Jacoby Ellsbury is struggling, but Red Sox manager John Farrell isn’t ready to shuffle his lineup card and remove the center fielder from his customary leadoff spot.
Ellsbury is atop the Boston batting order once again Tuesday night for the second of a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox. The leadoff hitter is batting just .133 (8-for-60) in his last 14 games, posting an on-base percentage of just .224 in that stretch as well. Ellsbury’s power numbers are also essentially nonexistent this season as well as he has just one home run and is slugging .335 entering play on Tuesday.
Ellsbury and the Red Sox will face left-hander Jose Quintana in the middle game of the series. He has one career start against the Red Sox where he pitched eight scoreless innings allowing just five hits against Boston.
Here are the lineups for Game 2 of the series.
Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Jonny Gomes, LF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Daniel Nava, RF
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Stephen Drew, SS
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Felix Doubront, P
White Sox
Alejando De Aza, CF
Alexei Ramirez, SS
Alex Rios, RF
Paul Konerko, 1B
Adam Dunn, DH
Dayan Viciedo, LF
Jeff Keppinger, 3B
Tyler Flowers, C
Tyler Greene, 2B
Jose Quintana, P
