The Boston Red Sox will be without one of their hottest bats Tuesday night as they continue their series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
The Red Sox placed center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. on paternity leave and recalled outfielder Rusney Castillo from Triple-A Pawtucket. Bradley and his wife, Erin, are expecting their first child.
Bradley, who had his major league-best 29-game hitting streak snapped last week, entered Tuesday ranked in the top five in the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS and RBIs. He has played in 50 of Boston’s 51 games this season and has been held hitless just six times.
Castillo has spent almost the entirety of this season at Triple-A, recording just four at-bats at the major league level. He has posted a .241/.302/.317 slash line with one home run and 13 RBIs in 37 games with the PawSox.
Castillo is available to play Tuesday night against the Orioles but was not in the starting lineup announced by the team.
JBJ on paternity leave. Castillo up Lineup Betts RF, Pedroia 2B, Bogaerts SS, Ortiz DH, Ramirez 1B, Shaw 3B, Young CF, Swihart LF, Vazquez C
— Tom Caron (@TomCaron) May 31, 2016
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images