Both the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves are looking to rebound from disappointing starts as they prepare to face off at Fenway Park on Friday. The Red Sox, recently swept by the Detroit Tigers, are counting on Garrett Crochet to deliver a strong performance on the mound. The left-handed pitcher holds an impressive 1.93 ERA for the season and will be facing the Braves’ Chris Sale, another lefty who is set to make a significant return to Fenway after being traded for Vaughn Grissom last year.
This matchup is notable as it marks an historic moment—it’s the first time in Major League Baseball history that a team has faced reigning Cy Young winners in back-to-back games. The Red Sox hope to improve their performance against such high-caliber opponents.
Boston manager Alex Cora has opted to keep Rob Refsnyder in right field and in the cleanup spot to help counter the 2018 World Series champions.
The lineup for Friday’s game features key players from both teams, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Fans can tune into NESN for live coverage starting at 5:30 p.m.
The starting lineups are as follows:
RED SOX (22-23)
– Jarren Duran, LF
– Rafael Devers, DH
– Alex Bregman, 3B
– Rob Refsnyder, RF
– Kristian Campbell, 2B
– Trevor Story, SS
– Nick Sogard, 1B
– Carlos Narváez, C
– Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
– Garrett Crochet, LHP (4-2, 1.93 ERA)
BRAVES (22-22)
– Eli White, LF
– Austin Riley, 3B
– Marcell Ozuna, DH
– Matt Olson, 1B
– Sean Murphy, C
– Ozzie Albies, 2B
– Michael Harris II, CF
– Stuart Fairchild, RF
– Nick Allen, SS
– Chris Sale, LHP (1-3, 3.97 ERA)
In what promises to be a competitive matchup, both teams will be eager to find their footing and turn their seasons around. Fans will be hoping for an exciting display of talent and resilience from their respective teams.