Red Sox vs. Tigers lineups: Reunions everywhere

The Red Sox will take on the Tigers Friday night in a game between two teams that have exchanged a fair few players in recent years.

Rick Porcello will face off against his old team looking nothing like the pitcher that left Detroit. He at least kept the earned run count down in his last outing, but given the two homers he allowed, the greater underlying issues clearly remain.

He'll at least not have to deal with the challenge that is having Hanley Ramirez behind him in left field. With David Ortiz sitting out, Ramirez will move to DH, thus sparing us all the tragedy that is watching him on defense. Unfortunately Porcello will also be without Dustin Pedroia behind him, as the second baseman's hamstring has flared up again.

Meanwhile on the other side of things, the Tigers will have old friends Yoenis Cespedes and Jose Iglesias in the lineup behind Justin Verlander. As far as Porcello has fallen, Verlander has fallen further, if only because of his higher starting point.

First pitch is at 7;10 p.m. ET with broadcasts on NESN and WEEI.