Allen Craig Starts For Red Sox In Place Of Injured Hanley Ramirez Vs. Rays

The Boston Red Sox begin life without Hanley Ramirez on Tuesday night.

It’s unclear how long the Sox will be without their left fielder — manager John Farrell said Ramirez is day to day with the shoulder injury — and Allen Craig will be in the lineup in left Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Ramirez left Monday’s game in the first inning with a shoulder strain after crashing into the wall chasing after a fly ball.

Craig is making just his seventh start of the season. He’s hitting .146 with one home run and three RBIs, and that round-tripper is his only extra-base hit of the season.

The Red Sox will hand the ball to Rick Porcello with hopes of ending the team’s four-game losing streak. Porcello was real good his last time out, holding the Toronto Blue Jays to one run on two hits over seven innings on April 29. The right-hander owns a 3-3 lifetime record versus Tampa Bay.

Porcello’s former Detroit Tigers teammate, Drew Smyly, starts on the mound for Tampa Bay. Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is 4-for-9 with a home run in his career against Smyly.

Here are the lineups for both clubs.

RED SOX (12-14)
Mookie Betts, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Allen Craig, LF
Brock Holt, RF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Blake Swihart, C

Rick Porcello, RHP (2-2, 5.34 ERA)

RAYS (14-12)
Kevin Kiermaier, CF
Steven Souza Jr., RF
James Loney, 1B
Evan Longoria, 3B
David DeJesus, LF
Logan Forsythe, 2B
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Joey Butler, DH
Bobby Wilson, C

Drew Smyly, LHP (0-0, 3.38 ERA)

Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images