The Astros' Carlos Beltran made his first postseason start of 2017 on Sunday in Game 3 of the American League Division Series presented by Doosan.
Veteran slugger Beltran is 5-for-13 with a double and homer against Red Sox starter Doug Fister in his career, with all plate appearances coming in the past two seasons. Houston manager A.J. Hinch also moved up left-handed batters Josh Reddick and Marwin Gonzalez in the order, a sensible move considering Fister has struggled against lefties this year.
:: ALDS schedule and coverage ::
Fister yielded an .862 OPS to left-handed batters this season, as opposed to a .589 mark against righties. However, the Astros are still starting five right-handed batters. While it's hardly advantageous to face a lineup containing George Springer, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, it could still give Fister a leg up compared to southpaws Chris Sale and Thomas Pomeranz, who started Games 1 and 2 for the Red Sox.
Here is the Astros lineup:
1. George Springer, CF
2. Josh Reddick, RF
3. Jose Altuve, 2B
4. Carlos Correa, SS
5. Marwin Gonzalez, LF
6. Alex Bregman, 3B
7. Carlos Beltran, DH
8. Yuli Gurriel, 1B
9. Brian McCann, C
Brad Peacock, P
Looking to pressure the Astros, the Red Sox will use a lineup similar to their Game 1 look for Game 3 against Houston right-hander Peacock.
Manager John Farrell made only two tweaks from the Game 1 lineup: Dustin Pedroia will hit second, which he did in Game 2, and Hanley Ramirez will take the sixth spot as designated hitter.

Eduardo Nunez batted second at DH in Game 1, but in his first plate appearance, he aggravated a right knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the series. Without Nunez, Pedroia moved up to No. 2 for Game 2 after batting No. 6 in Game 1.
Mitch Moreland, Rafael Devers and Sandy Leon will re-enter the lineup after sitting for a righty-heavy lineup against Houston southpaw Dallas Keuchel in Game 2.
If the Red Sox want to get their bats going, it might behoove them to be more aggressive, as Peacock thrives on called strikes. The right-hander's 20.4-percent called-strike rate in a starting role was one of the highest in the Majors, and he was especially adept at getting free strikes with his four-seam fastball (28.0 percent). More than half of those four-seamer called strikes came in the lower third of the zone.
Here is the Red Sox lineup:
1. Xander Bogaerts, SS
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Andrew Benintendi, LF
4. Mookie Betts, RF
5. Mitch Moreland, 1B
6. Hanley Ramirez, DH
7. Rafael Devers, 3B
8. Sandy Leon, C
9. Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Doug Fister, P