BOSTON –– The Red Sox lineup has an MVP, a 54-home-run hitter, and the current league home run leader sandwiched into the top half of the order. But the one guy that really scares Chipper Jones?

Kevin Youkilis.

During the World Baseball Classic, Youkilis made fans out of USA-squad teammates Jones and Brian McCann, both of the Atlanta Braves. Jones said that Youkilis, more than any other Sox hitter, scares him in big moments.

“He’s probably the one guy in their lineup you don’t want to see up at the plate in the crucial at-bat of the game, because you know he’s very rarely going to make an out on the first pitch. He’s going to work counts, he’s going to foul balls off, and he’s going to work the pitcher until he can get a pitch he can hit hard,” Jones said.

There were some questions this year about how Youkilis would fare in the fourth spot in the lineup, as protection for the third hitter — then David Ortiz. The lineup has shifted around all season, but Youkilis has answered all doubters at every point. His average now stands at .324, with 12 home runs and 39 RBI.

Jones and Atlanta hitting coach Terry Pendleton had been chatting about Youkilis by the batting cages earlier in the day — remarking on his progress as a hitter, and how fearsome he had become, with his combination of power, plate discipline, and line-drive ability.

“I never really realized how good a hitter he was until I played with him in the WBC. This is a guy who throws quality at-bats up ... That was something I never really realized about him — but he’s fast perfecting the art of hitting in his own way,” Jones said.

McCann, 26, came into the majors around the same time as Youkilis, 30, but was so impressed with the first baseman that he spent much of the WBC watching him to pick up plate discipline tips. Viewing Youkilis’ at-bats was like watching film on how to be properly selective.

“Straight off the bat, he was just an awesome guy. He’s a guy you want to pick his brain, because you watch the way he hits — he never swings at a bad pitch. He can drive the ball to all fields,” McCann said. “I just watched him through the three weeks that we were all there.”

Smoltz visits Fenway, Braves

John Smoltz is not on the Red Sox’ active roster as he continues to rehab from shoulder surgery of a year ago while he was with the Atlanta Braves. Still, it did not stop him from visiting with his former club early Friday afternoon at Fenway Park.

 “You can’t erase history and you can’t erase friendships,” said Smoltz. “I’m not pretending to, and I don’t think they are. I think everyone has handled it pretty cool. It’s kind of like not seeing a friend for 10 years. You ask what they’ve done and how they did it and you go on.”

Lowrie begins rehab stint

Shortstop Jed Lowrie will join the PawSox on Sunday to complete his rehab from wrist surgery, and he could stay with the team several weeks before returning to the major leagues, manager Terry Francona said.

Lowrie underwent wrist surgery in April. He worked out with Single-A Lowell earlier this week, then went to Florida to play in extended spring-training games. With no more Florida games scheduled for several days, Lowrie will fly to Durham, N.C. to join Pawtucket on the road.

Lowrie has reported no problems with his wrist so far in his rehab, but he is clearly rusty, and not in full-time playing shape. He will need rest during his rehab, which could last several weeks, Francona said.

Nick Green has played well at short with Lowrie out, and the team is not in a hurry to throw Lowrie into the mix before he is ready.

“We don’t want to rush him, but we don’t want to slow him down either. If he’s ready to play, we’ll play him,” Francona said.

The PawSox next play at home on June 27 against Syracuse.