ESPN

DETROIT -- Well, that didn’t take long.

Two games into the season, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is shaking up the Red Sox lineup, which has produced two runs so far, none in a 10-0 defeat by the Tigers on Saturday.

For the first time in nearly a year, Jacoby Ellsbury will start in a spot other than leadoff in the Sox batting order. Ellsbury, who batted ninth in a game last April 21, will bat second against Tigers right-hander Matt Scherzer on Sunday afternoon, with Dustin Pedroia dropping down to the 3-hole, Adrian Gonzalez hitting cleanup and David Ortiz fifth.

Nick Punto, Darnell McDonald and Kelly Shoppach all are making their first starts of the season.

“Getting some guys their first starts of the year and I think we’ll be able to score some runs with it,’’ Valentine said. “Hope so.’’

The Sox's new leadoff man? No, not the typical suspects, like Pedroia or Mike Aviles. It will be Punto, who in 44 previous games as a leadoff man (40 starts) is batting .169, by far his worst average at any spot in the batting order.

Last season, Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa started Punto eight times at leadoff. He responded with three hits in his first two games, but went 1-for-22 in his last six starts at the top spot.

Valentine said he gives those numbers no weight.

“None,’’ he said. “I think he’s going to hit .260 in the leadoff spot, so he’s got a lot of hits coming. I don’t think it has anything to do with it.
Personally, I don’t think it has anything to do with it.’’

So what does Valentine like about Punto hitting leadoff?

“Just want to see what it looks like,’’ he said. “See if it gives us a little spark. He’s a sparky kind of player, battles everyone.’’

Meanwhile, Ellsbury has not batted in the 2-hole since June 14, 2009, when he hit behind Julio Lugo in an interleague game in Philadelphia against the Phillies. Ellsbury has batted second eight times in his big-league career, with six starts, and is batting .304 (7-for-23) in those games.

Perhaps an even bigger surprise is this: McDonald is getting a start against a right-hander, replacing Cody Ross in left field, and batting sixth. Last season McDonald batted just .189 (10-for-53) against right-handers with more strikeouts (13) than hits (10), and Terry Francona started him just three times against righties.

Valentine said during spring training he planned to employ a variety of lineups, and indeed looked at Ellsbury in the 2-hole in exhibition play. And McDonald was the team’s hottest hitter in spring training, batting .447 with a 1.327 OPS, playing against lefties and righties.

“Most of his at-bats in spring were against right-handers,’’ Valentine said. “I figured if he’s ever ready to start against a right-hander, it’s now.’’
He also has said he likes to get his bench players participating early. Shoppach, who got his first hit as a Red Sox (0-for-15 his first go-round) as a pinch hitter Saturday afternoon, will start behind the plate in place of Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Kevin Youkilis, hitless in his first eight at-bats while striking out in four consecutive plate appearances over the first two games, is sitting in place of Punto.

“I haven’t had good at-bats, a couple, one I disagreed on a call, that’s just how it works,’’ Youkilis said on Saturday. “One hundred sixty-two games, you’re going to have two bad games. Hopefully these are the two bad ones, things start clicking well, and I start helping this team win.’’

Unlike Francona, who made a practice of telling players the night before whether they were starting the next day, players did not know until they arrived at the ballpark Sunday.

Here’s the lineup:

Nick Punto, 3B

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

Dustin Pedroia, 2B

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

David Ortiz, DH

Darnell McDonald, LF

Ryan Sweeney, RF

Mike Aviles, SS

Kelly Shoppach, C

Clay Buchholz -- RHP

The Red Sox continue to test their young players as John Lackey looks to end his four-game losing streak tonight against the Orioles at Fenway. Here's the lineup:

1. Ryan Kalish, CF
2. J.D. Drew, LF
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Mike Lowell, 1B
7. Bill Hall, 2B
8. Josh Reddick, LF
9. Yamaico Navarro, SS
John Lackey -- RHP

1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. J.D. Drew, RF
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Ryan Kalish, CF
7. Josh Reddick, LF
8. Bill Hall, 2B
9. Lars Anderson, 1B
RHP -- Tim Wakefield

Here's the Red Sox lineup for tonight's game against the Orioles:


1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. J.D. Drew, RF
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Jed Lowrie, 2B
7. Mike Lowell, 1B
8. Daniel Nava, LF
9. Ryan Kalish, CF
LHP -- Jon Lester

