SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The lineup the Rangers used against the Royals on Sunday is the one Ron Washington envisions using on a regular basis.
Just don’t expect to see it on Opening Day.
“I’m probably going to go with my best lineup for the day, seeing that it’s Jon Lester,” Washington said, referring to the Red Sox’s scheduled starter. “Read into that what you want.”
Translation: Look for Mitch Moreland in the dugout that day.
Washington has said that Moreland will sit against a lot of tough lefties. Lester, who went 19-9 with a 3.25 ERA last season, certainly fits the bill.
That’s the kind of pitcher that the Rangers acquired Mike Napoli to face. Napoli, who hit .305 with 10 homers in 141 at-bats against lefties last season, has a track record of success in a small sample size against Lester (3-for-6 with a double).