Tigers at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox just completed a 5-5 road trip and watched their offense disappear when a chance to take over first place in the American League East was on the line at the New York Yankees. The Red Sox will try to find their bats when they return home to host the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.
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Boston managed one run in the final 22 innings during the three-game series in New York, following up an 8-0 loss on Wednesday with a 9-1 setback on Thursday to drop three games behind in the division. The Red Sox went a combined 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base in the two losses while Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez combined to go 2-for-15. Detroit pounded its way to wins in five of six before falling 11-4 to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday to wrap up a 4-2 homestand and drop back to one game below .500 (29-30). The Tigers will try to take advantage of Boston's sudden offensive drought behind right-hander Jordan Zimmermann while the Red Sox counter with lefty Brian Johnson.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Detroit, NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (5-4, 5.98 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Brian Johnson (2-0, 2.57)
Zimmermann bounced back from one of his worst starts of the season with one of his best, holding the Chicago White Sox to one run in six innings to earn a win on Saturday. The Wisconsin native was lit up for seven runs in five frames by that same White Sox squad in his previous turn. Zimmermann, who allowed four or more earned runs in seven of his 11 starts, held Boston to one run on four hits in six innings to earn a win on April 8.
Johnson is recovered from a hamstring injury that hampered him in the minors and returns to take over the rotation spot vacated by lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (knee). Johnson is making his third major-league start of the season and first since tossing a five-hit, no-walk shutout against the Seattle Mariners on May 27. The 26-year-old was 2-0 with a 2.72 ERA in eight Triple-A starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia (wrist) is expected to be activated from the 10-day disabled list on Friday.
2. Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera did not record an extra-base hit in any of his last four games.
3. Boston CF Jackie Bradley Jr. and 3B Pablo Sandoval were a combined 0-for-10 with five strikeouts in the last two games.