Hanley Ramirez is out of the Boston Red Sox’s starting lineup for the second consecutive day.
Ramirez exited Wednesday’s game at Fenway Park with a left hand contusion after being struck by a batted ball while running the bases. Ramirez missed Thursday’s series finale against the Baltimore Orioles and will not start in Friday’s series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. He’s considered day to day.
Alejandro De Aza will start in left field and Jackie Bradley Jr. will start in right field in Ramirez’s absence. De Aza snapped a 70-at-bat homerless drought in Thursday’s loss. Bradley produced two hits and made an excellent defensive play in his first game after being recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.
Red Sox starter Rick Porcello, meanwhile, will look to do something Friday he hasn’t done since May 16: win a game. Porcello has lost his last six starts and has allowed at least five runs in four of them.
It’s been a disappointing stretch for Porcello, who signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract extension with Boston earlier this season before throwing a single pitch in a Red Sox uniform. The club certainly is hoping for better results, especially with this being an important series in St. Petersburg.
Brock Holt again will start at second base in Dustin Pedroia’s absence. Pedroia was placed on the 15-day disabled list before Thursday’s game with a right hamstring strain. Holt will bat second behind Mookie Betts. Xander Bogaerts will bat third.
The complete lineups for Friday night’s Red Sox-Rays matchup are below.
RED SOX (32-42)
Mookie Betts, CF
Brock Holt, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Mike Napoli, 1B
Alejandro De Aza, LF
Blake Swihart, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., RF
Rick Porcello, RHP (4-8, 5.61 ERA)
RAYS (41-33)
Kevin Kiermaier, CF
Joey Butler, DH
Evan Longoria, 3B
David DeJesus, LF
Logan Forsythe, 2B
Steven Souza Jr., RF
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Marc Krauss, 1B
Curt Casali, C
Alex Colome, RHP (3-3, 4.50 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
