The Red Sox are facing a lefty Tuesday--the relatively inexperienced Luis Perez, to be precise. Typically this has meant Jed Lowrie and his typically lopsided splits at shortstop. Today, however, it's Marco Scutaro.
And he's batting sixth.
It's an interesting setup. Scutaro's reverse splits in 2011 don't hold up looking back over a longer period of time, and he's been generally solid for the team since the All-Star break. Whether this is a return to Scutaro as the permanent starter, or just a matter of the shoulder tightness Lowrie experienced a couple of days ago remains to be seen.
The only other notable is Darnell McDonald--not Conor Jackson or Josh Reddick--will be starting in right field.
Boston Red Sox (84-56)
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Kevin Youkilis, 3B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Marco Scutaro, SS
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
- Darnell McDonald, RF
The Blue Jays will return Yunel Escobar and J.P. Arencibia to their lineup against lefty Jon Lester.
Toronto Blue Jays (70-71)
- Yunel Escobar, SS
- Eric Thames, LF
- Jose Bautista, RF
- Adam Lind, 1B
- Edwin Encarnacion, DH
- Kelly Johnson, 2B
- Brett Lawrie, 3B
- J.P. Arencibia, C
- Mike McCoy, CF
Pitching Matchup: Jon Lester (14-6, 3.05 ERA) vs. Luis Perez (3-2, 3.77 ERA)
If Jon Lester is expected to be the stopper for the Sox Tuesday, then the lineup will actually need to put up some runs for him much like they didn't for Alfredo Aceves and Josh Beckett. Lester's only real problems in his last outing against New York were pitch count--the Yankees worked some very long at bats--and support. With Aceves not available and both Bard and Papelbon throwing a good deal in Monday's loss, the Sox are in need of a clutch outing from Lester with plenty of innings. It's been three starts, however, since Lester last went seven innings, and Toronto has managed to keep his outings short a couple of times this year (not including the game he left with an injury).
If the Red Sox couldn't get to Henderson Alvarez on Monday, Luis Perez seems like an even worse opponent for them. He uses a slider instead of a changeup, which the Sox have trouble with, and throws lefty. Of course, Perez could just as easily be the victim of one of the offensive explosions the Sox will randomly break out one day after being shut down by a rookie. Inconsistency has to have its positive sides.