FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When the Red Sox signed Chris Young as their fourth outfielder late last fall, they cited his ability to mash left-handed pitching as one of his chief attributes.
Apparently, they intend to make full use of that ability.
Manager John Farrell said Sunday that Young will "get every left-handed pitcher we see, every left-handed starter,'' surprising some.
It was assumed that Young would play a good deal against lefties, thanks to his career .837 OPS against lefties, which spiked to .972 in 2015.
But the suggestion that Young would automatically be in the lineup, without exception, against every lefty was more of a commitment than expected.
Of the three starters in the Red Sox outfield -- Rusney Castillo, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts -- only Bradley hits left-handed. And Bradley himself has a better career OPS vs. lefty pitchers (.692) than he does against right-handers (.612).
"To say who's going to sit, who's not...we'll get to that point,'' said Farrell.
Boston Red Sox
Asked if the Sox would shift Betts from right to center on days in which Young is in the lineup over Bradley, the normal center fielder, and Farrell offered another surprise.
"I would prefer to stay away from bouncing Mookie back and forth (between right and center),'' said Farrell. "That would (mean) Chris Young in center field (when he's in the lineup over Bradley).''
Young was once considered an above-average defender in center earlier in his career with Arizona, in recent seasons, he's been considered more of a corner outfielder who can play center on occasion.
Last year, for example, Young got into 129 games in the outfield with the Yankees, but only 15 were in center. In part, that was the result of the Yankees having two center field options ahead of him -- Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner -- but it's also an affirmation that Young is better suited for left or right.