David Ortiz Sits As Red Sox Wrap Up Road Trip Vs. Rays
BOSTON (CBS) -- One night after becoming the oldest player to hit 30 homers in a season, David Ortiz will get the day off.
Ortiz will get a rest as the Red Sox wrap up their 11-game road trip Thursday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg.
The 40-year-old DH went 2-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs in Wednesday night's 11-inning loss to the Rays, giving him 100 RBIs for the season. It's Ortiz's 10th 100-RBI season with the Red Sox, passing Ted Williams for the most in franchise history.
But Hanley Ramirez will be Boston's DH on Thursday as the Red Sox look to close out their trip on a winning note against Rays rightly Jake Odorizzi. And it should be no surprise that rookie outfielder Andrew Benintendi is also out of the lineup after suffering an ugly knee and ankle injury on Wednesday night. Boston hopes to have an MRI on done on Benintendi's sprained left knee before Thursday's game.
As for those in the Boston lineup on Thursday, a few Red Sox have had a lot of success against Odorizzi. Xander Bogaerts is 7-for-18 (a .389 average) with three doubles, a triple and three RBIs, while Mookie Betts is 5-for-15 with a double and a RBI.
Here is the full Boston lineup for Thursday's series finale in St. Pete:
1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
2. Xander Bogaerts, SS
3. Mookie Betts, RF
4. Hanley Ramirez, DH
5. Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
6. Chris Young, LF
7. Aaron Hill, 3B
8. Travis Shaw, 1B
9. Bryan Holaday, C
-- Drew Pomeranz, SP
Pomeranz has pitched well in his last four starts after a shaky start to his Red Sox career, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .224 average.