Boston Red Sox News

Although the Red Sox's bats have gone ice-cold in May -- particularly with runners in scoring position -- manager John Farrell doesn't think now is the time to make a significant lineup shuffle.

When Felix Doubront takes the mound for the Red Sox on Thursday night at Tropicana Field, it will be a lot more than just another start.

Left-hander Franklin Morales will make his fourth appearance of his Minor League rehab assignment on Saturday, when he again pitches for Triple-A Pawtucket.

Every lineup, every day, as they are made public by the clubs.

As it turns out, the day off that David Ortiz had on Sunday -- which preceded the team's day off on Monday -- wasn't exclusively just to get him a rest.

Mike Napoli wouldn't have been the first visiting infielder to blame a missed popup on the white roof of Tropicana Field, but after the reeling Red Sox suffered a 5-3 loss to the Rays on Tuesday night, Napoli placed the blame squarely on himself.

Aces Jon Lester and David Price will toe the rubber as the Red Sox and Rays meet up at Tropicana Field on Wednesday night.

With David Ross sidelined for the next few days following a concussion, Ryan Lavarnway made his first Major League start of 2013 on Tuesday against the Rays.

Closer Andrew Bailey will likely be activated at some point during the Red Sox's three-city, nine-game road trip that opened on Tuesday night.

The one thing the Red Sox have learned early in Shane Victorino's tenure with the team is that it takes a lot to keep him out of the lineup.

Every lineup, every day, as they are made public by the clubs.

When Mike Napoli singled in his final at-bat of Sunday's 12-4 loss to the Blue Jays, it marked the first time in four games that he didn't strike out at least once in a game.

The Rays are back over .500 for the first time since the first week of the season, and they'll have Matt Moore on the mound on Tuesday for a showdown against the third-place Red Sox.

Ryan Dempster, who hadn't allowed more than one home run in a game all season, served up three of them over five innings in his worst start in a Red Sox uniform in a 12-4 loss to the Blue Jays.

His mom "doesn't have an athletic bone in her body," Will Middlebrooks said, but he took some time on Mother's Day to remember the important role that she did play in his career.

Christie Cantara, a 41-year-old mother of three from southern Maine battling breast cancer, served as Boston's Honorary Bat Girl on Mother's Day.

David Ortiz was out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Blue Jays, but it has nothing to do with his performance at the plate -- he has one hit in his last 20 at-bats. Ortiz played all nine games over the last nine days.

Every lineup, every day, as they are made public by the clubs.

Andrew Bailey was scheduled to throw an intensified long-toss session on Sunday, taking the next step in his return from the 15-day disabled list.

Shane Victorino, who earlier this season missed a week and a half because of stiffness in his lower back, passed his tests at Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday and was cleared to play when the Red Sox open a road trip Tuesday at Tampa Bay.