White Sox vs. Red Sox Lineups: Bart, Doyle Start

The Chicago White Sox started Joey Bart at catcher and Brenton Doyle in center field against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on August 4, 2026, placing both trade-deadline acquisitions directly into Game 112 while Boston's largest addition, Adley Rutschman, remained on the injured list with left wrist inflammation.

Chicago changed its battery and center-field assignment within a day of acquiring Bart and Doyle. Boston activated Jake Rogers, Erik Miller, and Eli White, but none started, leaving Connor Wong behind the plate with a familiar batting order around him.

Bart and Doyle start for Chicago

Chicago's August 4 Gameday lineup placed Bart sixth and Doyle seventh against left-hander Patrick Sandoval.

Bart, 29, caught right-hander Davis Martin. Doyle, 28, started in center field, giving Chicago a second consecutive right-handed hitter in the lower middle of the order.

The White Sox transaction record shows that both players were activated on August 4, 2026, and that catcher Edgar Quero was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Bart therefore entered through a direct roster change rather than a gradual move from the bench.

Doyle arrived from Colorado for right-hander Mason Adams and infield prospect Carlos Vielma. Bart came from Atlanta for right-hander Duncan Davitt. Both deals were completed on August 3, after Chicago had acquired starter Luis Castillo from Seattle and right-hander Huascar Brazobán from the New York Mets.

General manager Chris Getz said after the deadline that Chicago had been able to add wins to the Major League roster while maintaining prospect depth. The club's account of the deals also described Doyle as a right-handed complement to left-handed center fielder Tristan Peters, making his immediate start against Sandoval a specific matchup decision rather than a complete replacement of the existing outfield.

Chicago retained its established top five. Chase Meidroth led off, Munetaka Murakami batted second, and Miguel Vargas remained third. Randal Grichuk and Colson Montgomery followed before Bart and Doyle.

Meidroth, Vargas, Colson Montgomery, Braden Montgomery, and Acuña also appeared in Chicago's 22-1 win over Kansas City on June 26. The August 4 lineup kept that group in place while changing catcher and center field, two positions through the middle of the defense.

Rutschman remains on the injured list

Boston's biggest deadline addition was Rutschman, 28, but his Red Sox debut remained uncertain because of left wrist inflammation.

Boston acquired Rutschman, Jake Rogers, and cash from Baltimore for pitchers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, outfielder Enddy Azocar, catcher Carlos Narváez, and a player to be named later. Rutschman was the first overall pick in the 2019 draft and joined Boston with one more arbitration season before potential free agency after 2027.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow did not set a return date after speaking with Rutschman. In the trade announcement, Breslow said, "I'm not going to try to put a timetable on what his return might look like." He added that Rutschman had reported feeling better, but Boston wanted its medical staff to examine him before deciding the next step.

Connor Wong started at catcher against Chicago. Rogers was activated on August 4, 2026, but did not start. The Boston transaction record also lists the activations of Miller and White, neither of whom appeared in the starting nine.

The target matched a measurable weakness. Before the trade, Boston catchers ranked 22nd in batting average at .219, 20th in OPS at .615, last in home runs with four, and 23rd in offensive wins above replacement at 0.5. Rutschman had a .251 batting average, a .331 on-base percentage, and a .433 slugging percentage in 67 games.

Boston entered the deal 23-3 since July 2, held the second American League Wild Card position, and had recently matched a franchise record with a 15-game winning streak. The club's July 22 doubleheader against Baltimore came during that run, before Boston sent four named players and a further player to Baltimore for Rutschman, Rogers, and cash.

Martin and Sandoval start the opener

Martin, 29, started for Chicago with a 9–5 record. Sandoval, 29, started for Boston at 0–0.

Chicago used six right-handed hitters, two left-handed hitters, and one switch-hitter against Sandoval. Bart and Doyle both received a right-on-left matchup, with Bart catching Martin and Doyle taking the central outfield position.

Boston countered Martin with three left-handed hitters and switch-hitting leadoff man Nick Sogard. Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida, and Jarren Duran formed the left-handed part of the order. Ceddanne Rafaela, Willson Contreras, Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Wong hit right-handed.

The pitching matchup also showed the part of Chicago's deadline that was not visible in the batting order. Castillo was acquired for the rotation, while Brazobán was added to the pitching staff. Bart and Doyle were the position players available for immediate use, and both were assigned starting roles.

White Sox start additions as Boston waits

Chicago's first post-deadline lineup contained a new catcher and center fielder. Boston's contained none of its three August 4 activations, while Rutschman remained unavailable.

The White Sox moves had an immediate effect on two up-the-middle positions. Bart became Martin's catcher, and Doyle entered a center-field arrangement that the club described as a complement to Peters. Their placement in consecutive lineup spots made the roster changes visible without displacing Chicago's established top five hitters.

Boston sent Eyanson, Witherspoon, Azocar, Narváez, and a player to be named later for a catcher expected to improve a position that had produced four home runs and a .615 OPS. Wong remained the starter until Rutschman could be cleared. Rogers provided an active backup, while Miller and White expanded the available bullpen and outfield group without changing the starting nine.

Rutschman remained on the injured list when the series opened, and Breslow had not provided a timetable for his activation.