NESN

Jon Lester, Tommy Hanson Set for Showdown Between Two of Baseball’s Best Young Arms

If it were a regular-season matchup, there would be a star next to the game between the Red Sox and Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.

The contest features two of the best young pitchers in their respective leagues, with Boston lefty Jon Lester opposing Braves right-hander Tommy Hanson, both of whom are enjoying very solid springs.

Lester, 27, has yet to allow a run in six Grapefruit League innings. The 19-game winner has struck out six and walked one in that span.

Hanson, meanwhile, has yielded just one run in nine frames thus far. The 24-year-old is 21-15 with a 3.16 ERA through two seasons with Atlanta.

The game marks the second of two straight in the northern part of the Grapefruit League map for the Red Sox. Behind five scoreless innings from Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Sox edged Detroit 2-1 on Tuesday in Lakeland.

When and Where

Red Sox vs. Braves
1:05 p.m.
Champion Stadium, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Pitching matchup

LHP Jon Lester (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Tommy Hanson (2-0, 1.00)

Lester faced the Braves just once in his career during the regular season. He got the win in that start after allowing one run in six innings.

Hanson was even better in his only meeting in the series. Pitching against Boston at Turner Field on June 28, 2009, he let up only two singles in six innings of a 2-0 win, outdueling Red Sox starter Brad Penny.

Lineups

Did you know?

The Boston Braves Historical Society has existed since 1992 to "keep alive the memory of the Boston Braves." The franchise played in Boston from 1876-1952, carrying with it the nicknames of the Red Caps, Beaneaters, Doves, Rustlers, Braves, Bees and then Braves again.