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Red Sox vs. Rays lineups: Will Middlebrooks returns

Will Middlebrooks is back in the lineup Monday night as the Red Sox start an important series against the Rays.

By Ben Buchanan
Jonathan Daniel

The Red Sox have Will Middlebrooks back in the lineup starting at third base as they head down to Tampa Bay to kick off an important series against the Rays.

Boston Red Sox (39-25)

  1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
  2. Shane Victorino, RF
  3. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
  4. David Ortiz, DH
  5. Daniel Nava, LF
  6. Mike Carp, 1B
  7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
  8. Will Middlebrooks, 3B
  9. Stephen Drew, SS

Starting Pitcher -- John Lackey

Tampa Bay Rays (34-28)

TBA

Starting Pitcher -- Alex Cobb

While John Farrell has backed Will Middlebrooks as Boston's starting baseman, the young infielder will likely have to give his manager reason to keep him there over the red hot Jose Iglesias. Much like when Kevin Youkilis took the job back from Middlebrooks himself last year, Middlebrooks is being given the chance to prove that he's not the player we saw in April, but the one we saw in 2012.

More: Will Middlebrooks won't lose his job to Jose Iglesias


Unfortunately for Will, he's going to be thrown right into the fire against Alex Cobb, AKA "Young Rays Pitching Phenom #247. The Rays are 0-2 against Boston so far this year with Cobb on the mound, but that's mostly because the Rays didn't give him any support against Clay Buchholz and Felix Doubront. The Sox at least managed to dodge David Price, but right now Cobb isn't looking much easier.

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