clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Sunday Red Sox Lineup: Adrian Gonzalez Returns

Better than Brent? You'd better believe it. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Better than Brent? You'd better believe it. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Hey, look, the Red Sox actually have a decent looking lineup again!


Lineup

BOSTON RED SOX TAMPA BAY RAYS
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF Will Rhymes, 2B
Daniel Nava, LF Carlos Pena, 1B
David Ortiz, DH Ben Zobrist, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B B.J. Upton, CF
Cody Ross, RF Hideki Matsui, DH
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C Jeff Keppinger, 3B
Will Middlebrooks, 3B Desmond Jennings, LF
Mike Aviles, SS Jose Lobaton, C
Pedro Ciriaco, 2B Elliot Johnson, SS

Oh, sure, it's not what it could be. Daniel Nava is slumping, Pedro Ciriaco is still a question mark at best for all the good he's done, and Dustin Pedroia is still out on the disabled list leaving both the aforementioned Ciriaco and Mike Aviles in the lineup together.

But for once this seems more major league than minor, and as we've learned all-too-well, that's not something to be taken lightly these days.

The real question will be whether it makes any difference. As tends to be the case when facing the Rays, the Red Sox will come up against a strong starting pitcher in James Shields. While it would be nice to have this lineup announce itself in style with a big night, those are few and far between against Shields and his ilk.