Erik Miller’s first weeks with the Red Sox have gone well enough that Boston is trusting him with a different kind of assignment on Sunday.
The left-handed reliever will open the series finale against the Athletics, stepping into a bullpen game as the Red Sox juggle their rotation during a stretch of 16 straight games without an off day. Patrick Sandoval had been lined up for the start, but his outing was pushed back to Tuesday against the Blue Jays.
That gives Sandoval a little more breathing room after making five starts since returning from elbow surgery that cost him all of 2025 and the beginning of 2026. It also gives Boston a chance to get creative, with Brayan Bello expected to be available for multiple innings behind Miller.
Miller has done this before. In 2024, he started 10 games as an opener and allowed only two earned runs in those outings. He also just worked two full innings in his most recent appearance, so there’s at least a chance he can cover more than the first frame depending on how things unfold early.
The last time Miller started a game was July 28, 2024, against the Rockies. He had 10 opener appearances that season and went more than one inning only once, but the results were strong: a 1.69 ERA over 10.2 innings in his first MLB season.
For Boston, the formula on Sunday is straightforward. Miller gets the ball first, Bello is there to follow, and the Red Sox keep trying to navigate this 16-day grind while chasing their 10th consecutive series win.
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Now the broader question is no longer just when Casas comes back, but what Boston does next. The club has other names in the mix for first base, including Willson Contreras and prospects Kristian Campbell and Jack Winnay, which leaves the Red Sox looking at a spot that once seemed like it might be settled and instead feels very much up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]