Red Sox at Rangers lineup: Xander out, lefty-hunting platoon in

The Red Sox (47-35) look to continue their international rampage fresh off pounding the Blue Jays up north when they take on the middling Rangers (40-42) tonight in the Republic of Texas (8 p.m, NESN, ESPN). Arlington’s launching pad of a stadium could be bad news for reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello (5.06 ERA), who has regularly been pounded into near-submission under much more favorable circumstances thus year. He’ll be faced by lefty Martin Perez (4.70 ERA), who will pitch with a special protective glove on his right hand after suffering a thumb injury — the protection was, no joke, fashioned from the top of a plastic water bottle.

Xander Bogaerts is out of the starting lineup for the second straight game with a groin injury. Tzu-Wei Lin takes his place. The righty platoon bats are in (Sam Travis, Chris Young) the lefty platoon bats (Mitch Moreland, Andrew Benintendi) are out. Here are the full lineups: