Tsung-Che Cheng at short as Red Sox target fifth straight win
DIRECT ANSWER: Tsung-Che Cheng started at shortstop and batted ninth for the Boston Red Sox in Game 90 at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 8, 2026, with Jake Bennett on the mound against Chicago's Davis Martin. Boston entered riding a four-game road winning streak and reshuffled its lineup, sliding Masataka Yoshida to DH, Carlos Narváez to catcher, and Cheng to shortstop.
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Key Takeaways
- Tsung-Che Cheng started at shortstop and hit ninth as Boston reshuffled its middle-infield look for Game 90 on July 8.
- Jake Bennett opposed White Sox ace Davis Martin as the Red Sox chased a fifth straight win and a 5-0 road trip.
- Anthony Seigler led off and remained the de facto everyday second baseman in his 16th start in 17 games since recall.
- Red Sox starters logged quality starts in 15 of their last 18 games entering Wednesday's contest.
- MLB.com footage showed Seigler scoring on a Davis Martin wild pitch in the top of the third with two outs.
Who was in the Red Sox lineup for Game 90?
Manager Chad Tracy rolled out a lineup largely similar to Tuesday's series opener, with three notable swaps. Masataka Yoshida moved to designated hitter, Carlos Narváez caught, and Tsung-Che Cheng took over at shortstop in place of Andruw Monasterio.
The full order, as reported by The Boston Globe and Yahoo Sports: Anthony Seigler at second, Ceddanne Rafaela in center, Wilyer Abreu in right, Willson Contreras at first, Yoshida at DH, Caleb Durbin at third, Jarren Duran in left, Narváez behind the plate, and Cheng at short.
Boston was also a man short on the active roster, with Nate Eaton serving the second game of a two-game suspension tied to the June 30 bench-clearing brawl against the Nationals.
What did the White Sox send out against Boston?
Chicago countered with right-hander Davis Martin, whose nine wins led the club. The White Sox entered Game 90 at 47-43, holding a one-game edge over Cleveland atop the AL Central.
Chicago's lineup featured Miguel Vargas at first, Randal Grichuk at DH, Colson Montgomery at third, Chase Meidroth at second, Sam Antonacci in left, Braden Montgomery in right, Junior Perez in center, Kyle Teel catching, and Luisangel Acuña at short. Martin carried a 9-3 record and 3.08 ERA into the start.
Why does Jake Bennett's start matter for the Red Sox?
Rookie lefty Jake Bennett took the ball seeking a third straight winning start and a chance to push Boston's streak to five. Entering Wednesday, he was 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA and had posted a 1.78 ERA over his previous four outings.
Bennett was coming off the longest start of his career: 7⅔ innings with two runs allowed in a July 4 win over the Angels. Since his June 10 recall from Triple-A Worcester, he ranked tied for fifth among major league pitchers in FanGraphs WAR. He was facing the White Sox for the first time.
Boston's 41-48 record belied recent momentum—the club was 4-0 on a three-city, nine-game road trip and had won nine of its last 11 overall.
How did the game unfold early on the field?
While pregame reports focused on lineups and pitching matchups, MLB.com video captured a key early moment in the top of the third with two outs: Anthony Seigler scored on a wild pitch from Davis Martin on a cutter to Willson Contreras at the plate.
That play punctuated a hot stretch for Boston's lineup, which had scored at least four runs in 11 of its previous 13 games and 13 of its previous 17. Contreras entered the night 8-for-21 with four extra-base hits and eight RBIs in four games since the Nationals brawl.