Andrus back at No. 2 spot against Red Sox

ARLINGTON -- Elvis Andrus was back in the No. 2 spot in the lineup Friday with Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz on the mound. Manager Ron Washington said his only other option for the spot was Leonys Martin but, with Shin-Soo Choo batting leadoff, Washington didn't want two left-handed batters at the top of the order.

Andrus hit in the No. 2 spot for the first 30 games before being dropped to No. 9 on Sunday against the Angels. He has batted in the bottom half of the lineup for the past five games. He was 5-for-17 with three walks in that stretch.

"He has been looking better, he's trying to stay inside the baseball and keep it up the middle or to right field," Washington said. "It was just a matter of time. Elvis is a good hitter, he's not a bad hitter."

Prior to being demoted, Andrus had just two hits in his last 27 at-bats.

"I feel a lot better," Andrus said. "I feel really good. I feel ready to be back in my spot and do what I've always done. I feel confident and ready to go. You have a lot of pride, so it's not a good feeling to drop down. But you understand as a professional it's best for the team. I'm glad to be back in that spot, and hopefully I can be there all year."