The Red Sox are heading into Globe Life Field with a three-game set that could matter a whole lot in the stretch run, and they’ll lean on a pair of left-handers before turning to Sonny Gray in Thursday’s finale.
Boston opens the series Tuesday night against Texas with Patrick Sandoval on the mound, followed by rookie Jake Bennett in the middle game and Gray to close things out. The second game carries the most eye-catching matchup on paper, with Bennett set to square off against two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom.
All three games are scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET and will air on NESN, though the listed pitchers are still subject to change.
The Red Sox arrive at 82-68 after taking two of three from the Kansas City Royals. They’ve tightened their grip on an American League wild-card spot, but with 12 regular-season games left, there’s no real cushion to coast.
Sandoval gets the ball Tuesday against Cody Bradford in the opener. The Boston lefty is 1-5 with a 4.58 ERA, though that record doesn’t tell the full story of how he’s pitched.
The Red Sox also need him to go deep enough to spare a bullpen that was used to finish Sunday’s 4-1 win over Kansas City, with Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman handling the final innings. Bradford has had his own rough patch, dropping his fourth straight decision after giving up three runs in four innings against the Seattle Mariners.
That first game may be Boston’s best shot to grab control of the series before the schedule turns nastier.
Bennett’s assignment Wednesday is as tough as it gets. The rookie is 9-7 with a 3.69 ERA, but he’s trying to bounce back from a shaky outing against the Los Angeles Angels, when he allowed six runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings in Boston’s 6-4 loss.
Now he runs into deGrom, who looked every bit like an ace in his latest start. The Texas right-hander struck out 12 and gave up just one hit over six scoreless innings against Seattle.
The Rangers still lost 4-3 after he left the game, but the outing was another reminder of how fast he can seize a game. Boston may simply need Bennett to keep it close until deGrom is out.
Texas’ ace has a 3.80 ERA across 149 1/3 innings this season.
Gray gives Boston a strong chance to finish the trip on a high note Thursday, when he’s scheduled to face Kumar Rocker. Gray has been one of the most reliable starters in the rotation, going 17-5 with a 2.76 ERA.
That kind of consistency makes the finale look favorable for the Red Sox, especially if the first two games force them to burn through more relievers. Still, Rocker is coming off a start in which he helped Texas beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2, so Boston can’t treat the last game like a given.
Texas comes in at 74-76, but the Rangers still have real stakes in front of them. They’re within two games of both the AL West lead and the final wild-card spot, which gives this series some bite on both sides. Boston may be in the better postseason position, but Texas has enough to make every night count.
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