Boston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( May 27, 2012 ) Tampa Bay 4, Boston 3

Neither the Tampa Bay Rays nor the Boston Red Sox are where they thought they would be coming out of the All-Star break. If the season were to end today, neither team would make the playoffs. The perennial powers have been plagued by problems with pitching (Boston) and defense (Tampa Bay), as well as several debilitating injuries. The Red Sox plan on having Will Middlebrooks, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz back this weekend.

Ellsbury, who finished second in the AL MVP vote last season but has been out since April 13 with a shoulder injury, could be the difference for Boston. Former Ray Carl Crawford is also expected back sometime soon. Tampa Bay, which sits in third place in the East, has less promising news on the injury front, as Evan Longoria is not expected back until August. The Gold Glove winner has been missed at the hot corner, where the Rays have committed 22 of their league-high 71 errors.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), SUN (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Franklin Morales (1-2, 3.50 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (4-5, 3.41 ERA)

Morales had three straight strong starts when he was moved into the rotation on June 17, posting a 2.00 ERA while striking out 24 batters in 18 innings. The converted reliever had his first big misstep last Saturday, when the New York Yankees tagged him for six runs on six hits - four homers - over 3 1/3 innings. Morales has made 12 relief appearances against Tampa Bay, posting a 1.64 ERA in 11 total innings.

Hellickson has not won since May 16 and is 0-3 over his last three turns. The 25-year-old got little support in his last start, suffering a loss despite yielding only two runs in six innings at Detroit. Hellickson has made three starts against Boston already this season, going 1-1 with a 4.38 ERA. Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is 6-for-17 (.353) with a home run off the right-hander.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox lead the season series, 5-4, and are outscoring the Rays 47-30.

2. Tampa Bay is 5-5 in its last 10 games. The Rays failed to score more than three runs in any of the five losses.

3. Buchholz, who has been on the DL since June 20 after being hospitalized with esophagitis, is scheduled to rejoin the rotation on Saturday.