© Ron Holman | 2019 Apr 5
No point in calling Joey Bart up if you’re not going to play him.
The Giants’ new catcher gets his first major league start vs. the Angels on Thursday, batting sixth in a lineup he’ll be a part of nearly every day according to Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler.
The other lineup tidbit of note concerns a player who didn’t make the cut in Hunter Pence, who has been much better vs. left handed pitching as opposed to righties this season, and throughout his career. Better in 2020 is a relative term though, considering Pence is currently posting an overall slash line of .100/.151/.260 through 50 at-bats so far.
Kapler is electing to go with fellow right handers Darin Ruf and Mauricio Dubon as the two who will join Yastrzemski in the outfield.
Giants lineup vs. Jose Suarez:
1. Slater, DH
2. Yastrzemski, RF
3. Flores, 2B
4. Longoria, 3B
5. Belt, 1B
6. Bart, C
7. Ruf, LF
8. Crawford, SS
9. Dubon, CF