Tampa Bay @ Boston preview
Fenway Park
Last Meeting ( May 26, 2010 ) Boston 11, Tampa Bay 3
The Boston Red Sox are fighting to overcome a slew of injuries and stay in the AL East race. The Tampa Bay Rays are fighting with themselves.
The two teams begin a three-game series at Fenway Park Tuesday night with second place in the division on the line. The Red Sox lead the Rays by one game.
It may be easier to list who is healthy for Boston rather than who is injured. After all, Boston sent three of its best players to the bench with assorted injuries over the weekend.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia is lost for at least six weeks with a broken foot.
Catcher Victor Martinez fractured his left thumb on Sunday, a day after starting pitcher Clay Buchholz suffered a minor lower hamstring tear. Buchholz will miss at least nine days and Martinez's ailment has become an issue of pain tolerance. He'll certainly miss some time.
They join a long list of players for Boston including pitcher Josh Beckett and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury who are still working toward their comebacks. Veteran infielder Mike Lowell and outfielder Jeremy Hermida could return soon.
The Rays had a frustrating weekend of their own. Tampa Bay lost two of three games against the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks to close its interleague slate. The Rays were no-hit on Friday night by Edwin Jackson and had just seven hits in the series.
Sunday's game featured a heated shouting match between two of Tampa Bay's best players, B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria, who had to be separated by teammates.
Upton pointed a finger in Longoria's face after the third baseman questioned the center fielder's effort in the fifth inning. Longoria was both mad at how Upton had positioned himself and then it was easily apparent to see that he didn't run hard after a triple by Rusty Ryal.
Ryal later scored on a home run by Gerardo Parra and Arizona edged out a 2-1 victory.
Longoria said that the whole team saw Upton's lack of effort but the issue was closed. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said he planned to discuss it with Upton and had not decided on any punishment.
Upton was also picked off first base later in the inning and nearly won the game in the ninth inning with a long drive that was tracked down at the center field wall.
The two teams have met seven times this season and oddly enough both teams have swept a series on the road. Tampa Bay won four games at Boston earlier in the season.
Boston will send John Lackey (8-3, 4.69 ERA) to the mound against Tampa Bay's James Shields (6-7, 4.55 ERA) on Tuesday.
The right-handers are venturing down different roads as Lackey has won his last six home outings while Shields has dropped his last six starts. In addition, Shields is 1-6 with an inflated 7.53 ERA in seven outings at Boston.
Lackey permitted five runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, but it was an ailing bullpen that aided in the Red Sox dropping an 8-6 decision.