Red Sox Series Preview: At Orioles – Round 2

Apr 19, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez (13) is greeted at home by designated hitter David Ortiz (34) after his three-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Red Sox Key Players To Watch:

•  The suspension issue aside, David Ortiz has been struggling. In the last 10 games, Ortiz has 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. However, he has also been a fairly easy out, hitting .192 so far this season. Ortiz definitely still has the power (.702 slugging percentage), but if he cannot do better than hitting .118 in away games, he may continue to struggle. The big thing, whenever anyone speak of Ortiz, though, is that this is Big Papi. We’ve seen these struggles before. We’ve also seen him turn everything around to be one of the most dominant hitters in baseball.

• Center fielder Mookie Betts has been finding ways to contribute offensively and defensively, whether at the plate, on the bases, or in the field. The human highlight reel is second only to Hanley Ramirez for the team’s lead in RBIs (12 to 9). Don’t blink, or you might miss the next big moment in Betts history.

• Daniel Nava already had a bit of an advantage with being a lefty bat, but he should also appear often in the batting lineups because of Shane Victorino’s injury. If the pain persists, look for Nava to continue filling in the right field spot, especially in this series. While Rusney Castillo and Jackie Bradley Jr. continue to prove themselves in Triple-A Pawtucket, Allen Craig still suffering from whatever is ailing him at the plate, and Brock Holt helping out to give other players breaks in other positions, Nava will be the preferred choice in the series, if Victorino doesn’t play.