Elias makes 1st Red Sox start, faces former team

Left-hander Roenis Elias will face his former Mariners teammates on Friday at Fenway Park when he makes his first start for the Red Sox in the opener of a three-game series.

Elias, 27, will be recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket, where he posted a 4-3 record and 3.54 ERA in 10 games (nine starts). The Cuban native was acquired by Boston as part of a four-player trade in December. He pitched one game in relief for the Red Sox on April 23, allowing four hits and three runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Astros.

"It's going to be a good experience, an interesting one," said Elias. "I'm looking forward to seeing my old team and my old teammates."

Elias went 5-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 22 games (20 starts) for Seattle last year.

The Mariners will counter with veteran right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, who is 5-5 with a 4.10 ERA on the season and has won four of his last five starts.

Iwakuma has struggled against the Red Sox in the past. The 35-year-old is 0-1 with a 10.20 ERA in four prior meetings and 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts at Fenway. He didn't face Boston in 2015, but in his last appearance against the Red Sox on Aug. 24, 2014, he allowed five runs on six hits in just 2 1/3 innings in an 8-6 win in Boston.

Things to know about this game

• Mariners sluggers Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz have a history of success at Fenway Park. Cruz has put up a .375/.437/.688 line with eight homers and 27 RBIs in 31 career games in Boston, while Cano has a .340/.383/.561 line with 13 homers and 67 RBIs in 85 games.

• Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is 4-for-8 with a walk, a double, two home runs and four RBIs against Iwakuma.

• Mariners center fielder Leonys Martin didn't start Thursday's series finale against the Rays to rest his left hamstring, but he is expected back in the lineup on Friday. Martin had started the previous five games after coming off the 15-day disabled list. He was a "little tender" after going 2-for-4 with a walk in Wednesday's 13-inning loss at Tropicana Field, according to manager Scott Servais.