Red Sox vs. Phillies lineups: David Ortiz sits out as Sox hit National League

David Ortiz will sit out Wednesday night as the Red Sox get their first taste of National League play in 2013.

Boston Red Sox (32-21)

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Daniel Nava, RF
3. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
4. Mike Napoli, 1B
5. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
6. Mike Carp, LF
7. Stephen Drew, SS
8. Jose Iglesias, 3B
9. John Lackey, P

Philadelphia Phillies (25-27)

1. Ben Revere, CF
2. Kevin Frandsen, 2B
3. Jimmy Rollins, SS
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. Delmon Young, RF
6. Domonic Brown, LF
7. Erik Kratz, C
8. Freddy Galvis, 3B
9. Kyle Kendrick, P

The Red Sox certainly take as big a hit as any team without the benefit of the designated hitter. But playing without David Ortiz is something they've done before, and done well for that matter. Still, looking at this lineup without him does not inspire confidence. Even with the improvements shown by Jarrod Saltalamacchia and the weird magic of Mike Carp, them batting fifth and sixth is hardly encouraging.

The hope, then, is to push just enough across against Kyle Kendrick, who is off to a very good start, to get John Lackey by. If he's still got it going like he did against the Indians, that's certainly not out of the question. It's a bizarre world we live in where the Sox can hope for John Lackey to actually win them games, but we might well be at that point by now.

Read more Red Sox:

• Is John Lackey really back?
• Two Red Sox prospects in Keith Law’s updated top 25
• Where’s Dustin Pedroia’s power? Ask the pitchers
• Jacoby Ellsbury’s pull problem
• Terry Francona, a roaring memory