The Boston Red Sox have a shot at franchise history Wednesday, and they’ll get two cracks at it.
After Tuesday’s rainout, Boston and the Baltimore Orioles are set to finish their three-game series with a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park. Game 1 is scheduled for 1:35 p.m.
ET, and if the Red Sox win the opener, they’ll match the franchise mark with 15 straight victories. That record belongs to the 1946 club, which featured then-27-year-old Ted Williams.
A sweep would do even more. If Boston takes both games, it would set a new franchise standard with 16 consecutive wins, the same kind of two-win day it pulled off last week against the Tampa Bay Rays.
For the first game, Boston is keeping Masataka Yoshida in the leadoff spot and sending Anthony Seigler to the bench. The rest of the lineup looks familiar for a team that has been rolling.
- Masataka Yoshida DH
- Ceddanne Rafaela CF
- Wilyer Abreu RF
- Willson Contreras 1B
- Caleb Durbin 3B
- Romy González 2B
- Jarren Duran LF
- Connor Wong C
- Tsung-Che Cheng SS
Jake Bennett gets the ball in Game 1, and he’s riding some serious momentum. The 25-year-old rookie is going for his fifth straight win, and since June 22 he has been one of the hottest starters in the sport: five starts, a 4-0 record, a 0.82 ERA, and a 25-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 33 innings.
Game 2 is still unsettled, though Ranger Suárez remains a possibility. The left-hander is technically still on the Injured List, but he’s close to returning. He had been lined up to pitch Tuesday before the weather and Boston’s decision to give him extra time pushed things back.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy didn’t rule Suárez out for Wednesday.
“Could be that’s why we’re making it TBD,” Tracy said. “We’ve just gotta wait and see how he feels tomorrow.”
So the stage is set: two games, one day, and a chance for Boston to make a little more history.
In Other News...
Red Sox Pitching Plans Take Another Brutal Turn Midstreak
Bostons pitching depth took another hit Monday as the club adjusted its plans for the July 21 game against Baltimore, turning to Eduardo Rivera for the start while continuing to wait on Ranger Suarez. Suarez is still on the injured list with a groin issue, another reminder of how thin the rotation picture has become as the Red Sox try to piece together innings on the fly.
The roster churn did not stop there. Reliever Zack Kelly was moved to the 60-day injured list because of elbow inflammation, a move that opened a 40-man roster spot but also deepened the sense that Boston is simply trying to stay afloat amid a string of pitching absences. Rivera has made three appearances for the Red Sox, and for now he is part of a staff that keeps having to absorb one more setback after another. [Read more 🡒]
Garrett Crochet Just Raised A Chilling Red Sox Rotation Concern
Garrett Crochets shoulder issue has become a far more complicated Red Sox concern than anyone could have expected when he first landed on the injured list in late April. What was supposed to be a short-term absence has dragged on, and the left-hander said the injury has not improved the way he initially hoped, leaving him without a clear timeline for getting back on a mound.
Crochet has since backed off his rehab work after his progress plateaued, including a step back from throwing plyo balls as the training staff takes a cautious approach. He said the injury is complex and he is simply following the plan in front of him while trying to stay connected to the club from the sidelines, even as Boston keeps rolling without him. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Linked To The Blockbuster Move Fans Wanted
With the Red Sox three games above .500 and riding a 14-game winning streak, the conversation around Boston has shifted from simply staying in the Wild Card race to wondering whether Craig Breslow might be willing to chase something bigger. That has opened the door to some aggressive speculation, including the idea that the club could be in the mix for a major upgrade if the right opportunity presents itself.
Around the league, Boston has been mentioned as a possible fit in trade chatter involving a star Mets infielder, a kind of move that would instantly change the complexion of the roster if it ever got serious. The obstacle is obvious, though, because any deal of that magnitude would have to clear a long list of hurdles, and for now it remains just that kind of rumor - the sort that says as much about Bostons ambition as it does about the odds of a deal actually getting done. [Read more 🡒]