Hideki Matsui gets start in left field against Yankees Wednesday
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
Angels designated hitter Hideki Matsui will do Wednesday what he did not do in any of the 142 games he played for the New York Yankees last season: start in left field. Matsui will make his 16th start of the season in the outfield, as the Angels wrap up a quick two-game series in Yankee Stadium before heading to Texas for a four-game series against the American League West-leading Rangers.
Right fielder Bobby Abreu will start at designated hitter, Kevin Frandsen will start at third base and Bobby Wilson will catch right-hander Joel Pineiro. Matsui, who hit a two-run home run in Tuesday night’s 10-2 victory over the Yankees, is batting .249 with 11 homers and 49 runs batted in, but he is hitting .365 with four homers and 19 RBIs when he starts in left field.
Pineiro has won seven straight decisions, posting a 2.51 earned run average during the streak, and he threw a gem in his last start in Yankee Stadium, allowing one run and five hits in seven innings, striking out seven and walking none, in a 5-3 Angels win on April 14. Javier Vazquez (7-7, 4.45 ERA) will start for the Yankees.
-- Mike DiGiovanna in New York