The Red Sox reinstated infielder Marcelo Mayer from the bereavement list Monday, in time for him to start at third base in the series opener with Terry Francona’s Cincinnati Reds.

Francona un-retired this year to take the helm in Cincinnati, after spending the 2013-23 seasons managing in Cleveland. Before that, he was Boston’s skipper from ’04-11, and remains the franchise’s second-winningest manager (744 wins) behind Joe Cronin (1,071).

The Red Sox have not been at their ‘winningest’ of late, having dropped eight of their last nine games after going 8-1 in the previous nine. The lost their third straight series on Sunday.

Red Sox lineup

Jarren Duran LF

Roman Anthony DH

Abraham Toro 1B

Carlos Narváez C

Wilyer Abreu RF

Trevor Story SS

Marcelo Mayer 3B

David Hamilton 2B

Ceddanne Rafaela CF

Reds lineup

Check back later

Probable pitchers

RHP Chase Burns vs. LHP Garrett Crochet

How to watch

When: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fenway Park

Watch:  NESN (Red Sox), FanDuel Sports Network Ohio (Reds)

Listen: Red Sox – WEEI 93.7, WCCM 1490 AM (SP), WESX 1230 AM (SP) / Reds – WLW 700