Editor's note: The temperature gauge is a Bill James-created statistic that measures how hot or cold hitters are. We will spotlight Red Sox and opposing team temperatures on game days.
After missing Monday's series opener between the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox with a shoulder issue, Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus is back in the lineup Tuesday, bringing one of the team's hottest bats with him. Andrus has been on fire in August, going 11-for-25 with three doubles and a triple, and making up for some of the offense the team is missing from key cog Josh Hamilton, who continues to be mired in a horrible slump. The star Texas outfielder owns a lowly .523 OPS with 28 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances over the last 28 days.
It should really stand out that Hamilton and Mike Napoli, considered two of the Rangers' most dangerous offensive weapons, fall to the bottom of the Rangers' temperature gauge.
Adrian Gonzalez, meanwhile, continues to lead the Red Sox offense in the absence of designated hitter David Ortiz. The first baseman has abolutely raked in August, going 11-for-22 with seven RBIs in six games. Combine that with a .928 OPS in July, and it's clear Gonzalez is back on track after spending the first three months of the season stuck in a prolonged slump.
Carl Crawford is also producing for the Sox, and it's been a pleasant surprise to many. Beyond just using his legs to put pressure on opposing defenses, the left fielder has gone 10-for-27 this month with two home runs and four doubles — two of which came among Monday night's total of eight for the Sox.
Here are the Red Sox and Rangers temperature gauges for Tuesday, August 7.
Red Sox
Adrian Gonzalez 97
Carl Crawford 86
Dustin Pedroia 82
Jacoby Ellsbury 78
Mike Aviles 77
Cody Ross 74
Pedro Ciriaco 74
Ryan Lavarnway 68
Nick Punto 66
Ryan Kalish 64
Will Middlebrooks 60
Kelly Shoppach 55
Jarrod Saltalamacchia 48
Rangers
Ian Kinsler 87
Elvis Andrus 85
Nelson Cruz 85
Mitch Moreland 83
Adrian Beltre 82
David Murphy 79
Michael Young 74
Mike Olt 73
Alberto Gonzalez 72
Craig Gentry 71
Geovany Soto 68
Josh Hamilton 56
Mike Napoli 53
