Pitching Matchups: Red Sox Face 3 Lefties & King Felix In Seattle
BOSTON (CBS) -- For all the criticism the Red Sox rotation has been getting this season, the lineup deserves a piece of the blame pie as well.
The Sox are batting just .230 overall, ranking 27th in baseball, and their average gets even worse when a lefty is on the mound. Against southpaws, the Red Sox are an hitting an atrocious .188, ranking dead last in all of baseball.
After taking two of three from the Athletics in Oakland, the Sox finish off their 10-game road trip with four games against the Mariners. Unfortunately for them, Seattle has set up their rotation so Boston will face three lefties. The one righty they'll face is Felix Hernandez, who would probably still have success against the Boston lineup if he became a southpaw for a day.
Here's a look at the pitching matchups for the upcoming four-game set in Seattle:
Thursday, May 14 -- 10:10pm
Joe Kelly (1-2, 6.35 ERA) vs. Roenis Elias (0-1, 3.86 ERA)
Kelly is looking to bounce back after allowing five or more runs in each of his last four starts. His control completely escaped him last time out in Toronto, issuing seven walks in just 5.2 innings. The Jays tagged him for six runs off just four hits thanks to all those free passes.
Elias doesn't have a win this season, and Seattle has lost each of his three starts, but he has been solid in each outing. Plus, the Red Sox are batting just .188 against lefties this season.
Key Matchup: Nelson Cruz vs. Kelly
Cruz leads everyone in the AL with a .346 average and 15 homers, and is 3-for-9 with a pair of RBI in his career against Kelly.
Friday, May 15 -- 10:10pm
Clay Buchholz (2-4, 5.73) vs. J.A. Happ (3-1, 3.29)
Buchholz picked up his first win since Opening Day his last time out, allowing three runs over 6.1 innings in Toronto. He is 2-1 in his career against Seattle, with all four of his starts coming at Safeco Field.
Happ pitched well his last time out, holding the Athletics to one run over five innings, but had his worst start of the season to begin May, allowing six runs in six innings to the Astros. The nine-year veteran is 3-3 in his career against the Red Sox, who are batting .188 against lefties this season.
Key Matchup: Robinson Cano vs. Buchholz
The former Yankee is 12-for-35 in his career against Buchholz with four doubles, a homer and three RBI.
Saturday, May 16 -- 9:10pm
Rick Porcello (3-2, 4.50) vs. Felix Hernandez (6-0, 1.85)
The Red Sox will face just one righty during this series, and he happens to be the king of pitchers these days.
Hernandez has won his last five starts, allowing just six earned runs in 36.2 innings while striking out 39. There isn't much else to say. Hernandez is King Felix for a reason. He's also 8-2 with a 3.06 ERA in his career against Boston.
The Red Sox will send Porcello to the hill against Hernandez, and he's had some success at Safeco, going 2-0 while allowing just two earned runs in 13.2 innings.
Key Matchup: David Ortiz vs. Hernandez
Ortiz has some pretty good numbers against Hernandez, going 13-for-36 with a pair of doubles, a home run and six RBI.
Sunday, May 17 -- 4:10pm
Steven Wright (1-0, 4.22) vs. James Paxton (1-2, 4.31)
Justin Masterson is on the disabled list, so knuckleballer Steven Wright will get his first big-league start of the season. He's had two long-relief appearances for Boston this season, allowing five runs over 10.2 innings pitched. He gave up three of those runs his last time out in Oakland, finishing Masterson's mess in a 9-2 Boston loss.
After an up-and-down April, Paxton has solid starts in each of his last three outings, allowing four earned runs in his last 20 innings pitched. He picked up his lone win on the season his last time out, pitching six shutout innings in a win over the San Diego Padres.
Key Matchup:
Niether team has faced off against the opposing starter in this one, but we should probably point out that the Red Sox are batting .188 against lefties this season.
