After two days off, Ellsbury returns to lineup

SEATTLE -- The best offense in baseball got a little better on Wednesday, as Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the Red Sox's lineup.

Ellsbury had missed a pair of games with a left wrist injury and will bolster an offense that already paces the Majors in hits, doubles, on-base percentage and runs scored.

Despite the time off, Ellsbury's 17-game hit streak is still the longest active one in the Majors. During that stretch, the 29-year old is batting .389 with eight RBIs and 13 runs scored.

"He felt better yesterday. He hit early, but [we] felt like an additional day down was needed," manager John Farrell said. "And he doesn't want to sit out. He wanted to be in the lineup last night. That was a personal one-on-one. He spoke his mind, but [we] felt like one additional day was going to help him get through this and he's back out there tonight."

Ellsbury has also been a difference maker on the basepaths, leading the Majors with 36 stolen bases in just 39 attempts.