All eyes are on pitcher Joe Kelly.
Kelly is scheduled to make his Boston Red Sox debut Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Kelly, of course, was drafted by the Cardinals in 2009 and spent parts of three seasons with St. Louis before being shipped to Boston before last Thursday’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline.
Kelly, who was acquired from the Cardinals along with outfielder/first baseman Allen Craig in exchange for pitcher John Lackey and minor league hurler Corey Littrell, went 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA in seven starts with St. Louis this season before being dealt. The 26-year-old right-hander posted a 10-5 record and 2.69 ERA in 37 regular-season appearances (15 starts) in 2013, and he’ll begin his Red Sox tenure with a 17-14 record and 3.25 ERA in 68 career major league appearances (38 starts).
Which eight guys hold the prestigious honor of backing Kelly on Wednesday against Cardinals right-hander — and best man in Kelly’s wedding — Shelby Miller?
Well, David Ortiz will not be in the Red Sox’s starting lineup. Ortiz started at first base Tuesday with Boston and St. Louis squaring off in a National League ballpark, but Red Sox manager John Farrell will turn back to Mike Napoli for Wednesday’s middle game. Napoli will bat cleanup with Yoenis Cespedes batting third.
Jackie Bradley Jr. will sit for the second consecutive game. Mookie Betts will get the start in center field.
Christian Vazquez will be behind the dish for Kelly’s debut.
Wednesday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (49-63)
Brock Holt, 3B
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Mike Napoli, 1B
Daniel Nava, RF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Christian Vazquez, C
Mookie Betts, CF
Joe Kelly, RHP (0-0, — )
St. Louis Cardinals (60-51)
Matt Carpenter, 3B
Kolten Wong, 2B
Matt Holliday, LF
Matt Adams, 1B
Jhonny Peralta, SS
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Oscar Taveras, RF
Jon Jay, CF
Shelby Miller, RHP (8-8, 4.14 ERA)
