The Rays and Red Sox game hit a 20-minute delay over a confusing pitching and lineup shuffle. It started when Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash tried to keep a lefty pitcher available for a later matchup but needed a right-hander to face Mookie Betts. To work around that, he moved lefty Adam Kolarek from the mound to first base, which forced them to lose the DH and remove Austin Meadows. Chaz Roe came in to pitch, Kolarek stayed in the lineup at first, and Ji-Man Choi left the game. Roe handled Betts, then the Rays swapped Kolarek back to the mound and put Nate Lowe at first base.
The confusion came from Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who didn’t seem to realize the DH gets lost when a pitcher moves to the field. The umpires weren’t clear either and ended up calling MLB’s league office to make sure the move was legal. It’s a strategy other teams have used before, including the Yankees and Cubs under Joe Maddon. Despite the precedent, the crews dragged this out for nearly half an hour before deciding to move on. Kolarek came back in, got the groundout they needed on one pitch, and the inning ended. All of it for one out.