.

“I know (Cora) has a plan, and I trust him full tilt,” Duran said. “So whatever he needs me to do, I’m going to do. … He’s a good manager and he’s been doing it, and I trust him for whatever we need to do for the team.”

Boston will be looking to extend its winning streak to six games Wednesday. The Red Sox won Monday’s game against Colorado 9-3.

Colorado’s Kyle Freeland pitched five scoreless innings Tuesday before surrendering three runs in the sixth. The loss dropped his record to 1-10.

“I thought it was one of his better outings of the year,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “All of his breaking stuff was working. He was putting the ball where he wanted to. He deserved to get through that sixth inning, I thought. There were two outs and he threw a good pitch to (Trevor Story), but he hit a jam shot out there.”

Boston right-hander Lucas Giolito (5-1, 3.66 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for Boston on Wednesday. Giolito is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two career appearances against the Rockies, both starts. He has allowed 12 hits, including three home runs, in 10 innings against Colorado.

Giolito has pitched at least six innings in each of his last five starts. He’s 4-0 with a 0.83 ERA during that five-game stretch.

Boston also has a rested bullpen since Brayan Bello pitched a complete game Tuesday.

“He was on point,” Cora said. “Some swing and misses, was on top of hitters, got ahead, stayed ahead, buried them. He was really good.”

Righty Antonio Senzatela (3-12, 6.57 ERA) is listed as Colorado’s probable starter. It will be Senzatela’s first career appearance against the Red Sox.

Senzatela will be facing a Boston team that has scored 86 runs in its last 10 games. Tuesday’s victory was the 15th time the Red Sox have scored at least 10 runs in a game this season, the most of any team in the American League.

–Field Level Media