BOSTON -- Already without J.D. Martinez, who got a scheduled day off, the Red Sox lost some additional firepower just minutes before Sunday's first pitch, when right fielder Mookie Betts was scratched due to left side tightness.
Without their two biggest bats, Boston was no-hit for the first five innings by Mike Foltynewicz and wound up taking a 7-1 loss to the Braves.
The Red Sox play a Memorial Day matinee (1:05 p.m. ET) against the Blue Jays on Monday, and it's likely Betts -- who is day to day -- sits that one out as well.
"Just felt tightness in his side right before the game," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "Obviously we have to take care of him. As you know with something like this, he probably won't play tomorrow -- just to make sure everything is fine -- and we'll go from there."
Cora said the injury didn't occur in a recent game, but simply from the early work Betts did on Sunday.
"No, it was actually today from what he did inside right before the game when he was getting loose," Cora said. "He felt tight. Somebody came up and got me and I went to see him and was like, 'Hey, you're not playing today.' Let's see how it goes, let's see how he feels tomorrow and we go from there."
Betts has been Boston's best player this season, and arguably the best in the game, slashing .359/.437/.750 with 17 homers and 37 RBIs.
The Red Sox did a major reshuffling of the lineup after Betts was scratched. Andrew Benintendi moved to leadoff and played center instead of left. Jackie Bradley Jr. moved from center to right. Blake Swihart was inserted into the lineup due to the absence of Betts and batted seventh while playing left field.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia, in his second game back from the disabled list, batted cleanup.
The Red Sox will at least get Martinez back on Monday, and the right-handed hitter has been smashing the ball to all fields of late.
Cora felt it was best to rest the DH/OF due to an unusual schedule in which the Red Sox have four day games during a six-game homestand followed by a four-game series against the Astros that starts in Houston on Thursday.
"It's not an easy stretch," said Cora. "We've been through this, this is the third time already. You have to make sure you take care of them. As you know, it's a long season and they have to be fresh."