Here's the lineup for tonight's game against Baltimore:

1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Darnell McDonald, CF
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Mike Lowell, 1B
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Jed Lowrie, 2B
9. Bill Hall, LF
RHP -- Josh Beckett

Here's tonight's Red Sox lineup for the first of their three-game series against the Rays:

1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Darnell McDonald, CF
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. Adrian Beltre, 3B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. Mike Lowell, 1B
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Jed Lowrie, 2B
9. Bill Hall, LF
LHP -- Jon Lester

Jed Lowrie will be at second base, Kevin Cash at catcher and Victor Martinez at first for the nightcap of the Red Sox-Mariners doubleheader. Here's the lineup:

1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. J.D. Drew, RF
3. Victor Martinez, 1B
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Daniel Nava, LF
7. Jed Lowrie, 2B
8. Ryan Kalish, CF
9. Kevin Cash, C
LHP -- Jon Lester

Tonight marks the long-awaited return of All-Star second-baseman Dustin Pedroia, who'll bat second. Here's the lineup:

1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Victor Martinez, C
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Mike Lowell, 1B
8. Ryan Kalish, CF
9. Darnell McDonald, LF
RHP -- Clay Buchholz

Jacoby Ellsbury returns to the top of the Red Sox batting order tonight against the Texas Rangers. Here's the lineup:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Marco Scutaro, SS
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Mike Lowell, 1B
8. Ryan Kalish, LF
9. Jed Lowrie, 2B
Josh Beckett, RHP

Jed Lowrie's off tonight but will play in tomorrow's day game, according to Red Sox manager Terry Francona.

Here's tonight's lineup:

1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. J.D. Drew, RF
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Mike Lowell, 1B
7. Ryan Kalish, LF
8. Bill Hall, 2B
9. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Clay Buchholz - RHP

Marco Scutaro will be leading off again tonight against the Blue Jays and Jacoby Ellsbury is down in the ninth spot. Here's the lineup:

1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. J.D. Drew, RF
3. Victor Martinez, C
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Mike Lowell, 1B
7. Bill Hall, LF
8. Jed Lowrie, 2B
9. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
RHP - Daisuke Matsuzaka

Jacoby Ellsbury is back in the Red Sox lineup after getting the day off Saturday, and Alex Rodriguez has returned to New York's starting lineup after being hit by a line drive in batting practice and missing Saturday's game. In a surprise development, Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett has been scratched in favor of Dustin Moseley.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Burnett felt stiffness and spasms in his back while throwing off flat ground on Saturday, so the Yankees decided to delay his next start until Tuesday at Texas. Phil Hughes will start in Monday afternoon's series finale vs. the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

Here's Boston's lineup:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Marco Scutaro SS
3. David Ortiz DH
4. Victor Martinez 1B
5. J.D. Drew RF
6. Adrian Beltre 3B
7. Ryan Kalish LF
8. Bill Hall 2B
9. Kevin Cash C
Josh Beckett, RHP

The New York Yankees lineup:

1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Nick Swisher, RF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Robinson Cano, 2B
6. Jorge Posada, C
7 Lance Berkman, DH
8. Curtis Granderson, CF
9. Brett Gardner, LF
Dustin Moseley, RHP

Here's the Boston lineup:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Marco Scutaro, SS
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Victor Martinez, 1B
5. J.D. Drew, RF
6. Adrian Beltre, 3B
7. Mike Lowell, 1B
8. Ryan Kalish, LF
9 Bill Hall, 2B
RHP -- Daisuke Matsuzaka

Jacoby Ellsbury makes his long-awaited return to the Red Sox lineup tonight against the Indians, while Mike Lowell sits after making a comeback splash on Tuesday night.

Here's the Boston lineup:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Marco Scutaro, SS
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Victor Martinez, 1B
5. J.D. Drew, RF
6. Adrian Beltre, 3B
7. Ryan Kalish, LF
8. Jed Lowrie, 2B
9 Kevin Cash, C
LHP -- Jon Lester

Kevin Youkilis, who jammed his right thumb in last night's game, is out of tonight's lineup against the Indians. Victor Martinez will move over to play first base and Kevin Cash will catch.

Here's the Boston lineup:

1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Darnell McDonald, CF
3. Victor Martinez, 1B
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Jed Lowrie, 2B
7. Bill Hall, LF
8. Ryan Kalish, RF
9. Kevin Cash, C
RHP -- Josh Beckett