Ortiz In Lineup As Red Sox Open Up Series With Rays
BOSTON (CBS) - David Ortiz is in the Red Sox lineup Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays, meaning he is appealing his four-game suspension handed down by MLB on Thursday.
Ortiz will bat fifth and DH for the Red Sox as they kick off the second half of the season against their division rival.
Major League Baseball suspended Ortiz and Orioles reliever Kevin Gregg four games for their part in the bench clearing brawl Friday June 7 at Fenway.
Ortiz, and the other Sox lefties in the lineup, will have a tough time against Rays starter David Price on Friday. Price has held left-handed batters to a .162 average this season, allowing just five extra base hits in 105 at-bats.
Read: Beckett Confident He Will Start Sunday
Because of Price's success against lefties, JD Drew will be out with Darnell McDonald in right field. Yamaico Navarro will bat eighth and play left. The Sox will have Drew and Josh Reddick, both lefties, available off the bench.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia will be behind the plate to catch Andrew Miller.
Here is the full Red Sox lineup:
Jacoby Ellsbury, CS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Darnell McDonald, RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Yamaico Navarro, LF
Marco Scutaro, SS
