After 2 months on the disabled list, Josh Beckett gets a chance to put his poor start behind him and help the Red Sox get back into the playoff race. This might be the most important game of the year so far. Not from a win/lose point of view (though they need the win), but this team is only going to make the playoffs if they get healthy. That starts tonight with Beckett, and hopefully will be continuing with the comebacks of Ellsbury, Pedroia, V-Mart, ect.
I like this matchup for Beckett. The Mariners can't hit the ball and they have the overachieving Jason Vargas on the mound. Sure Vargas has an ERA under 3, but he still sucks. I don't know how he is doing this well, but it won't last. The only thing that makes me nervous about tonight is the fact he is a lefty.
I think Beckett (4-1 with a 3.15 ERA in five starts against Seattle) will good tonight, but he might have a couple mistakes like Buchholz had the other day. Boston needs Beckett to be Beckett from the first half of last year. If he is then the Sox are stacked in their rotation. Lester and Dice-K have been lights out of late. Buchholz didn't have a great first start back, but he should be back to how he was pitching before his DL stint soon. Lackey just pitched a gem, and if you add Beckett to that mix it really makes this one of (if not the) best rotations in the league.
Along with his play hopefully the comeback of Beckett will breathe some life into the Sox. I think it will, and the Sox win tonight (and actually sweep the Mariners).
Red Sox win 6-3
Player of the Game: Youk
Game starts at 10:10pm on NESN.
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