Red Sox vs. A’s lineups: Sweep dreams in the afternoon

The Red Sox can finish off the A’s this afternoon at Fenway Park (1:35 p.m., NESN) behind Rich Hill, a veteran of both teams, not to mention World War II.

Kidding! But Hill, in his third tour with the Sox, pitched for the A’s six years ago at the spritely age of 36. Today, at age 42, he looks to sweep his former team out of Boston as the Sox look for their fourth straight win.

Paul Blackburn starts for Oakland in the midst of a career year, buoyed by a scant 0.41 HR/9 and 2.31 ERA. He’s an anti-Three True Outcomes pitcher—he doesn’t strike many people out, walk many people, or give up too many dongs. He pitched eight shutout innings against the Guardians last time out, so he’s firing on all cylinders. The runs might not come as easy today as they have since Tuesday.

Nothing much to report with the lineups. Christian Arroyo is still on the COVID IL so Jarren Duran leads off again. Christian Vázquez is back at catcher. Let’s rock.