The Red Sox open September with a Labor Day matinee at Fenway Park, starting a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Boston will send Brayan Bello (10-6, 2.99) to the mound against Guardians left-hander Parker Messick (1-0, 0.66). Bello will look to keep his strong season rolling in the opener.
To counter Messick, Boston is loading up with right-handed hitters. Six of the top seven batters are right-handed. After Roman Anthony leads off, the lineup features Alex Bregman at third, Trevor Story at short, Romy Gonzalez at second, Rob Refsnyder at designated hitter, Nate Eaton in left, and Ceddanne Rafaela in center. Jarren Duran, who is batting .208 with a .584 OPS against lefties this season, will come off the bench.
Entering the day, the Red Sox are third in the AL East, 3.5 games back of the Blue Jays for second in the division and a half-game behind the Yankees for that second-place spot and first in the AL Wild Card race.
Red Sox lineup
Roman Anthony RF
Alex Bregman 3B
Trevor Story SS
Romy Gonzalez 2B
Rob Refsnyder DH
Nate Eaton LF
Ceddanne Rafaela CF
Nathaniel Lowe 1B
Connor Wong C
Brayan Bello P
How to watch
When: 1:35 p.m.
Where: Fenway Park, Boston
Broadcast info: NESN, WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish), WESX 1230 AM (Spanish)
Notes and context
– The decision to start Bello against a left-handed starter and the emphasis on right-handed bats reflects Boston’s game plan to maximize matchups in this series.
– With the Yankees off Monday and the Blue Jays starting a series against the Reds, this three-game set could influence the bugged-down chase for playoff positioning as September begins.
– The Guardians will counter with Parker Messick, a lefty making a limited appearance this season, giving Boston a chance to test its depth off the bench and in the late innings.
Overall, it’s a meaningful early September tilt for both teams as Boston tries to trim the gap in the Wild Card race and assert momentum heading into a critical stretch. Positive takeaway: Bello’s strong numbers provide a stable foundation for the rotation, and the right-handed-heavy lineup aims to exploit the Guardians’ left-handed arms.