It's been a while since the Sox didn't have to worry about getting David Ortiz' bat into the lineup. Now, back in the American League, Terry Francona can put his mind at ease and simply pencil Ortiz into the no. 5 spot as the designated hitter without having to fear Adrian Gonzalez pulling (or breaking) something in the outfield.
The Sox are still not fully healthy, with Carl Crawford not scheduled to run the bases until Tuesday and like-as-not to remain on the shelf likely until the All-Star break. But for now, they'll just be happy to see an actual batter at the end of the lineup instead of a pitcher.
Boston Red Sox (49-34)
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Kevin Youkilis, 3B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Josh Reddick, LF
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
- J.D. Drew, RF
- Marco Scutaro, SS
- Rajai Davis, CF
- Eric Thames, LF
- Jose Bautista, 3B
- Adam Lind, 1B
- Edwin Encarnacion, DH
- Aaron Hill, 2B
- Travis Snider, RF
- Jose Molina, C
- John McDonald, SS
Pitching Matchup: John Lackey (5-7, 6.81 ERA) vs. Brandon Morrow (4-4, 4.56 ERA)
It's been tough to get a real feel on John Lackey since his return from the disabled list early in June. One game he implodes against the woeful San Diego Padres lineup, the next he shuts down the Phillies. If he's looking for a team to get some traction against, though, the Blue Jays might not be the best option. In two starts against them this year, Lackey has allowed 13 earned runs in as many innings.
On the other hand, he did have eight strikeouts and two walks in his last outing, when he gave up four runs in six innings, and the one before that was the game which sent him to the disabled list. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Lackey has a good start, which could go a long way toward inspiring some confidence.
Brandon Morrow's season might look a lot better were it not for the Red Sox. He last faced them on June 11, allowing nine earned runs in just over four innings. Allowing three walks to his four strikeouts, Morrow was victimized by the top of the lineup, and eventually knocked out of the game by a three-run homer from Jason Varitek. Since then, Morrow has been on a roll, allowing just four runs over his last 21 innings. Morrow typically struggles with lefties, though which could well explain his difficulties against the Red Sox. If he can't get the Sox' best hitters out, they'll usually be able to put on enough baserunners around them to make that count.