The Red Sox are out for a series win, and will have Jose Iglesias in the lineup just two days after a pitch to the elbow left Sox fans wondering whether they would be without the defensive whiz for the immediate future.
The bad news for Boston is that, one night after being shut down by J.A. Happ and the Toronto bullpen, they're going to have to deal with National League Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey. The knuckleballer was hittable in his first game this season, but it would be no great surprise to see the lineup struggle mightily against a pitcher of his quality.
Boston Red Sox (3-2)
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Shane Victorino, RF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Mike Napoli, DH
- Will Middlebrooks, 3B
- Daniel Nava, 1B
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
- Jackie Bradley Jr., LF
- Jose Iglesias, SS
Toronto Blue Jays (2-3)
- Jose Reyes, SS
- Rajai Davis, RF
- Melky Cabrera, LF
- Edwin Encarnacion, 1B
- J.P. Arencibia, DH
- Mark DeRosa, 3B
- Maicer Izturis, 2B
- Henry Blanco, C
- Emilio Bonifacio, CF
Starting Pitcher -- R.A. Dickey
John Farrell has mixed things up defensively for the first time this year, moving Daniel Nava to first base and Mike Napoli to DH, perhaps in hopes of getting a slumping Napoli some time out of the field. What's interesting is that Shane Victorino will stick in the two-hole, with Daniel Nava batting sixth, pushing Jarrod Saltalamacchia to seventh. This might be an attempt to get a more OBP-focused top-six after Friday's bonanza of stranded baserunners, or it might be to give Shane Victorino a more consistent role.
Meanwhile, it will be Jon Lester's second start of the season. He showed us some good stuff back on Opening Day, but was undone a bit by a difficult fourth inning. Hopefully he can put it all together tonight.