Josh H. Smith - Starts at short again Smith started at shortstop and went 0-for-4 with a sacrifice bunt in Friday's 6-2 win over the Astros. Impact Smith started once again for the injured Corey Seager (hamstring), slotting in at second in the order. That was Seager's spot in the order, and it appears Texas manager Bruce Bochy wants to limit disruption to the normal batting order. Smith is not expected to replace Seager's production, but he does handle the bat well, as evidenced by his fifth-inning bunt that moved runners and set up Nathaniel Lowe's two-run single. With Houston scheduled to start another righty Saturday, Smith should make a third straight start. The righty-hitting Ezequiel Duran could start at shortstop Sunday, when the Astros' Framber Valdez is projected to start, the Rangers' first game against a southpaw since Seager's injury.
APRIL 15, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
