After wrapping up a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies in which he collected four extra-base hits and drove in eight runs, David Ortiz will take a seat Friday night as the Boston Red Sox begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
With Ortiz getting the night off, Hanley Ramirez will start as the Red Sox’s designated hitter — a role he’s excelled in throughout his career and has been especially productive in this season. Ramirez is 9-for-18 with five extra-base hits and six RBIs as a DH in 2016.
Other changes to Boston’s lineup include Travis Shaw shifting from third base to first and Marco Hernandez appearing in the starting nine for just the second time in his major league career. Hernandez will start at third base and bat seventh against Blue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez.
Opposing Sanchez will be Red Sox righty Joe Kelly, who flirted with a no-hitter last Saturday in his return from a shoulder injury. Kelly allowed one hit and walked three over 6 2/3Â shutout innings in a win over the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park.
Toronto will be without right fielder Jose Bautista, who is serving the one-game suspension he earned for his role in the Blue Jays-Texas Rangers melee earlier this month.
Here are the starting lineups for both teams:
RED SOX (29-18)
Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Travis Shaw, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Marco Hernandez, 3B
Christian Vazquez, C
Blake Swihart, LF
Joe Kelly, RHP (2-0, 5.28)
BLUE JAYSÂ (24-25)
Eziquiel Carrera, RF
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Michael Saunders, LF
Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Justin Smoak, 1B
Russell Martin, C
Devon Travis, 2B
Kevin Pillar, CF
Aaron Sanchez, RHP (4-1, 3.20 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Peter G. Aiken/USA TODAY Sports Images
