Nate

Eaton

Eaton was just 4-for-32 this season, though at least those four hits did include a homer and two doubles. He might find himself bounced from the 40-man at some point if the Red Sox need a spot.

Contreras left Wednesday night’s game after fouling a pitch off of his foot. He didn’t believe he was dealing with anything other than a bruise, but he was also noticeably limping when he left the game. The Red Sox will give him at least one day off and go from there. Brett Harris, just up from Triple-A, will bat eighth and play first base, and Romy Gonzalez will hit cleanup and be the DH. Nate Eaton is also batting seventh and in left field after coming off the suspension list.

Eaton was suspended for two games for his role in the Nationals and Red Sox’s bench-clearing incident last week. He’s just 4-for-28 in 12 games this season for the Red Sox.

Eaton will begin serving the two-game ban during Tuesday’s contest against the White Sox. The 29-year-old received the punishment from the league for his actions during last week’s bench-clearing incident with the Nationals.

Cavalli was also suspended for seven games, while Miles Mikolas got a five-game ban and Nate Eaton was levied a three-game suspension and all were handed undisclosed fines for their roles in the fracas. All of the suspensions will start on Friday unless they are appealed. Even if Contreras does have his suspension reduced by a game or two, he’s still going to miss at least a handful of games, much to the detriment of fantasy managers.

This is the third straight game against a left-hander that Duran has sat out. The 29-year-old is hitting .216/.284/.297 in 81 plate appearances against lefties this season with a 27.2 percent strikeout rate. Nate Eaton will start in left field and bat seventh while Romy Gonzalez will be the designated hitter and bat fifth.

It makes sense after Eaton went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBI in a win on Tuesday. The Red Sox will use that to give Jarren Duran a day off and put Connor Wong at designated hitter. While Duran has 12 home runs and 11 steals in 72 games this season, he’s also slashing just .199/.258/.366 and has just a 67 wRC+.

The free-falling Red Sox are turning to Eaton in the leadoff spot after dropping Monday’s series opener at Coors Field in stunning fashion following a ninth-inning meltdown on several fronts. The versatile 29-year-old has gone 1-for-8 with a home run and a stolen base in five games since being called up from Triple-A Worcester earlier this month.

It’s an extremely rare day off for Abreu, who has started 73 of 74 games to open the season. His last day off was on April 15. The 26-year-old slugger mashed a two-run homer, his ninth long ball of the season, during Saturday’s win at T-Mobile Park. It’ll be Nate Eaton getting a look in right field in his place on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Sox demoted reliever Ja La Sorsa in a corresponding move, so there is no clear path for Eaton to play. Unless Boston clears up its catcher logjam, then Eaton may head back down to the minors once Jake Bennett, most likely, is called up to start on Wednesday against the Rays.