Lineup breakdown: Rays-Red Sox, Game 2
A look at Saturday's starting lineups for Game 2 of the American League Division Series between the Rays and the Red Sox:
RAYS
1. David DeJesus, LF - Traded twice within four days in August, DeJesus has performed well in 35 games with the Rays, posting a .741 OPS while playing almost exclusively against right-handers.
2. Wil Myers, RF - Manager Joe Maddon said he talked to Myers about his mental mistake in Game 1 and believes the Fenway Park crowd, which was chanting "My-ers, My-ers" during most of the game Friday, could be used to Myers' advantage.
3. James Loney, 1B -The Red Sox first baseman a year ago, Loney has rediscovered his stroke in Tampa Bay. He hit .299 with a .778 OPS on the season.
4. Evan Longoria, 3B - Longoria cames into the series hot, having hit three homers in his last six regular games. And he's hit Boston starter John Lackey to the tune of a .323 average and .995 OPS with two homers in 31 at-bats.
5. Ben Zobrist, 2B - Zobrist can work the count and find his way on base as good as anyone in the AL, and he's knocked Lackey around for a .407 average and .515 on-base percentage in 33 plate appearances.
6. Desmond Jennings, CF - Jennings was hitless in Game 1 and is just 1-for-11 off Lackey in his career.
7. Delmon Young, DH - He was second in Rookie of the Year voting during his first full season with the Rays in 2007, and now he's back for another go after stopping in Minnesota, Detroit and Philadelphia. Maddon said he believes the former No. 1 Draft pick is locked in.
8. Yunel Escobar, SS - Escobar didn't hit much in September, but he's 8-for-15 off Lackey in his career.
9. Jose Molina, C - Molina has been strong behind the plate this season, catching 29 percent of attempted base-stealers.
David Price, P - The lefty threw a complete game in the Rays' 5-2 win over the Indians in Game 163 this season, holding Cleveland to seven hits. He threw a complete-game five-hitter, allowing one run at Fenway Park on July 24.
RED SOX
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF - Prior to Game 1, Ellsbury had played in just three games since missing three weeks with a compression fracture in his right foot, but he hasn't shown any signs of rust. Ellsbury was 2-for-5 with a stolen base Friday.
2. Shane Victorino, RF - Victorino was one of the hottest hitters in baseball over his last 32 regular season games, when he hit .341 with a 1.015 OPS and eight home runs. He had three more hits in Game 1 while getting hit by a pitch and stealing a base.
3. Dustin Pedroia, 2B - Pedroia's power numbers were down slightly in 2013 as he's dealt with a thumb injury all season, but still raised his average from .290 to .301 while getting on base at a .372 clip.
4. David Ortiz, DH - Ortiz hit 30 homers for the first time in three years while driving in 103 runs primarily out of the cleanup start. Ortiz hasn't homered in 42 plate appearances against Price.
5. Mike Napoli, 1B - It's been all or nothing with Napoli against Price in his career. Napoli is 9-for-30 with two homers and 15 strikeouts. He benefited from the Red Sox early clinching of the American League East title by taking a week off to rest his sore foot.
6. Jonny Gomes, LF - A left-handed killer, Gomes had 10 doubles and eight homers in 161 at-bats against lefties this season, though he's just 4-for-20 off Moore.
7. Will Middlebrooks, 3B - The Red Sox need Middlebrooks to be a force against lefties. They moved him from No. 9 to No. 7 in this game, as Middlebrooks has hit Price well (5-for-13 with a homer).
8. Stephen Drew, SS - After a slow start, Drew rewarded the Red Sox with a monster second half in which he hit eight homers with an .837 OPS. Manager John Farrell opted to go with Drew, who is 0-for-10 against Price, over rookie Xander Bogaerts.
9. David Ross, C - Ross is getting the nod over Jarrod Saltalamacchia because of his history against Price. Ross is 2-for-5 with two homers off him while Saltalamacchia is 1-for-14.
John Lackey, P - Lackey completed a strong regular season just one year removed from Tommy John surgery. But the Rays have scored nine runs in 10 innings off him in 2013.