Game 107: Carp Gets Start at First; Lester Rolling With the Uncertainty

The Red Sox, coming off their worst loss of the season and now a season-high 11 games back in the division, get back at it against the Blue Jays tonight with the trading deadline now two days away.

Mike Carp, who would like to get a ticket out of town by Thursday, gets to show his skills with a start at first base tonight, batting fifth against Jays righthander Marcus Stroman. Carp went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, pinch-hitting and subbing in at first for Mike Napoli Monday night.

Meanwhile, the Jon Lester Watch continues. Multiple teams are reportedly interested in the Red Sox lefthander, who remains on schedule to start Wednesday night’s game against the Jays at the moment. Lester acknowledged the ongoing chatter about his future on Twitter today:

Thanks for the love y’all! Grateful for everyday I get to wake up a Red Sox! This game can be uncertain at times, just gotta roll with it!

— Jon Lester (@JLester31) July 29, 2014

Red Sox manager John Farrell said today that Brandon Workman is lined up to start on Wednesday in the event that Lester is traded by this time tomorrow.

While we wait on Lester’s fate, the games will go on. Here are the lineups:

RED SOX (48-58)
1. Brock Holt (L) RF
2. Daniel Nava (S) LF
3. Dustin Pedroia (R) 2B
4. David Ortiz (L) DH
5. Mike Carp (L) 1B
6. Stephen Drew (L) SS
7. Xander Bogaerts (R) 3B
8. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF
9. Christian Vazquez (R) C
SP Rubby De La Rosa (R) (3-3, 3.54 ERA)

BLUE JAYS (57-50)
1. Jose Reyes (S) SS
2. Melky Cabrera (S) LF
3. Jose Bautista (R) RF
4. Dioner Navarro (S) C
5. Juan Francisco (L) 1B
6. Colby Rasmus (L) DH
7. Munenori Kawasaki (L) 3B
8. Ryan Goins (L) 2B
9. Anthony Gose (L) CF
SP Marcus Stroman (R) (6-2, 3.21 ERA)

Game time: 7:10 p.m.

Location: Fenway Park, Boston

TV/Radio: NESN / WEEI (93.7 FM) / WCEC (1490 AM Spanish)

Notes: Rubby De La Rosa has been solid at Fenway this season, going 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in four starts at home. But De La Rosa didn’t fare so well when he squared off against Stroman in Toronto last Thursday when he gave up a career-high seven runs and nine hits in four-plus innings at Rogers Centre… Stroman — who gave up just one hit to the Red Sox last Thursday — is in the midst of a 14-inning scoreless streak… David Ortiz, who has belted five homers in the last eight games, leads the major leagues with 25 RBIs since July 1. On the other end of the spectrum, rookie Brock Holt — who fanned three times against Stroman last week — has cooled off at the plate, going 1-for-23 in the last six games. …In case you were wondering, the Red Sox are 8.5 games out of the second wildcard spot.