The Red Sox will be without Kevin Youkilis for a third straight night Tuesday as they take on Jarrod Parker and the Oakland Athletics in Fenway Park. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. EST with broadcasts on NESN, MLB Network, and WEEI.
It's one thing to be without Kevin Youkilis, who continues to struggle with a tight lower back. Through the first 18 games of his season, Youkilis has struggled at the plate to the tune of a .219/.292/.344 batting line, so it's not like the Sox are losing a great deal of production from third without Youkilis. No, the problem lies in his replacement: Nick Punto.
Not only has Nick Punto been completely absent at the plate this year, dropping below even Youkilis with a line of .182/.269/.227 (and much of it coming from weak bloops that happened to fall in), but his usually sure glove has been missing as well. First he was complicit in the defensive wreck that was Daniel Bard's first start, but he twice made a mess of things in the field last night, allowing a run to score on a semi-botched rundown and dropping what could have been a crucial pop-up in the seventh.
If Youkilis doesn't show signs of improvement soon, it can't be long before Will Middlebrooks is on the way up.
Boston Red Sox (11-11)
- Mike Aviles, SS
- Ryan Sweeney, RF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Cody Ross, RF
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
- Marlon Byrd, CF
- Nick Punto, 3B
Oakland Athletics (11-13)
- Jemile Weeks, 2B
- Brandon Inge, 3B
- Josh Reddick, RF
- Yoenis Cespedes, CF
- Jonny Gomes, LF
- Kurt Suzuki, C
- Kila Ka'aihue, 1B
- Anthony Recker, DH
- Cliff Pennington, SS