After delivering a 14-run beating to the Padres last night, the Red Sox are out to score big again to back up Alfredo Aceves in his brief return to starting.
Amazingly, though, the Red Sox' lineup wasn't anywhere near full strength Monday, With Darnell and Mike Cameron getting the call against left-handed Wade LeBlanc. That will not be the case today, as the Sox will return to the still-struggling J.D. Drew, but also Josh Reddick, the young call-up who has collected seven hits in his first seventeen at bats. With Carl Crawford out on the DL and three of the other outfielders on the roster providing little production, this is Reddick's opportunity to leave a good impression with Terry Francona and the Red Sox.
Boston Red Sox (44-28)
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Kevin Youkilis, 3B
- David Ortiz, DH
- J.D. Drew, RF
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
- Marco Scutaro, SS
- Josh Reddick, LF
- Chris Denorfia, RF
- Jason Bartlett, SS
- Chase Headley, 3B
- Ryan Ludwick, LF
- Cristian Guzman, DH
- Orlando Hudson, 2B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Cameron Maybin, CF
- Nick Hundley, C
Pitching Matchup: Alfredo Aceves (3-1, 3.30 ERA) vs. Mat Latos (4-8, 4.06 ERA)
Alfredo Aceves will be making an unexpected return to a starting role thanks to Josh Beckett's illness. The last time we saw him there was not a pleasant experience, as he allowed eight runs (six earned) to the White Sox back on May 31.
He's not exactly gone light on his arm since then, however, carrying the Sox through four innings to an extra-innings win against Oakland, and then piggybacking with Tim Wakefield to account for the whole of a win against New York. His last two appearances have been rather less stressful, however, and so he should be ready to go for a while against San Diego. He should fair reasonably well against the Padres, too, given his reliance on off-speed pitches. San Diego has never done particularly well against anything but fastballs.
Mat Latos is going through something of a sophomore slump after his first full season in 2010. After missing the start of the year with bursitis, Latos hasn't had quite the same velocity as he did last year, and has been having trouble with his curveball, which has been hammered around quite a bit. Still, he's yet to have any really bad outings this year, he's just had a lot more mediocre ones than in the past.